Committed to Improving the Lives of
People of All Ages with Hearing and Communication Challenges

4th Year AuD LEND Fellowship Application Information

The Marion Downs Center (MDC) is currently accepting applications for 4th year AuD Fellows for the 2025-2026 academic year. Applications are due by September 18, 2024.

The MDC is a nonprofit “Center of Excellence” in Denver, Colorado that provides culturally sensitive services, resources, education, and research to support the needs of individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing or who have communication challenges, their families, and the professionals who serve them. 

The clinic faculty at the MDC consists of five audiologists, two speech-language pathologists, and a teacher of the deaf. The MDC has many community programs including a large pediatric school-based screening program for hearing and speech, a summer preschool, and many special events and
educational programs throughout the year.

The 4th year Audiology Fellow at the MDC is a trainee in the Colorado LEND Program. The Colorado Audiology LEND is a program through JFK Partners at the University of Colorado Denver (UCD). LEND Fellows participate in multidisciplinary educational opportunities at UCD in addition to their clinical responsibilities at MDC. There is a “scholarly” LEND yearlong project. Sandra Abbott Gabbard, PhD is the Audiology Discipline Director of the Colorado LEND as well as the President/CEO/Audiologist at the MDC. Dr Gabbard provides LEND and clinical mentoring to trainees. Colorado LEND Audiology trainees receive a monthly stipend from the University of Colorado.

The 12-month MDC Fellowship includes experience with all ages of patients in multiple areas of practice including:

• Audiometric assessment (behavioral, immittance audiometry, OAEs, ABR, ASSR)
• Amplification (hearing aids, FM, assistive devices and devices for tinnitus)
• Cochlear Implant candidacy and mapping
• Pediatrics (diagnostic assessment, amplification, community-based screening, preschool audiology support)
• Aural (Re)habilitation (Marion’s Way Preschool and adult classes)
• Hearing Conservation (industrial and musician care)

Every student is unique with different interests; therefore, an effort is made to tailor the experience to the student’s individual needs and professional goals. AuD students who are the best fit for this experience are individuals who are looking for an educational experience with a community-based approach serving all ages.

Students interested in applying for the 2025-2026 year need to submit their application packet by September 18, 2024. In the application, please include the following: 

• A letter of intent explaining what type of experience you have or plan to have prior to starting your 4th year and your interests and expectations for your 4th year experience
• A resume including relevant education and experience
• A minimum of two letters of recommendation including at least one clinical
• Any additional information you think might be helpful in determining whether or not you would be a good fit for our program

 

We strongly encourage a visit and personal interview for all applicants. Interested applicants who can visit may request a visit anytime from January 1st, 2024 to October 1, 2024. Please contact the MDC by telephone (303-322-1871) or email [email protected] to arrange an in-person visit. Applicants who cannot visit may be offered a telephone/videointerview. The MDC participates in the Audiology Clinical Education Network (ACEN) and follows the recommended timeline. A decision about accepted applicants will be made by October 25th, 2024.

Application materials can be uploaded electronically here: APPLICATION PACKET UPLOAD

Volunteers

Loyal, committed, energetic volunteers contribute significantly to our mission. Volunteer commitment can range to a one-time project to long-term on-going support. Areas of need include: administrative support, community outreach, fundraising, special events, mentorship, early childhood literacy with direct child contact, educational materials preparation, building support and maintenance.

We require fingerprinting and background checks for all direct contact volunteers.

Do you have a skill that you think the Marion Downs Center could benefit from? Do you want to volunteer but have something else in mind? Contact us! We welcome your support and will work together to identify a project that interests you.

Volunteer commitment can range to a one-time project to long-term on-going support. If you are interested in applying for our volunteer program, please email [email protected] with "volunteer" in the subject line.

Internships/Clinical Opportunities

Internship opportunities are structured for individuals interested in gaining knowledge, skills and experience to support future career goals. Interns can be current undergraduate students, graduate students or recent college graduates with completed college level academic coursework in content areas that relate to the job duties.

Applicants will be matched to opportunities at the MDC that best fit their academic background, experience and interests. Interns must commit to a minimum of 8 hours per week for 2 academic semesters. Qualified candidates will be self-motivated, creative, efficient, good with deadlines, and possess strong communication and organizational skills.

All current MDC Internship opportunities are unpaid. Academic credit maybe given at the discretion of the enrolled institution. Internship opportunities are structured for individuals interested in gaining knowledge, skills and experience to support future career goals. If you are interesting in our internship program, please email [email protected] with "internship" in the subject line.

Jobs

Hearing Conservation Coordinator - Visit Indeed to learn more

Job description

The Marion Downs Center (MDC) is a non-profit organization proud to operate as a “Center of Excellence”. The MDC develops and provides hearing, speech, and language services and programs to the Colorado community. Our Hearing Conservation Program was developed in 1972 and currently provides OSHA/MSHA services to over 300 companies. The goal of the program is to provide services and education to reduce the occurrence or reduce the progression of noise-induced hearing loss. Services include onsite mobile hearing testing, training, reporting, and evaluation. The services are provided by Hearing Conservation Technicians trained and supervised by a Doctor of Audiology.

Responsibilities include implementation and coordination of remote site hearing testing of industrial hearing conservation program, provision of sound level surveys (i.e. noise maps) and dosimeter consultations, program planning, data management, reporting, and new customer cultivation. This individual will be responsible for scheduling sites and coordinating details with sites.

Donation Opportunities

We also accept in-kind donations. We are looking for used hearing aids, books, arts and craft supplies, and other items for our programs.