
3 minute read
Grad Gallery: Jody Africa
LinkedIn: bit.ly/2QJ5JOB
Current position:
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Managing Director at Afrihear Hearing Solutions
Audiologist at Port Alfred Hospital
Academic history:
2011 - 2014 Bachelor of Science Honours in Audiology at UCT
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What led you to your current position?
I graduated with a BSc (Hons) degree in Audiology in 2014, after which I was afforded the opportunity to complete my community service year at Port Alfred Hospital in 2015. This led me to apply to be permanently appointed and I’ve been heading the Audiology department at Port Alfred Hospital ever since. I’ve always known that there was a gap in the private Audiology services and especially mobile hearing services in Port Alfred and the surrounding areas since most of the population is elderly and not as mobile. In 2018, I was fortunate to be afforded the opportunity to act on this gap in the market and I formed my own small, mobile hearing healthcare service.
What are your responsibilities as Managing Director?
Since my business is small, my role varies from marketing, sales, administration and consulting. I think it is essential to fulfill as many roles yourself as possible when running a small business in order to cut down costs. This also allowed me to learn a few new skills, for example, I registered my business myself, designed the logo, and did my own digital marketing; all of which I learned along the way. In private practice you have to actively search for clients until you get to a point where your public and social media presence has grown enough to allow people to find you with ease
What value does your qualification add to your work?
Holding a BSc (Hons) degree is the minimum educational requirement in order to practice as a registered Audiologist in South Africa. A Master’s degree would be beneficial to pursue a career in lecturing, research or to practise abroad (in some countries it is required). However, it usually does not directly affect the work we do in consulting, unless the topic is based on a particular clinical aspect [that you have researched] or if it allows you to broaden your scope and apply for a promotion perhaps in the field of public health or management.
What advice would you give to graduates currently entering your industry?
There is no timeframe on your progress. Work at your own pace, but, try and visualise an end goal where you would like to see yourself end up in your career and let your decisions position you accordingly you achieve that. In the public healthcare system we are often under-resourced and many skills are often forgotten or degraded over time, therefore, try and keep your clinical skills up to date using online resources. Read up about developments in your field of interest but also in relating fields of science and technology so that you can understand how it may affect your future goal.
What impact has COVID-19 had on your career?
The demand in the public sector definitely took priority and we found ourselves fulfilling roles outside of our appointed job descriptions. This was largely to assist in the screening and testing of members of the community. The Department of Health also put a hold on all external work during this time so unfortunately I was unable to conduct any private work during this time. The restrictions have been lifted since, however, but it will take some time for business operations to go back to normal and I’m currently working on reintroducing some services.
How do you see audiology changing in the near future, and what do you hope to see?
Since Audiology as a profession is very dependent on technology, from our testing equipment to the assistive listening devices we prescribe to clients with hearing difficulty, advancements often bring welcome changes. With the impending introduction of selffitting and over-the-counter “hearables” and with tech giants such as Apple also getting involved in this emerging field, I’m sure the future will bring many welcome changes for the consumer. In essence many of the traditional practices we follow are redundant, and this would open up opportunities for many more individuals to access hearing healthcare and with greater ease of access. The Audiologist will still play their part in facilitating this process and diagnosing and treating Audiological conditions, but more efficiently, and no longer as the gate-keeper to hearing healthcare. This would mean greater consumer involvement, with technology assisting with day-to-day mundane tasks and allowing the Audiologist to provide more specific, personalised client care.