Dr. Katherine Kao Elected President of the Texas Association of Otolaryngologists
Facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon W. Katherine Kao, MD, assistant residency program director and an assistant professor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, is serving a one-year term as president of the Texas Association of Otolaryngologists (TAO).
Dr. Kao has been active in the TAO, serving as the organization’s education co-chair for the past three years, a role in which she helped plan and organize annual meetings, invite speakers, and determine meeting and online content. As president, she will lead the organization, which provides continuing medical education, offers networking and support for otolaryngologists around the state, and lobbies for otolaryngology interests at the state level.
“We have increased our legislative engagement and were instrumental in advancing legislation to add cytomegalovirus testing to newborn screening during the 88th legislative session,” she says. “In addition to keeping a close eye out for bills that will affect otolaryngologists practicing in Texas, we are increasing our social media presence and partnering with local ENT associations to create more opportunities to bring practitioners together.”
Under Dr. Kao’s leadership, TAO will continue to provide online webinars and build its online educational library, which is available to members.
Dr. Kao received her medical degree at the Renaissance School of Medicine at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York, and completed residency training at Washington University in St. Louis. Following residency, she completed fellowship training in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Miami, where she received specialized training in rhinoplasty, skin cancer reconstruction, rejuvenation of the aging face, and hair transplantation.
She practices at the UT Physicians Texas Center for Facial Plastic Surgery, with clinical interests that include hair restoration and transplant; facial trauma; facial rejuvenation, including Botox®, injectable fillers, brow lift, facelift, neck lift, and blepharoplasty; rhinoplasty; and reconstructive surgery of skin cancer defects.