Ali's Audiology BSc experience at Aston University
Ali breaks down his time at Aston on the Audiology BSc course where he experienced excellent support from staff, helped establish the Audiology Society, and was part of cochlear implant surgeries during his placement.
Why did you choose to study at Aston?
Aston is one of the best universities for a degree in Audiology in the UK. I also chose it because Birmingham is known to be an amazing city, especially for students, and I had friends and family who live/study there.
Teaching and Student Support
The lecturers and teaching staff were always of utmost support (and still are!). They always kept in touch with me and ensured that all their content was being adequately understood.
They were greatly helpful with assignments, promptly looking at drafts and providing useful feedback. All in all, I felt as if the teaching staff were our friends too, rather than just lecturers. The systems set up for student support were greatly helpful too - the library, LDC, and supporting material - all invaluably helpful to us as students.
What was the highlight of your time at Aston?
During my second year, we established the first-ever Audiology Society at Aston University, and went on to hold a Charity Gala towards the end of the academic year, which I hosted. The event was enjoyed by all attendees, and a great success in exceeding everyone's expectations, and is definitely one of my most memorable highlights at Aston.
How do you feel your placement prepared you for your future career?
I was given the chance to integrate within the profession and attend numerous conferences and training courses to further my knowledge, experience, and allow me to network during my time on placement. It also allowed me to gain a wide range of experience, which equipped me with the right set of skills to start my career with. I also had the opportunity to work within the NHS for a short time during my final year, which was a very enjoyable and beneficial opportunity.
What was the highlight of your placement experience?
I was given the opportunity to be in the Operating Theatre during Cochlear Implant surgeries and gained first-hand experience of an audiologist's role and importance during the surgery.
Were you involved in any student societies or extra-curricular activities?
I was the President of the inaugural Aston Audiology Society committee. This was an experience that I cannot appreciate enough, as it provided me with the opportunity to do numerous things, gain various skills, and work with a great group of people. This experience will not only help me professionally, but helped me to grow as a person. I later took on an Advisory role to the committee while I was on placement.
I was also an avid member of the Aston Ahlul Bayt Society, attending most of their events, and hosting a number of workshops and events for the society. I hosted the annual Milad programme in 2017; a charity dinner with over 200 attendees, which was an indescribable experience for myself.
How did you find the Aston campus experience?
The campus is an excellent place - I'd find myself spend many of my 'days off' also chilling on campus. There were always people just relaxing and having a good time, and on warmer days the campus basically burst into life. It was also very convenient to have everything within five minutes of everything else. The campus actually turned into the centre point for our friends' group, being the place everyone meets up before deciding what to do.
What was the best thing about being a student in Birmingham?
Birmingham is a fantastic place to be a student! It is hard to pick a best thing - the town is lively and always bustling, there are students everywhere you go, and you can find literally anything you want there. Personally, I would say the people I met in Birmingham are the reason it was such a great place to be. The diversity is also astounding and very welcoming, and it is definitely a town I will always know as home, even after my graduation.
What advice would you give to someone thinking of studying at Aston?
Do it!
What would be your top recommendation to new students on what to do or see in Birmingham?
The museum in town is a must see, and you have to spend your days walking about town, exploring the alleys and canals of the city.
There are so many things to do and see, it’s an overwhelming experience.
If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice as a first-year student, what would it be?
Go out more, take advantage of the social environment at university, make more friends and more experiences.
What are you doing now?
I currently work as a clinical audiologist at HearWell Audiology Clinic and at the Aga Khan Hospital in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. I think what I enjoy most about my work is the opportunity to apply a wide range of skills to my day-to-day work and increasing accessibility to services that are very scarcely available in the region, and bringing these services to the people who need them.
I love that audiology is really such a varied profession - involving technical, medical/healthcare, interpersonal, and research aspects. Overall, there's never a boring day!