In short, an audiologist is an ear doctor in the sense that they are experts in health care who help to prevent, diagnose, and treat hearing and inner ear balance disorders for people of all ages. However, an audiologist is not a medical doctor as they have not completed medical school or residency programs. Overall, audiologists are health care professionals who may be referred to as ‘doctors’ since they have obtained doctoral degrees related to hearing and balance disorders, but they are not medical doctors as they have not attended medical school.