Dr. Karim Asi Joins the Otorhinolaryngology Team at UTHealth Houston
Karim Asi, MD, a fellowship-trained laryngologist, has joined the Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston as an assistant professor. He focuses his practice on disorders of the voice, airway, and swallowing.
Treatment by an otorhinolaryngologist at a young age inspired Dr. Asi to choose the specialty as his profession. “That early exposure taught me how great an impact these disorders have on quality of life,” he says. “Like most medical students who choose ENT, I was fascinated by how complex head and neck anatomy is. Our area of expertise involves all the functions that allow us to interact with the world around us. Voice, swallowing, hearing, speech, and the ability to breathe have a profound impact on the way we experience life.”
After earning a bachelor’s degree in Spanish at The University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Asi returned to his native Houston, where he graduated from McGovern Medical School and remained at UTHealth to complete his otorhinolaryngology residency. He was named Resident of the Year in 2023-24.
His interest in laryngology led to a year of fellowship training at the renowned Emory Voice Center in Atlanta, one of the busiest centers in the country. His time there gave him specialized expertise in voice, airway, and swallowing disorders.
“My approach is 100% patient centered. It’s daunting to walk into a doctor’s office not feeling well and be given high-level medical information about your diagnosis and proposed treatment plan,” he says. “I want my patients to have a good understanding of their condition so that they are empowered participants in their care. Medicine is a joint effort between physician and patient. An empowered patient helps ensure treatment success.”
Dr. Asi practices at UT Physicians Otorhinolaryngology-The Woodlands, where he provides a new type of subspecialty care to the community as part of the Department of Otorhinolaryngology’s expansion in the area. A few days a month, he also sees patients at Harris Health’s Lyndon B. Johnson Hospital, which is staffed by UTHealth Houston’s physician faculty and residents. “I had some of my most profound clinical experiences and fondest training memories at LBJ Hospital, and it’s gratifying to pay that forward to the next group of medical students and residents,” he says.
“I grew up in The Woodlands and spent nine years at UTHealth watching the department’s upward trajectory during my training. The culture is collaborative and collegial, and everyone is committed to delivering the highest quality care,” he adds. “The entire team is down to earth, regardless of their academic accomplishments. It was easy for me to come back. It’s an ideal place to start my career, and honestly, I couldn’t be happier.”