Kennedy Krieger Institute is a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities and Other Related Disabilities (LEND) site. The LEND program seeks to prepare trainees from a wide variety of professional disciplines to assume leadership roles and to ensure high levels of interdisciplinary clinical competence and a culturally diverse workforce. As a part of the LEND program, audiology externs and interns will have the opportunity to participate in interdisciplinary conferences, lectures, and trainings that prepare them to collaborate with professionals from other disciplines and take future leadership roles in the care of individuals with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Under the LEND grant, trainees have the opportunity to attend the annual Association of University Centers on Disabilities (AUCD) Conference, the annual Early Hearing Detection and Intervention (EHDI) Meeting, and national and state Disability Days and conferences. Externs are also required to prepare and present a research poster at the EHDI meeting.
LEND Pediatric Audiology Supplement
Kennedy Krieger was awarded the LEND Pediatric Audiology Supplement Grant for 2026-2031. This grant aims to increase the number of pediatric audiologists with clinical and leadership skills and expertise in delivering care to infants and young children with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities. The grant provides Kennedy Krieger with additional exciting opportunities to partner with the University of Maryland Audiology doctoral program to offer specialty clinical experiences (tinnitus, cochlear implants, aural rehabilitation, and more) and research opportunities for our trainees. Additionally, students from the University of Maryland’s doctoral audiology program who are funded on the grant will have the opportunity to take part in pediatric clinical experiences and interdisciplinary training at Kennedy Krieger.
Additional details about the joint Kennedy Krieger/University of Maryland LEND partnership, including educational documents produced by our trainees, will be available soon.