Remington Shandro

Do you think anyone ever told Kawhi Leonard, with his 6 foot 7 frame and his hands the size of dinner plates, that he probably wouldn’t be a very good basketball player? Of course not.

My name is Remington. I was born with a moderately-severe hearing loss and have worn hearing aids for most of my life. Much like Kawhi, I chose to use the tools I was given in the role where they offer the best advantage – I became an audiologist! After high school I started working part-time at the clinic I went to for my own hearing services while completing my bachelor’s degree at the University of Alberta. Then, I went to Dalhousie University in Halifax where I completed my master’s degree in audiology and eventually returned to that same clinic to complete my final internship placement. Now I work in a private practice clinic helping people of all ages to hear and live better.

While having a hearing loss does have some drawbacks (similarly I’m sure Kawhi has hit his head on more than one doorframe in his lifetime) I think I offer a great deal of understanding and empathy to my patients having been through many of the same things as them. And just because I wear hearing aids doesn’t mean I have to only work with patients who use hearing aids. I know audiologists with hearing aids who work with cochlear implants, and audiologists who use cochlear implants who work in schools, and even audiologists with hearing loss who specialize in balance disorders (there’s a LOT of us out there).

Many people go through much of their lives without ever thinking about hearing health – that means that those of us who already know the field well have a huge advantage. You already have a level of expertise and experience that many don’t! If you’re thinking about what to do after high school, spend a day with your local audiologist and see what its like. They’ll be thrilled to share their time and knowledge, and you might just find a place where you can stand out as an MVP.