Lauren Armstrong
Anna Joy Rogers
Lauren Armstrong’s first year of audiology school would not have been possible without her service animal, Elroy, a Golden Lab Cross, that is the first animal to help someone with hearing loss in the UTHSC program in Knoxville.
Fourth-year medical student Anna Joy Rogers is passionate about maternal and fetal health care. “Pregnancy and childbirth are critical times in the life of a woman,” Rogers said. “They set the stage for the health of every individual.”
College of Health Professions: Audiology and Speech Pathology
“It has been a new experience, but a sweet journey so far,” said Armstrong, who was born with bilateral profound sensorineural hearing loss, or hearing loss in both ears. She has been able to hear with the assistance of cochlear implants. “At first, I did not want to do audiology, but the more I became in tune with my hearing loss and this incredible field, I realized that I could make a difference,” she said. When Armstrong was accepted into the Clinical Doctorate of Audiology program at UTHSC, she knew she had to take a different path to remain independent, because her implants failed at times. She decided she needed a service dog. Armstrong said having Elroy has given her confidence. “I am completely comfortable with who I am in all environments,” she said.
College of Medicine
Under the guidance of her research adviser, Giancarlo Mari, MD, chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at UTHSC, Rogers has studied the impact of maternal obesity on birth outcomes. Her prior doctoral research used qualitative, quantitative, and modeling methods to explore the implementation of policy aimed at preventing mother-to-child transmission of HIV in low-resource settings. She has also examined couplerelationship dynamics on HIV-related health behaviors. Rogers received a $15,000 Scholar Award from the International Chapter of the Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) Sisterhood to fund her medical education and continue research in women’s health. Her interest reaches internationally through her work with mothers and babies in Kenya.
Armstrong looks forward to one day opening her own private practice for pediatric and geriatric patients with cochlear implants. “I am eager to help make a difference in people’s lives.” 25
