SGH Listen and Talk Programme is 20 this year! Since we started in 2001, our team of ENT doctors, Audiologists and Auditory-Verbal Therapists in the Centre for Hearing and Ear Implants have been working closely to provide care for patients with hearing loss. To celebrate our 20th Anniversary and in conjunction with Audiologist/AVT Day on 10th October, we interview some of our Allied Health Professionals. Read the interviews to get to know our AHPs better and learn more about the work that they do at our Centre.

Goh Choon May, Senior Audiologist

1. Describe your work as an audiologist/AVT.
   As an audiologist, I have to (1) identify, diagnose, manage and/or treat hearing and balance disorders. (2) counsel patients and/or families through a diagnosis of hearing loss or balance disorder.


2. Why did you decide to be an audiologist/AVT?
   I have decided to be an audiologist because I wish to help people with hearing or balance disorders to have better communication and improve their quality of life.


3. What do you like most about your job?
   I like this job because it allows me to use different technology, creative problem solving, and social skills to identify and treat hearing, balance, and other auditory or balance disorders.


4. What was your most interesting encounter at work?
   A lady who was told to have balance disorder, came with her 3 year old daughter for vestibular rehabilitation. She cried during our first meeting as she told me that she could not function like a normal person. She shared with me how the vertigo was affecting her and her family. It has caused her to be imbalanced when walking, and giddiness when sleeping on the bed. Sometimes, the vertigo may attack suddenly when she was doing her household chores. She did share this with her husband and colleagues, but none of them were able to understand her condition. Some of her colleagues even thought that she was trying to avoid some job. It is sad but it’s also a good way to let people know how important our balancing organs are as balance disorders may severely affect our daily life. Luckily, this lady has recovered from her balance disorder after 2 weeks of rehabilitation.


5. What is something that people don’t know about audiologists/AVTs?
   The public sometimes confuses us with doctors or nurses. We are allied health professionals who are trained to provide hearing or balance re/habilitation, not medication.


6. What is your purpose at work?
   My purpose at work is be a good listener as there is always counselling required in terms of diagnosing and managing a hearing loss or balance disorder.


7. What are you passionate about?
   My passion is to use the latest innovative technology to assess and manage the patients with hearing and balance disorders. I always like to update myself with knowledge about the latest medical equipment or amplification device in order to get the most accurate diagnosis and also to provide the best way of management for patients.