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Audio Vestibular Medicine is a branch of medicine which focuses on the diagnosis, assessment, prevention, management, and treatment and rehabilitation of ear and balance disorders. Audio-vestibular disorders include both acute and chronic conditions which can be present at birth, or influenced by age, genetics, co-morbid conditions, trauma, infection or illness. Common conditions include dizziness, imbalance, hearing loss, tinnitus, hyperacusis, auditory processing difficulties, speech disorders, misophonia, and abnormalities in eye movements, among others. Audio vestibular medicine provides both audiological and medical management of patients. Practice involves a range of specialised investigations to assess hearing, balance and other conditions. These include audiology tests, blood tests, CT and MRI scans, balance assessments, metabolic screening, and other genetic testing. AVM investigations seek to identify aetiological factors, provide early identification and management, prevention strategies, and a range of treatments which help to improve hearing, communication, balance, independence, health, quality of life and participation in school and learning, work, sport, and social activities. Treatments include hearing aids, cochlear implants, treatment of co-morbid conditions such as infections or autoimmune disorders, pharmacology, repositioning manoeuvres, education and counselling, and rehabilitation therapies. Audio-vestibular medicine overlaps with other medical specialties, including neurology, geriatrics, psychiatry, developmental paediatrics, immunology and allergy, ophthalmology, genetics, and ENT surgery. This field of medicine seeks to provide integrated patient care in collaboration with other medical specialties. It involves multidisciplinary teams of Audiovestibular physicians, other physicians, nurses, and allied health staff including audiologists, hearing therapists, psychologists, speech and language therapists, and education advisors and teachers who work with the hearing impaired. Audiovestibular medicine services are provided in hospitals, as well as community and academic settings

Audio Vestibular Medicine Jobs

Audiovestibular Physicians provide specialised and integrated audiological and medical care to patients who have hearing or balance disorders. They work with a range of patients, from new-borns to the elderly, helping them to manage and improve their hearing, balance, independence and quality of life. They work within multidisciplinary teams with para medical and allied health staff. New-born baby screeners and audiologists undertake routine and technical audiology tests and refer patients who need follow-up care to the audiovestibular physician – who can undertake more complex and comprehensive assessments and investigations, including clinical and neuro-otological examinations, blood tests or MRIs, which help to identify the type and cause of the problem, including underlying health conditions, genetic factors, and immunological issues. They can assess suitability for hearing aids and cochlear implants, refer to or collaborate with other medical specialists, such as ENT surgeons, neurologists or ophthalmologists, and create management and treatment plans which are tailored to the individual and their psychosocial needs. These can involve a range of prevention and rehabilitation strategies, physiotherapy, speech therapy, education and counselling, pharmacology, hearing devices, and treatment/management of co-existing conditions. Importantly, Audio-vestibular physicians coordinate AVM services and wrap-around supports. They provide the medical component of care and leadership/management of the multidisciplinary team. They collaborate with audiologists, hearing therapists, psychologists, speech and language therapists, teachers and specialist educators for the hearing impaired, nurses, and GPs. They may be involved in research, teaching and training, and development and implementation of new technologies. To specialise in Audio Vestibular Medicine, registered Doctors who have completed foundation training and two years of Internal Medicine Training (or alternatively three years of Acute Care Common Stem training; or post-core paediatrics or ENT specialist training), can apply to undertake specialist training in Audiovestibular Medicine (AVM), a four-five-year JRCPTB training program which leads to a CCT in AVM and entry onto the GMC Specialty Register.

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