In his own words: Audiologist Michael Hodes

Northern Nevada Business Weekly: Tell us about your company and the duties of your position.

Dr. Michael Hodes: Silver State Hearing and Balance has been in the community for five years, but I own and am the full-time audiologist at the Ryland office location near Renown. In my practice, I perform all of the diagnostic hearing and balance evaluations as well as prescribe and fit hearing aids.

NNBW: How did you get into this profession?

Hodes: In the late '90s I was a sign language interpreter at a local elementary school. I started taking classes at the University of Nevada, Reno relating to speech and hearing and just fell in love with the hearing aspect.

NNBW: What's the most important thing you have learned in your career?

Hodes: I've learned that patients are unpredictable; therefore, you should always listen to everything they say. Patients will tell you how to treat them, you just need to listen and apply.

NNBW: What do you like most about being in private practice? What do you like least about it?

Hodes: I like the ability to think for myself. If I feel a patient needs a specific test or a specific hearing aid, I can go ahead and make that decision. The thing I like the least about private practice is the paperwork that comes along with billing insurance companies. They sure don't make it easy on us.

NNBW: What was your first job?

Hodes: My first job in the field of audiology was working alongside Dr. Rich Johnson at Nevada ENT and Hearing Assoctiates. It was possibly the best job I could have hoped for coming out of school. I was able to learn and grow in the field of audiology. I obtained more from that employment than I ever thought possible going into it. I would like to give a big thank you to Dr. Johnson for providing me with that opportunity.

NNBW: Tell us about your dream job. Why aren't you working it?

Hodes: It would be a dream to be an astronaut, but I don't have perfect vision. I started wearing glasses when I was in the fifth grade and gave up my pursuit of space travel then.

NNBW: Have any advice for someone who wants to enter your profession?

Hodes: If you are planning on getting into the field of audiology make sure you choose a school that has a strong clinical background. Idaho State University, where I attended, has a very strong clinical background, so much so that you start seeing patients your first week of graduate school.

NNBW: What's the most fun you have had on the job?

Hodes: The most fun I have had on the job was my first day of private practice. It was a realization of a dream. It was probably the most nervous I have been on the job as well.

NNBW: What's the best advice anyone ever gave you?

Hodes: When I got married, someone suggested that I should apologize early and often because my wife would be right 99 percent of the time. However, the best professional advice I have received was "have the patients best interest in mind, always."

NNBW: What are your favorite hobbies or pastimes? How do you spend your time away from work?

Hodes: I enjoy riding my dirt bike. I find it very relaxing. It is a form of therapy for me. When I have had a hard day at work, 20 minutes on my motorcycle helps to melt all of that away.

NNBW: If you could live your life over again, what one thing would you change?

Hodes: I would have been more appreciative of the things my parents did for me. When I was growing up my parents were not financially well off. Having six kids in the family didn't help financially either. Looking back at it now that I have my own family and my own kids I realize how much they were able to do with what little they had. I would like to go back and appreciate their giving in the moment rather than retrospectively.

NNBW: What has been your biggest professional accomplishment?

Hodes: Opening my own practice. I have dreamed of opening my own practice since I started in the profession. Last year that dream became a reality. A close second would be getting an article I wrote published in a national audiology magazine.

NNBW: What did you dream of becoming when you were a kid?

Hodes: I always dreamed of being an astronaut, or a Baja racer. While I don't have the vision to be an astronaut, I am working on doing some cross-country races next year with a team of friends.

NNBW: What can you do that someone else can't?

Hodes: At home, I am crazy good at trivial pursuit. At work, I believe I offer patients the highest quality customer service in the area.

NNBW: If you had enough money to retire right now, would you? Why or why not?

Hodes: I would not retire completely, but I would go part time. I enjoy working with the patients that I have now, and think it'd get boring quickly if I stayed at home full-time.

NNBW: What's the last concert or sporting event you attended?

Hodes: I had the pleasure of seeing the San Francisco Giants this year on their way to their World Series win. However, I have season tickets to University of Nevada, Reno football and have been able to catch all of their home games.

NNBW: Where's your perfect vacation spot?

Hodes: My perfect vacation spot would be sitting on a beach and swimming in a crystal clear ocean somewhere. Nowhere specific, just as long as I can swim and snorkel.

NNBW: Why did you choose a career in northern Nevada? What do you like most about working/living here?

Hodes: I grew up in Northern Nevada. I went to Hug High School. Most of my family lives in Reno. After graduate school it seemed like the best place for me to live and raise a family.

The basics

Name/title: Michael Hodes, Au.D./owner and audiologist at Silver State Hearing and Balance-Ryland

Number of years in this job? 1

Years in this profession? 4

Education: Bachelor's of science, University of Nevada, Reno; Au.D. from Idaho State University

Last book read? "The Greatest Generation" by Tom Brokaw

Favorite flick? "Back To The Future"

What's on your iPod? Mostly 80s

Spouse, kids or pets? Spouse Vicki; My kids are Luke, 9; Marlene, 4; Dyana, 4; and Wesley, 2.

Know someone whose perspective you want to share with NNBW readers? Send contact information to: rsabo@nnbw.biz or call 775-850-2146.