University of the Pacific is expanding resources and support for audiology students through a new space on the sixth floor of the San Francisco Campus.

The program previously operated on the first floor, which is being repurposed for the new Ambulatory Surgical Center and Multidisciplinary Advanced Care Clinic. The ambulatory center is designed specifically to serve individuals of all ages with complex and special healthcare needs.

The formerly vacant sixth floor opened to students and faculty Jan. 5 and is in the final stages of being renovated to better serve the Doctor of Audiology program. Associate Professor and Department Chair of the Department of Audiology Gabriella Musacchia led the design with students’ needs at the forefront.

“Student learning is at the center of everything that I do, and the design of the sixth floor is no exception,” Musacchia said. “We expanded the capacity of the classrooms, which now have students face windows to give sunlight as they are learning in their didactic experiences. We also designed several open collaboration spaces for students to come relax and enjoy a different setting for their study. We have study rooms as well that can be scheduled for small group analysis.”

Providing students with real-world learning opportunities was a priority. “One of the most important factors of this floor for audiology students is the establishment of the student simulation lab, which allows students to practice their audiology skills on the technology that they will use in the field,” Musacchia said.

The new space also has labs where students can fit, test and monitor hearing aids and provide other services to community members through the Pacific Hearing and Balance Clinic as well as designated areas for faculty collaboration, faculty research labs and a place to hold events.

The center’s larger footprint removes prior space limitations, allowing the Doctor of Audiology program to better support its accredited cohort and enhance the student learning experience.

“In our previous space, we had a 16 by 16 room for all of the simulation equipment, and now we have expanded into quadruple that size,” Musacchia said. “We have also expanded our classroom capacities as well as the technology that's available to students in the classrooms.”

Landyn Sadler ’28, a student in Pacific’s audiology program, said the new space opens opportunities academically as well as socially.

“A lot more people can come on a school day to get their labs done, rather than waiting or coming back on a day that the clinic is closed to do our assignments. We have a lot more accessibility to what our needs are. We have another cafeteria space, which is nice,” she said, adding that it provides more opportunities to socialize with other students.

Pacific’s Doctor of Audiology program offers an accelerated path for aspiring audiologists. Learn more about studying audiology at Pacific.