“ I owe my career to dr. Richard Grabowski,
my very first audiology professor
at kutztown.”
Audiology, or the study of hearing and hearing disorders, allows Woodruff to diagnose and search for the root causes of hearing loss, which can be anything from congenital disorders to untreated ear infections. Often, his work consists of fitting children with hearing aids and showing them and their parents how to use the technology. In countries like Vietnam, where there is only one audiologist who practices in a large city, Woodruff ’s work focuses on rural villages, where the need is greatest. He’s been going to these countries for years and has always witnessed a friendly environment.
— D r . Dav i d W o o d r u ff
“When I first went there, the (Vietnam) war was fresh,” he says, adding that he expected to find anti-Americanism or tension there. Instead, he found a warm welcome despite many cultural differences. “The general population is such a different type of culture,” he says, adding that the ancient culture is inherently different from that of the west, something that continues to fascinate him. “It is primarily Buddhist, with history that goes back thousands of years.” Vietnam has been particularly interesting to Woodruff. “I’ve seen a country that has been at war with various enemies for centuries adjust to relative peace. It’s a culture in transition,” he says. As far as he’s traveled and as many people as he’s helped, Woodruff credits his time at Kutztown University for starting him on his path. “I owe my career to Dr. Richard Grabowski, my very first audiology professor at Kutztown. I really had no idea of my future when I took his beginning audiology course out of curiosity. He was a wonderful teacher and succeeded in perking my interest in the relatively new field of audiology,” says Woodruff. Undoubtedly, his patients both here and across the world are also grateful.
Far left: A young Vietnamese student wears earphones used for hearing tests as friends watch. Critical for continued social and educational growth, the free tests are offered through school programs. Woodruff estimates AHAC has tested thousands of children since its inception.
Winter 2012 | Tower 19