Student/Fellowship Clinical Opportunties
Graduate audiology students may complete their clinical experience requirement by applying for a Fellowship opportunity with the Marion Downs Hearing Center during their final year of school.
For the 2013 year, the Marion Downs Hearing Center will accept three 4th year AuD fellows.
The 12 month experience is broken down into rotations through the audiology specialties. The following specialties will be included:
- Pediatrics
- Vestibular
- Cochlear implants, with continual experience with audiometric assessment and amplification.
Initially students have intensive audiometric testing and amplification exposure and responsibility, and these activities continue part time throughout the year.
The clinic consists of:
- 12 Audiologists
- 3 Neuro-otologists
- 1 Speech Pathologist
- 1 Psychologist
- A multidisciplinary clinic and many outreach programs
All of our audiologists hold the ASHA CCC-A.
Every student is unique with different interests therefore an effort is made to tailor the experience to their needs and interests. Rotating through all the specialties not only gives students good exposure and experience but also provides them with an opportunity to potentially find a sub-specialty that interests them. In the past three 4 years we have had a LEND Pediatric Training Grant and all of our students have received a small stipend. While we hope to receive continued funding, the funding is currently renewed year-to-year and we do not expect to be notified about continued funding for several months. Therefore students should not expect to receive monitory compensation for the year 2013-2014.
Students accepted in our program are asked to commit to a 12 month program with a flexible start date in the summer of 2013.
Students interested in applying for the 2013-2014 year need to submit a CV and a letter of intent by November 1, 2012. In the application, please include the following:
- What type of experience you have or plan to have prior to starting their 4th year
- Interests and expectations for your 4th year experience
- Include any additional information you might find helpful in determining whether or not you would be a good fit for our program. This may include letters of recommendation from clinical supervisors.
We encourage a visit and personal interview for all applicants. Applicants who cannot visit may be offered a telephone interview. A decision about accepted applicants will be made by the end of the year.
Applications can be sent to us electronically at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by mail to:
Marion Downs Hearing Center
Attn: Dr. Sandra Gabbard
1793 Quentin Street, Unit 2
Aurora, CO 80045
Current 4th Year AuD Fellows (2012-2013)
Nicole Cyr
Originally from Maine, Nicole attended the University of Maine at Orono for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders. Graduate School at the University of Colorado brought Nicole to Colorado, and eventually to the Marion Downs Hearing Center. In her fourth year externship, Nicole is currently working on her Clinical Doctorate degree in Audiology from the University of Colorado Boulder. Working at the University of Colorado Hospital has been a very eye opening experience for Nicole. She has discovered her fascination with cochlear implants, and her particular desire to work in pediatrics. When asked about her experience, Nicole said, “I am fortunate to have a clinical experience where I am exposed to the extensive possibilities of my future career.”When not studying, or working in the clinic, Nicole enjoys spending time with her dog, Stella, and her boyfriend. On the weekends, Nicole tries to find time to enjoy the beautiful outdoors by hiking, biking, or running. She makes sure to always attach a trailer to her bike so that Stella can enjoy the scenery as well.
Zacary S. La Fratta
Zac La Fratta is a fourth-year extern at the Audiology Clinic at University Colorado Hospital. He is completing his clinical doctorate studies at Gallaudet University’s audiology program under the Pediatric Audiology Education and Dissemination of Services (PAEDS) Grant for the U.S. Office of Special Education. He has completed clinical audiology rotations in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area at an ENT private practice, Children’s National Medical Center, and The River School. Zac currently serves as an Audiology LEND Fellow with the JFK Partners program here in Colorado to continue his training with pediatric audiology through various interdisciplinary models. He is also proud to work with several programs at the Marion Downs Hearing Center, including Campus Connections, Newborn Hearing Screenings, and Teen Day. Zac has a bilateral, mild steeply sloping to profound sensorineural hearing loss acquired from exposure to bacterial meningitis at 8 months of age. His first spoken words (according to Dad) were “hold me,” but sign language was his actual first language. He received early intervention services through The Callier Center at UT Dallas and was mainstreamed in both private and public schools. Zac wore hearing aids for the first decade of his life before putting them in the drawer for nearly twenty years. He now proudly wears hearing aids after embracing his hearing loss, and is currently in conversations of possibly pursuing a cochlear implant. Zac enjoys playing tennis, dining out, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.
