Portrait: Michael Johns

Michael M Johns

MD
Professional Focus Dr. Michael Johns is board-certified in Otolaryngology specializing in Laryngology and Voice Disorders. Dr. Johns's medical interests include the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of age-related and other voice disorders.

Dr. Johns earned his medical degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He completed an internship in General Surgery and a residency in Otolaryngology at the University of Michigan. He then completed a research fellowship at the Muscle Mechanics Laboratory and a clinical fellowship in Laryngology and Care of the Professional Voice at Vanderbilt University Medical Center.

Currently, Dr. Johns serves as the Director of the Voice Center and the Division Director for Laryngology within the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at USC. Academically, Dr. Johns is a Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Keck School of Medicine. He is also a Fellowship Director for the USC Department of Laryngology and the Director of Medical Student Education for the USC Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery

Dr. Johns's research focuses on but is not limited to laryngeal surgery, subglottic stenosis, voice tremors, and vocal fold immobility. He has studied and written over 120 peer-reviewed research publications, authored and co-authored 30 books and book chapters, and has been a part of many clinical trials relating to his specialty. In addition to his research, Dr. Johns holds two patents related to laryngeal microsurgery and simulating microlaryngeal surgery.

Member Feedback:
"Dr. Johns was very reassuring, thoughtful, and thorough! I am absolutely impressed by the degree of expertise and focus he gave me about my condition. He gave a lot of wisdom and insight to help me."
Honors & Awards Selected Awards:

Super Doctor, Los Angeles Super Doctors | 2019-present

Top Doctor, LA Magazine/Castle Connolly | 2019-present

Dean's Teaching Award, Keck School of Medicine of USC | 2023

Resident Teaching Award, Caruso Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery | 2021

Top Doctor, Pasadena Magazine | 2017, 2018, 2021

Excellence in Professionalism, Keck Medicine of USC | 2020

Presidential Citation for Outstanding Service to the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
 (AAOHNS) | 2019

Presidential Citation for Outstanding Service to the ALA | 2016
Research & Publications Selected Publications:

Razura DE, Shuman EA, Johns MM, O'Dell K. Bilateral Vocal Fold Motion Impairment Associated With Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis. OTO Open. 2024 Aug 30;8(3):e70003. doi: 10.1002/oto2.70003. PMID: 39221428; PMCID: PMC11362610.

Santa Maria C, Shuman EA, Van Der Woerd B, Moffatt C, Castellanos CX, Gao WZ, Bhatt NK, Bensoussan YE, Rodman J, La Forest K, Francois F, O'Dell K, Chhetri DK, Johns MM 3rd. Prospective Outcomes After Serial Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Injection in Vocal Fold Scar and Sulcus. Laryngoscope. 2024 Aug 8. doi: 10.1002/lary.31683. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 39115162.

Ayo-Ajibola O, Davis RJ, Lin ME, Vukkadala N, O'Dell K, Swanson MS, Johns MM 3rd, Shuman EA. TrachGPT: Appraisal of tracheostomy care recommendations from an artificial intelligent Chatbot. Laryngoscope Investig Otolaryngol. 2024 Jul 16;9(4):e1300. doi: 10.1002/lio2.1300. PMID: 39015552; PMCID: PMC11250132.

Gao WZ, Paoletti MF, Bensoussan Y, Bhatt NK, van der Woerd B, Shuman EA, Grant N, O'Dell K, Johns MM 3rd. Prospective >12 Months Outcomes After Vocal Fold Injection Medialization With Silk Microparticle-Hyaluronic Acid Material. Laryngoscope. 2024 Aug;134(8):3679-3685. doi: 10.1002/lary.31039. Epub 2023 Sep 7. PMID: 37676072.

Razura DE, Bensoussan Y, Lui CG, Johns MM 3rd, Reder L, Gelbard A, O'Dell K. Decision-Making in the Treatment of Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis: A Survey of Laryngologists. Laryngoscope. 2024 Feb;134(2):865-872. doi: 10.1002/lary.31028. Epub 2023 Sep 5. PMID: 37668329.

van der Woerd B, Chen Z, Flemotomos N, Oljaca M, Sund LT, Narayanan S, Johns MM. A Machine-Learning Algorithm for the Automated Perceptual Evaluation of Dysphonia Severity. J Voice. 2023 Jul 8:S0892-1997(23)00179-0. doi: 10.1016/j.jvoice.2023.06.006. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 37429808.

Lagos-Villaseca A, Bhatt NK, Abdolhosseini P, Quinonez L, Paoletti MF, Gochman G, Johns MM, Rosen CA, Kao TC, Meyer TK. Assessment of Patients Receiving Short-Interval Botulinum Toxin Chemodenervation Treatment for Laryngeal Dystonia and Essential Tremor of the Vocal Tract. JAMA Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2023 Jul 1;149(7):615-620. doi: 10.1001/jamaoto.2023.0162. PMID: 37227721; PMCID: PMC10214177.
Conditions
Aging voice
Airway disorders
Airway stenosis
Difficulty swallowing
Dysphagia
Geriatric laryngology
Globus pharyngeus
Harsh voice
Hoarseness
Laryngeal dystonia
Laryngeal scarring
Paradoxical vocal fold movement ( PVFM )
Retrograde cricopharyngeal dysfunction ( R-CPD )
Spasmodic dysphonia
Subglottic stenosis
Swallowing disorders
Tracheal scarring
Tracheal stenosis
Tracheomalacia
Vocal cord damage
Vocal cord paralysis
Vocal fold nodules and polyps
Voice disorders
Procedures
Awake KTP laser laryngeal surgery
Awake vocal cord injections
Care of the performing voice/singing voice
Laryngeal botox therapy
Laryngeal microsurgery
Laryngeal videostroboscopy
Laryngoscopy
Vocal cord laser surgery
Vanderbilt University | Laryngology and Care of the Professional Voice
Fellowship
University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers | Otolaryngology
Residency
University of Michigan Hospitals and Health Centers
Internship
Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine
Medical School
Board Certifications
American Board of Otolaryngology
Other Certifications
Subspecialties: Laryngology & Voice Disorders
Hospital Affiliation
University of Southern California
Place of Work
Division Director | Laryngology | Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery | University of Southern California | Hospital Based | Current
Director | Voice Center | University of Southern California | Academic | Current
Fellowship Director | Laryngology | USC Voice Center | Academic | Current
Director | Medical Student Education | Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery | Keck School of Medicine at USC | Academic | Current
Professor | Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery | Keck School of Medicine at USC | Hospital Based | Current
Languages
English
Links