Competency Profiles

The CSHBC Board has agreed in principle to accept the following profiles as core standards of practice:

The profiles harmonize the registration processes of audiologists and speech-language pathologists across the regulated jurisdictions in Canada, enabling standardized outcomes, enhanced public safety, and improved labour mobility.

Each competency profile includes a set of essential competencies and their related sub-competencies. Together, the components of the competency profiles detail the professional competencies required of each clinician upon entry-to-practice in Canada, with the goal of safe and effective practice.

CSHBC has also finalized development of a Hearing Instrument Dispensing Competency Profile for British Columbia.

Registered Audiologists

Registered Audiologists (RAUDs) are experts in the prevention, identification, assessment, treatment, and (re)habilitation of auditory and vestibular difficulties. Audiologists preserve and (re)habilitate auditory and vestibular functioning in individuals across the lifespan to improve their quality of life and maximize their participation in society.

After completion of a master’s degree in audiology, audiologists entering practice in Canada have the knowledge, skills, and judgment to provide services related, but not limited, to:

Auditory function
Vestibular function
Hearing conservation
Tinnitus, hyperacusis, and misophonia
Auditory processing disorders
Cerumen management
Prescribing and dispensing hearing aids (regulated separately in BC)
Assistive listening and alerting devices
Implantable hearing devices

National Audiology Competency Profile (PDF)

Registered Speech-Language Pathologists

Registered Speech-Language Pathologists (RSLPs) are experts in the prevention, identification, assessment, treatment, and (re)habilitation of communication and feeding and swallowing disorders. Speech-language pathologists develop, maintain, and (re)habilitate communication and feeding and swallowing abilities in individuals across the lifespan to improve their quality of life and maximize their participation in society.

After the completion of a master’s degree in speech-language pathology, speech-language pathologists entering practice in Canada have the knowledge, skills, and judgment to provide services related, but not limited to:

Developmental language disorders (oral and written language)
Developmental speech sound disorders
Acquired language disorders (oral and written language)
Motor speech disorders
Cognitive communication disorders
Feeding and swallowing disorders
Voice and resonance disorders
Fluency disorders
Aural (re)habilitation)

National Speech-Language Pathology Competency Profile (PDF)

Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioners

CSHBC has finalized development of a Hearing Instrument Dispensing Competency Profile (PDF) for British Columbia. The CSHBC Board has approved the profile as a core standard of practice.

The competency profile includes a set of essential competencies and their related sub-competencies. Together, the components of the competency profile detail the professional competencies required of each clinician upon entry-to-practice in BC, with the goal of safe and effective practice.

Registered Hearing Instrument Practitioners (RHIPs) are experts in the identification, assessment, treatment, and (re)habilitation of hearing disorders especially as they pertain to hearing instruments. RHIPs help preserve and (re)habilitate auditory function in adult individuals by recommending, selecting, preparing, altering, adapting, verifying, selling, and offering to sell hearing instruments.

For dispensing services to children, RHIPs must either be dually registered as a Registered Audiologist (RAUD), RHIP or hold the applicable Certified Practice certificate (i.e., Certificate D for RHIPs to see children aged 12-16 years).

After the minimum completion of a diploma program in Hearing Instrument Dispensing, HIPs entering practice in British Columbia, have the knowledge, skills, and judgment to provide services related, but not limited, to: