Dowdy presented her research at the OneUSF Undergraduate Research Conference on the Sarasota-Manatee campus.
Before graduating from the College of Behavioral and Community Sciences with her doctorate in audiology, Madison Dowdy spent 14 days providing audiologic outreach services in Malawi with USF alumna Jenna Vallario, a professor and audiologist at ABC Malawi Hearing Clinic and Treatment Center.
In just four days, the team 鈥� three audiologists, two physicians and 10 students 鈥� saw 278 patients, more than half of whom were suffering from issues with their ears, nose or throat.
With a population of more than 20 million people 鈥� 70% of whom lived on less than $2.15 a day in 2019 鈥� Malawi faces many challenges. By venturing beyond Lilongwe, where ABC Malawi is located, the team was able to make their services more accessible to rural populations.
鈥淭his research has had such a tremendous impact on me,鈥� Dowdy said. 鈥淚 am honored to have been able to contribute a little bit of my knowledge and time to a country that lacks the necessary resources while still managing to provide patients with the best possible care.鈥濃���
While in Malawi, the team performed hearing tests, cleaned and treated patients with active ear infections, referred individuals to be fitted for hearing aids and offered other ENT related services performed by , of USF Health. By the end of the trip, they had successfully identified and referred 32 individuals to be fitted with hearing aids.
鈥淚f it wasn't for these outreach efforts, many of these individuals would have never been identified with a hearing loss, let alone fit with amplification,鈥� Dowdy said. 鈥淭hese outcomes will have a lasting effect on many lives in areas including language development, cognition, quality of life, education and employment. As an audiologist, every person with a hearing loss identified and effectively treated is a small victory.鈥�
At USF, Dowdy received mentorship from Michelle Arnold, PhD, an associate professor of communication sciences and disorders.
鈥淭his project provided an incredible opportunity for Dr. Dowdy to apply her skills in a real-world setting, and to make a tangible difference in the lives of so many,鈥� Arnold said. 鈥淭he experience gained through such outreach is invaluable and truly shapes the future of hearing healthcare.鈥�
Dowdy, a recipient of the , plans to implement global hearing healthcare practices into her career and continue to contribute her expertise on outreach trips around the world.
Trailblazer Research Scholarship recipient's story and learn about research opportunities for students in the USF Sarasota-Manatee Momentum magazine.