Specialists in hearing and audiology caring for the entire family. Audiologists study hearing itself; they handle the non-medical side of hearing issues, most often working with patients who’ve experienced hearing loss due to the natural aging process. Audiologists must have a master’s or doctorate. Usually, your audiologist will have an Au.D. from a trusted institution (which is equivalent to a Ph.D.). While they don’t perform surgeries, they most often do diagnostic tests and talk with patients about the issues they’re experiencing to find better solutions, from auditory skills development to recommending hearing technology.