Meet Ashley Hinton, Au.D., a senior translational scientist at Skylark Bio in Boston, Massachusetts, and a University of South Florida (USF) Judy Genshaft Honors College alum. Today, Hinton is using her doctorate in audiology to help provide innovative care and treatment options to patients suffering from hearing loss. When not designing treatment plans, Hinton enjoys spending her spare time restoring her 1969 Jeep and teaching figure skating with her mother at Spinnations in New Port Richey, Florida.
In a recent interview, Hinton reflected on her time as an Honors student at USF studying in the audiology program.
“My advice? Immerse yourself in the experience.” - Ashley Hinton
Q: What do you remember most about your time in the Judy Genshaft Honors College?
Many years and three buildings ago, I was part of the USF Honors College. As a first-generation
college student, I was nervous (read: terrified) of the new world around me. Thankfully,
the Honors College faculty and staff are kind, dedicated people that want nothing
but the best for their students. I have too many great memories to list here from
leading the Honors College Student Council to working in the office to studying abroad
in Panamá.
Q: What was your experience like in the Doctor of Audiology program at USF?
It was a challenging and fun four years. I had great classmates, excellent professors,
and experienced clinicians to guide me through all stages of the program. I feel that
USF’s program made me well-prepared for life after school. The opportunities for networking
and professional growth are endless as I was able to attend charity events, work with
veterans, and travel for my research while acquiring the knowledge and skills necessary
to be successful as an audiologist.
Q: What is unique about the audiology program at USF?
USF’s audiology program front-loads their curriculum with didactic coursework in the
first year, a feature that drew me to the program. I did not have a CSD background
coming into the program, so getting my feet wet with course- and lab-work helped me
during the first year before going into the clinic in year two. Additionally, because
of its location, students can experience a number of different clinical settings including
ENT clinics, non-profits, hospitals, and VAs.
Q: How has this program helped you in your career?
The USF audiology program, while clinical at its core, allowed me the time and flexibility
to pursue my love of research. I worked in the Global Center for Hearing and Speech
Research with Joseph Walton and Robert Frisina during my four years in the program.
I was also awarded a T-35 fellowship from the NIH which sent me to Washington University
in St. Louis for a summer to work strictly in the lab. It was through these experiences
that I became interested in pharmaceutical interventions for hearing loss, an area
that has yet to bring a product to market. Combining the immersive clinical education
with my experiences in the lab gives me a unique perspective on drug development and
treating patients with hearing loss.
Q: What is the most fulfilling thing about being an audiologist?
I’m a translational scientist, a liaison of sorts between the laboratory bench and
clinical bedside. My clinical education and laboratory experience allow me to communicate
effectively with basic scientists, physicians, and clinical audiologists to develop
protocols for testing new drugs in clinical trials and evaluating data to determine
their efficacy. Patients with hearing loss are desperate for a better solution, and
solving that puzzle is both challenging and exciting.
Q: What are your future career aspirations?
I have worked in Biotech as a translational scientist for five years since graduating from the USF Au.D. program. The landscape of pharmaceutical interventions for hearing loss is rapidly evolving, and we will likely see the first drug approved and on the market in our lifetime. To be a part of that in any way, shape, or form would be immensely gratifying.
“It was a challenging and fun four years. I had great classmates, excellent professors, and experienced clinicians to guide me through all stages of the program. I feel that USF’s program made me well-prepared me for life after school.” - Ashley Hinton
Q: What advice do you have for current Honors students?
My advice? Immerse yourself in the experience. Meet everyone you can; that speaker at an Honors event might be a future colleague … or boss! Keep an open mind; your career aspirations as a freshman may not be your career aspirations as a sophomore. And finally, lean into the experience of the experts around you; the Honors College is full of them!
Students interested in learning more about the health profession pathway programs hosted by the Judy Genshaft Honors College, including the graduate admission pathway to the USF College of Community & Behavioral Sciences, Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders’ Doctor of Audiology program, can visit the Honors College website.