I do not believe anything is gained by examining degreed, credentialed, and licensed audiologist. In fact nationwide, there is such a shortage of dispensing audiologist to meet the demand of selling manufacturers' hearing aids that other states (California) have resorted to certifying optometrist and chiropractors as hearing aid dealers. Virginia certainly does not want this. In the public interest, all obstacles for audiologist to dispense hearing aids should be removed. To become an audiologist today, it takes 8 years of higher education. Audiologist must become "Doctor of Audiology, AuD) before they can be certified and licensed.