Audiology: The Undergraduate Research Assistant and the Faculty Mentor: A Mutually Beneficial Relationship

Abstract

New PhDs encounter a multitude of new challenges when first embarking on a career in academia. These challenges include establishing teaching philosophies, setting up research laboratories, mentoring student research, and fostering within undergraduate students a desire to pursue advanced degrees in the field of audiology. However, with these new challenges also come a variety of potential pitfalls, including lack of student motivation and limited funding for research assistants. So, how does the new PhD attack these problems while still achieving personal and professional goals? This article outlines guidelines for establishing research labs by recruiting undergraduate students, provides tips on mentoring student research, and explores benefits of student research from both the student and faculty perspectives.