National Occupational Classification (NOC) 2016 Version 1.3

3 - Health occupations

Occupations in this category are concerned with providing health care services directly to patients and occupations that provide technical support to medical staff. To progress from medical and dental technical occupations to professional occupations, completion of additional formal education is required. Progression to supervisory positions requires experience in the occupations supervised. Support occupations in health are usually supplied from short training programs specific to the support area.

31 - Professional occupations in health (except nursing)

This major group comprises professional occupations in health, except those involved in nursing. It includes physicians, dentists, veterinarians, pharmacists, dietitians and nutritionists; and other diagnosing, treating, therapy and assessment professionals.

314 - Therapy and assessment professionals

This minor group includes audiologists, speech-language pathologists, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and other medical therapists. They are employed by hospitals, community and public health centres, extended care and health care facilities, nursing homes, clinics, rehabilitation and recreational centres, and private and social services agencies; educational institutions, and sports organizations; in industry; or they may be self-employed.

3141 - Audiologists and speech-language pathologists

Audiologists diagnose, evaluate and treat individuals with peripheral and central hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems. Speech-language pathologists diagnose, assess and treat human communication disorders including speech, fluency, language, voice and swallowing disorders. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists are employed in hospitals, community and public health centres, extended care facilities, day clinics, rehabilitation centres and educational institutions, or may work in private practice. Audiologists and speech-language pathologists who are supervisors are included in this unit group.

• Illustrative example(s)

  • audiologist
  • certified audiologist
  • clinical audiologist
  • educational speech-language pathologist
  • research audiologist
  • speech therapist
  • speech-language clinician

  All examples

• Exclusion(s)

  • Audiology and speech-language technical and assisting occupations (See 3237 Other technical occupations in therapy and assessment)
  • Braille, lip-reading and sign language instructors (See 4215 Instructors of persons with disabilities)
  • Managers in health care (See 0311 Managers in health care)
  • Phoniatricians (See 3111 Specialist physicians)

• Main duties

  This group performs some or all of the following duties:

  Audiologists

  • Develop and administer audiometric tests and examinations using specialized instruments and electronic equipment to diagnose and evaluate the degree and type of patients' hearing impairment
  • Plan and implement habilitation/rehabilitation programs for patients, including selection, fitting and adjustment of amplification devices, such as hearing aids, balance retraining exercises, and teaching speech (lip) reading
  • Educate and counsel patients and families regarding the nature, extent, impact and implications of hearing loss and treatment
  • Establish personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team
  • Conduct research related to hearing and hearing disorders
  • May instruct and supervise audiometric technicians, students and other health care personnel.

  Speech-language pathologists

  • Administer tests and examinations and observe patients to diagnose and evaluate speech, voice, resonance, language, fluency, cognitive-linguistic and swallowing disorders
  • Develop, plan and implement remedial programs to correct speech, voice, language, fluency, resonance, cognitive-linguistic and swallowing disorders
  • Establish group and personalized care plans working as a member of an interdisciplinary team
  • Educate and counsel patients and families regarding communication and swallowing disorders
  • Conduct research on speech and other communication disorders and on the development and design of diagnostic procedures and devices
  • May instruct and supervise communicative disorders assistants, students and other health care personnel.

• Employment requirements

  • Audiologists require a master's degree in audiology.
  • Speech-language pathologists require a master's degree in speech-language pathology.
  • Registration with a regulatory body is required for audiologists and speech-language pathologists in Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia.
  • Membership in the national association, Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists, is usually required.
  • In some jurisdictions, audiologists may be required to obtain a separate licence to dispense hearing aids.

• Additional information

  • Progression into management positions, such as chief audiologist or director of speech-language pathology, is possible with experience.