Soundtracks, Science, and New Horizons: Meet Dr. Matthew Seldine, Au.D.

For Dr. Matthew Seldine, life has always had a soundtrack. Before he was a Doctor of Audiology, he was a 10-year-old kid falling in love with the drums, dreaming of touring the world. Today, he’s bringing that deep, lifelong connection to sound to our Palm Beach clinic.

We caught up with Dr. Seldine to talk about how a passion for rhythm led him to auditory science, and why he believes Fortell is making the loudest noise in hearing care.

Q: You were originally an engineering student but found your way into audiology. How did those worlds collide for you?

Dr. Seldine: It was definitely a happy accident. I was studying engineering as an undergrad and felt a bit unguided, bouncing around between a few different majors. While browsing through graduate programs, I stumbled across audiology. Because of my personal connection to drumming and music, the science of sound immediately caught my eye.

When I looked closer, I realized the field has so many layers: it sits right at the unique intersection of brain health, cognition, advanced medical technology, and deep human connection. Once I entered into  clinical practice, the impact of this field  really hit me. Music was my entry point, but communication and connection are the real goals. Witnessing my patients experiencing improved connection to the world around them and seeing them realize all the things they’ll be able to get back to doing and enjoying with confidence is incredibly rewarding.  

As I’ve practiced, I’ve also educated countless patients and their families on the significance and importance of appropriate and effective hearing loss treatment on overall cognitive health and well-being. Hearing loss affects so much more than our ears. 

Q: You’ve spent almost your entire life and academic career in Florida, but you chose to pack up and move to New Mexico for some time before coming back. What was behind that detour?

Dr. Seldine: I grew up in South Florida, went to undergrad in Gainesville, Florida and completed my doctorate at the University of South Florida in Tampa. When my residency rolled around, I wanted to experience something totally different from Florida and ideally somewhere with mountains. I matched with a private practice in southern New Mexico and loved it.

By this time I had developed a love for travel, exploration of different regions, and experiencing new cultures and ways of living. Stepping out of your comfort zone widens your aperture. When you expose yourself to new people and places, you bring back a wealth of perspective and knowledge to your team and ultimately your patients. In a team atmosphere, when everyone brings their own  unique reference points to the table, it lifts the entire playing field for the better.

Q: From that perspective, what was it about the Fortell team that convinced you to make a career move?

Dr. Seldine: Everyone at Fortell has a shared vision and hopes to advance what’s already been developed in auditory science and amplification. The field of audiology has made tremendous strides in many areas over the past several decades. I’ve witnessed remarkable improvements in hearing aid technology over the past decade, but with Fortell, there’s a much more profound leap taking place relative to what’s come to the market to date. 

What I experienced during my initial exposure to  Fortell’s attempt to solve the most challenging dilemma in the field—understanding speech against competing noise— exceeded anything I’ve experienced in clinical practice to date. In auditory science, going from a traditional hearing aid to a cochlear implant was to me the last historic leap … but this type of evolutionary advancement in how effective a hearing aid can be feels just as exciting.  

Fortell is the next genuine leap for hearing aids. The potential to be a part of something shaking up the industry for good and to work with a hearing aid that people are excited about and happy to wear was an opportunity I had to take.

Q: You are helping to launch our new Palm Beach clinic. What are you most excited to bring to patients?

Dr. Seldine: Oh wow, there are many answers to this one. In short, I’m most excited to bring to patients a solution that will positively impact their most often cited and frustrating problem: understanding speech amongst competing noise. It’s the number one issue presented in nearly every clinical interaction I’ve been a part of and the one leaving many patients in tireless pursuit of a solution they deem truly effective. 

I’m excited to bring patients a renewed hope that there is something that can help them and something that they can be excited about wearing. I can't wait to see the “wow” on their faces the moment their hearing improves, the strain to understand speech melting away, and the relief on their loved one’s faces when they realize this will meaningfully impact their lives equally, if not even more.

When someone hears well again for the first time, their facial expression says it all. You can see the wheels turning as they think, “Oh, I’ll actually be able to do X, Y, and Z now. I can go back to that place again. I can enjoy this environment again. I can actually communicate with this person way easier.” It’s an immediate weight lifted off their shoulders. 

It’s understandable that long-standing hearing aid users can be skeptical when trying new hearing aids. They may have become accustomed to promises about big improvements, only to experience incremental gains. All they want is to find something that will genuinely benefit their lives. With Fortell, I think that difference will be immediate and profound. 

I’m also eager to track the downstream benefits this technology has on cognitive health. When hearing aids effectively manage background noise, listening effort is reduced and speech processing is improved in the brain. In effect, we can quite literally change how the brain functions and improve overall cognitive well-being. 

Q: To wrap things up on a personal note: When you aren't in the clinic, what does life look like for you?

Dr. Seldine: Right now, it’s all about living life as a "girl dad." My daughter is 19 months old, she is my world, and she is absolutely hilarious. My favorite thing in the world is watching her grow, exposing her to new things, and encouraging her to be curious about life.

When I have downtime, I want to spend it with my wife and daughter. We love traveling to different states, exploring national parks, checking out new foods, or heading up to my family’s lake house to spend time out on the water and unwind. And, of course, if I can find a spare hour, I'm always trying to get back behind the drum kit!

Dr. Matthew Seldine, Au.D., is officially welcoming patients at our brand-new Palm Beach clinic. Click here to schedule your consultation and experience the Fortell difference firsthand.

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