Karen Y. Choi, MD, FACS
Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery
Present Title & Affiliation
Primary Appointment
Associate Professor, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Division of Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX
Education & Training
Degree-Granting Education
| 2012 | University at Buffalo School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Buffalo, NY, USA, MD, Medical Doctor |
| 2006 | Pace University, New York, NY, USA, MS, Master of Science in Teaching, Adolescent Education |
| 2004 | Wellesley College, Wellesley, MA, USA, BA, Bachelor of Arts, Neuroscience |
| 2001 | University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA, Honors Program, Honors Program |
Postgraduate Training
| 2017-2018 | Clinical Fellowship, Head and Neck Surgery Fellowship Program, UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX |
| 2012-2017 | Clinical Residency, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY |
Board Certifications
| 2019 | American Board of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery |
Experience & Service
Administrative Appointments/Responsibilities
Associate Program Director for H&N Residency Program, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2025 - Present
P11 Inpatient Medical Director, Department of Head and Neck Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 2024 - Present
Institutional Committee Activities
Member, Program Evaluation Committee, 2024 - Present
Member, Head and Neck Consult Triage Task Force, 2024 - Present
Member, Health Disparities, Organ Site Head and Neck Cancer Committee, 2024 - Present
Member, Optimization of Toxicity Surveillance Committee, 2024 - Present
Member, League City Houston Area Location Patient Experience Committee, 2024 - Present
Member, Synoptic Operative Notes Reporting Committee, 2024 - Present
Member, Head and Neck Navigation Task Force Committee, 2024 - Present
Member, MDACC Optimization of Toxicity Surveillance Committee, 2024 - Present
Honors & Awards
| 2021 | Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching, Penn State College of Medicine |
| 2020 | Hill Family Medical Student Cancer Research Fund Award, Hill Family |
Professional Memberships
Selected Publications
Peer-Reviewed Articles
- Chan KH, Sweeny L, Choi KY. Sentinel lymph node biopsy. Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery 35(4):347-355. e-Pub 2024.
- Chan K, Keane A, Pradhan S, King T, Moroco A, Goyal N, Choi KY. Postoperative Urinary Complications in Head and Neck Free Flap Reconstructive Surgery. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 133(3):284-291, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37902061.
- Choi KY, Patel SD, Lane C, Tucker J, Chan K, Pradhan S, Mahase SS, Tam SH, King TS. Elucidating survival and functional outcomes in patients with primary head and neck malignancies treated in academic versus community settings. Head Neck 46(2):398-407, 2024. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 38087455.
- Chan K, Saltagi M, Choi KY. The Emerging Role of Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Oral Cavity and Oropharyngeal Carcinomas. Plastic and Aesthetic Research 11(6), 2024.
- Chan K, Keane A, Fisher N, King TS, Yang Y, Allibone M, Ayala A, Choi KY. Development of a Dysphagia Pathway Program for Head and Neck Cancer in a Rural Patient Population. Perspectives of the ASHA Special Interest Group:1-11, 2024.
- Dao JS, Kulkani P, King TS, Yingst J, Choi KY. Characterizing Tobacco Usage in Otolaryngology Patients to Target Smoking Cessation Efforts. Tobacco Use Insights 17, 2024.
- Rothka AJ, Nguyen M, King TS, Choi KY. Impact of USMLE Pass/Fail Step 1 Scoring on Current Medical Students. J Med Educ Curric Dev 11:23821205241281650, 2024. e-Pub 2024. PMID: 39346123.
- Choi KY, Hao Q, Carlisle K, Hollenbeak CS, Lai SY. Cost-Effectiveness of [99mTc]Tilmanocept Relative to [99mTc]Sulfur Colloid for Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy in Early Stage Oral Cavity Cancer. Ann Surg Oncol 30(12):7689-7698, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37556007.
- Yingst JM, Carrillo M, Chan KH, Choi K, Dao J, Kulkarni P, Bordner C, Goyal N, Foulds J, Bascom R. Effectiveness of smoking cessation interventions among persons with cancer: A systematic review. Psychooncology 32(8):1147-1162, 2023. e-Pub 2023. PMID: 37226331.
- Schmalbach CE, Ow TJ, Choi KY, O'Leary M, Lin A, Hughley BB, Emerick KS, Moore B, Lee NY, Zandberg DP, Wang SJ. American Head and Neck Society position statement on the use of PD-1 inhibitors for treatment of advanced cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma. Head Neck 45(1):32-41, 2023. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 36181317.
- Dao J, Choi KY. Virtual Otolaryngology Journal Club in Undergraduate Medical Education Curriculum: A Pilot Study. Intl J of Surgical Education, 2023.
- Daher GS, Choi KY, Wells JW, Goyal N. A Systematic Review of Oral Nutritional Supplement and Wound Healing. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 131(12):1358-1368, 2022. e-Pub 2022. PMID: 35043693.
- Ruszkay N, Tucker J, Choi KY. Otolaryngology in the Face of Pandemics. Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 33(2):74-83, 2022.
- Choi KY. Introduction. Operative Techniques in Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 33(2):73, 2022.
- Chan K, Keane A, Aynardi J, Choi KY. Phrenic nerve schwannoma presenting as an asymptomatic neck mass. Clinical Case Reports 10(12):e6784, 2022.
- Choi KY, Amit M, Tam S, Bell D, Phan J, Garden AS, Williams MD, Ferrarotto R, El-Naggar AK, Raza SM, DeMonte F, Kupferman ME, Hanna EY, Su SY. Clinical Implication of Diagnostic and Histopathologic Discrepancies in Sinonasal Malignancies. Laryngoscope 131(5):E1468-E1475, 2021. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32946597.
- Choi KY, Schmalbach CE. Cutaneous Head and Neck Cancers in the High-Risk Immunosuppressed Population. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 54(2):397-413, 2021. e-Pub 2021. PMID: 33602516.
- Benyo S, Keane A, Warrick J, Choi KY. HPV-positive oral papillomas in an adolescent-A diagnostic dilemma. Clin Case Rep 9(8):e04546, 2021.
- Keane A, Warrick J, Andrews G, Choi KY. Pediatric dermoid cyst of the parotid: case report and review of the literature. Otolaryngology Case Reports 18:1-3, 2021.
- Tucker J, Sarsfield E, Choi KY, Goyal N. Educating School Nurses about Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) Associated Cancers and the Importance of HPV Vaccination. Journal of Community Health Nursing 38:201-208, 2021.
- Sarsfield E, Montano M, Choi K, Goyal N. Laryngectomy Care in the COVID-19 Era. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 146(8):776, 2020. PMID: 32584389.
- Hennessy M, Bann DV, Patel VA, Saadi R, Krempl GA, Deschler DG, Goyal N, Choi KY. Commentary on the management of total laryngectomy patients during the COVID-19 pandemic. Head Neck 42(6):1137-1143, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32298016.
- Tsay AJ, Paine AR, Lighthall JG, Choi KY, Hebel J, Flamm A. A possible pitfall of Mohs surgery in collision tumor diagnosis: A case of a squamous cell carcinoma of the scalp overlying a metastatic breast lesion of the skull. JAAD Case Rep 6(2):119-121, 2020. e-Pub 2020. PMID: 32016155.
Patient Reviews
CV information above last modified February 21, 2025