I am someone who always wants to know the most I can about a particular subject, so knowing that I would be getting in-depth information on clinical topics was a big motivator for me. One of the main reasons I selected ATSU for my ATSU’s Post-Professional AuD Program was for the courses offered.

My workplace had mixed opinions about my desire to obtain my doctoral degree and I think that mostly stems from Canada not requiring the doctoral degree to practice as an audiologist; however, they definitely understood my desire to further my skills and knowledge on various clinical topics. They were not afraid that returning to school would impact my work, but I think they wanted to ensure I had enough work-life balance so that I did not burn out. I was able to convince them that it would not be a problem by reminding them of similar times when I completed additional training (in my area of specialty, vestibular) at the same time as working. While they were unable to provide direct financial assistance, they did provide me with organizational information for funding that I could apply for, which I greatly appreciated.

One particular opportunity that the ATSU AuD program provided was a course on Global Healthcare & Audiology, which had us take off our audiology hats and put on hats that had us view healthcare (and audiology) through the lens of public health. It was so valuable to be able to learn about our profession and how it operates around the globe. Learning about health-related hearing resources and initiatives from the World Health Organization is something that will remain with me as an audiologist—and is still a source that I pull information from regularly.

I also definitely had some humbling moments while in the AuD program at ATSU—one where I thought I knew everything I needed to know about a particular topic, but was still able to learn from faculty members and my fellow cohort. 

A routine that I adopted while I was an AuD student at ATSU was to use my lunch-hour at work to work on coursework. I would also use my commute (public transit) to and from work as time to read and review course material. I found this helped me prepare for when I had set aside time in the evenings or on the weekend to get assignments and work done as efficiently as possible.

My partner has been my champion for sure, without their support, there was no way that I could have been as successful as I was with the AuD program. Whether they were acting as a sounding board when I needed to vent about the stresses of balancing work, life and studies, or their helpfulness around the house, I most definitely could not have finished this program without their help and support. 

When times would get tough, I found that keeping ‘my eye on the prize’ at the end of the journey was the main motivator for me to finish the AuD program. Thinking about convocation, holding a doctoral degree, and being able to call myself Dr. Vekasi helped motivate me as well. I also would reach out to ATSU faculty as needed—they could often provide a bit of a pep-talk or encouragement when things seemed overwhelming. 

Dr. Andrea Ruotolo has been influential and instrumental in my success in the AuD program, as well as with some opportunities that have arisen for me post-graduation. Dr. Ruotolo was the first faculty member from ATSU that I was able to meet at a Canadian Academy of Audiology conference, and following that introduction, we were able to keep in touch via email while the Post-Professional Doctor of Audiology program was formed. Throughout my time in the AuD program, she was always a source of information as well as the voice of reason when times got tough or chaotic. During my exit interview with the AuD program, I shared my interest about teaching with Dr. Ruotolo, and within the same year that I graduated, she reached out to me with teaching opportunities. Meeting and getting to know Dr. Ruotolo has greatly impacted my life, both as a student in the AuD program and professionally as I continue my journey as an Adjunct Assistant Professor with ATSU.

I have had the opportunity to have a few Canadian colleagues reach out to me with questions about doing their AuD, and how I found my time at ATSU. I have always enjoyed taking time to share my experiences from the program. 

Recently, I gave a guest lecture to a group of second year (master’s level) audiology students at one of the Canadian universities, and was able to offer some advice to them about doing their AuD. I recommended that students look at the courses that each AuD program offers, which was one of the main reasons I selected ATSU for my AuD. ATSU offers courses in very diverse areas of audiology, and often are the only institution to offer such courses (such as radiology/imaging, neuro inter-operative monitoring or NIOM, and courses related to the business-/leadership-side of audiology).