Exploring Life & Business with Gail Whitelaw of The Ohio State University Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gail Whitelaw.

Hi Gail, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I met an audiologist when I was 11 and decided that would be my career choice. I have been dedicated to audiology since. I had the benefit of amazing educational opportunities and to have exceptional mentors and preceptors in my career. I find the ear to be fascinating and enhancing communication and quality of life for patients and their families is incredibly rewarding. I have outstanding colleagues who support and challenge me to be a better professional and person. Leadership opportunities on both the local and national levels provide ways to advocate for patients and my profession and to be part of creating the future and the profession I hope to share.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The challenge of audiology is a lack of public awareness and the stigma around hearing aids, which is only one aspect of the treatment we provide. Additionally, hearing aids are generally not covered by insurances. These are obstacles to obtaining timely clinical care, which improves quality of life. Superior patient outcomes are a combination of “product” (e.g. hearing aid, cochlear implant, assistive listening technology) and “process” (e.g. knowledge and skill of audiologists who use best practices) and cannot compare to over-the-counter or self-fit devices.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about The Ohio State University Speech-Language-Hearing Clinic?
Our clinic is part of the Department of Speech and Hearing Science at The Ohio State University in Columbus, OH. We provide a broad range of services both in audiology and speech/language pathology and work with patients from infants to older adults. Our mission is to provide exceptional patient care and exemplary clinical education as we a clinical site for Doctor of Audiology (AuD) and Master of Speech-Language Pathology (MA-SLP) students at Ohio State. The clinic offers cutting edge and state of the art services including hearing technology, auditory processing assessment and management, augmentative and alternative communication (AAC), group services including Aphasia Initiative, for people that have had strokes and their families and Brain Cares for people that have had traumatic brain injuries/concussion and their families, tinnitus evaluation and treatment, swallowing services, and vestibular assessment and treatment. We practice at the top of our scopes of practice and “practice what we teach,” providing excellent clinical education to our students while patients receive the benefit for time and evidence-informed care supported by the faculty in our Department. Our clinic is able to partner with many organizations in Central Ohio to provide screenings and consultation. Personally, I am proud of the fact that we prepare the future of the profession.while providing patient and family centered care.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
Innovation will continue to improve communication access for people with hearing and balance issues.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sphs.osu.edu/clinic
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OSUSpeechandHearing/