Key Takeaways:
- Pre-medical students may be suited to a wide range of healthcare career paths, including audiology.
- Audiologists care for patients with hearing and balance disorders, including hearing loss, tinnitus, vertigo, and more.
- To prepare for a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) program, you can pursue an MSMS degree with a Tiber Health University Partner.
Many pre-med students start their journey aiming for medicine, only to discover other meaningful healthcare careers that also combine science, patient care, and real clinical impact.
Audiology—the healthcare profession that helps diagnose, treat, and manage issues with hearing and balance disorders—is one such path. If you want to help people coping with hearing loss, vertigo, and other issues caused by the function of the ears, you’ll need to earn a Doctor of Audiology (AuD) degree and gain a license.
If you’re considering audiology but want to strengthen your academic foundation first, the Master of Science in Medical Sciences (MSMS) from Tiber Health could be a powerful stepping-stone. This article looks at what audiology is and how an MSMS from a Tiber Health University Partner could help you get into the profession.
What Is Audiology — and Why Might It Appeal to Pre-Meds?
Audiologists are doctoral-level healthcare professionals specializing in hearing and balance disorders across all ages. They diagnose conditions, fit hearing devices like cochlear implants, collaborate with other clinicians (like ENTs), and maintain long-term patient relationships.
Audiology blends science, diagnostics, and patient counseling. For pre-meds who thrive on rigorous science and clinical interaction—but prefer a focused specialty and strong work–life balance—audiology can be a perfect fit.
How to Become an Audiologist
Unlike the MD/DO pathway, audiology follows a direct doctoral model with no residencies. Students can apply to AuD programs right after completing relevant undergraduate coursework in biology, physics, or communication sciences. According to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), there are almost 80 AuD programs in the U.S.
AuD programs take four years to complete. They cover a wide range of clinical science, practical assessment skills, and professional education. Topics can include:
- Hearing assessment
- Psychoacoustics
- Balance disorders
- Sign language
- Special populations (pediatric, geriatric, or occupational audiology patients)
- Instrument calibration
- Practice management and healthcare ethics
AuD students complete clerkships and clinical rotations as part of their studies, just like medical students. The difference is that AuD complete an externship during the last year of their studies rather than a residency after graduation.
Just prior to graduation, AuD students will take the Praxis Examination in Audiology, which is required to obtain a license to practice in all U.S. states. It’s also a prerequisite for gaining professional certification from the ASHA. Once licensed, audiologists can begin to search for jobs.
Most audiologists work in hospitals, physicians’ offices, or specialist clinics. Some may work for schools or school districts. You can learn more about working conditions, national salaries, and other aspects of audiology careers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook entry for audiologists.
What Is the Tiber Health MSMS?
The MSMS (Master of Science in Medical Sciences) is an intensive, one-year (three-semester), graduate-level curriculum designed to mirror the first year of medical school, strengthening students’ biomedical science foundations. Tiber’s MSMS is offered via a national network of university partners.
Coursework covers anatomy, physiology, microbiology, biochemistry, neuroscience, histology and cell biology, plus medical ethics and health disparities—equipping students with advanced scientific knowledge that aligns directly with professional healthcare training.
The MSMS blends advanced education with innovative learning technology. This includes a “flipped” classroom, which combines self-guided online study with practical labs and discussions to ensure active learning. It also includes data-driven insights into your performance thanks to the Tiber Health Analytics Suite, which gathers real-time data about your strengths and weaknesses so you (and your faculty advisors) can tailor your efforts accordingly.
How the MSMS Aligns with Audiology Preparation
Audiology programs (AuD) expect students to be strong in anatomy, physiology, neuroscience, and scientific reasoning. The MSMS curriculum provides graduate-level coursework in these domains—often at a rigor that exceeds typical undergraduate classes. This can make the transition into the rigorous AuD curriculum much smoother.
Courses like anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience provide advanced conceptual context that is directly relevant to understanding the auditory and vestibular systems. This strong biomedical knowledge base helps with both audiology prerequisite expectations and doctoral-level coursework readiness. The MSMS can also strengthen your academic profile by showing admissions committees you can succeed in demanding, graduate-level scientific coursework. This can make you a stronger AuD applicant.
Give Audiology a Hearing
Considering audiology as a healthcare career doesn’t mean leaving your pre-med efforts behind—far from it. A strong biomedical foundation, critical thinking skills, and evidence of academic resilience are all assets for successful audiology applicants.
The Tiber Health MSMS program helps you gain all three of these assets. Its rigorous, science-driven curriculum, combined with performance analytics and professional growth opportunities, can help you transition from a pre-med mindset into a competitive applicant for AuD programs and other health professions.
If you want to build confidence, strengthen your science foundation, and open doors in audiology (or beyond), the MSMS is a pathway worth exploring.
Further Reading and Resources
- Student Academy of Audiology – American Association of Audiology
- Information for Audiologists – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA)
- Audiology Pathway to Certification – ASHA
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Audiologists – U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
