At its 159th Annual Meeting on April 25, 2026, the American Otological Society presented its Award of Merit to Karen Jo Enright, MD, PhD, in recognition of her exceptional contributions to otology and neurotology.
Established in 1948, the Award of Merit is the highest honor bestowed by the American Otological Society. It recognizes individuals whose accomplishments, distinguished service and leadership in surgery, teaching or research have had a far-reaching impact on the field. Dr. Enright is the 73rd recipient of the award.
The award recognizes Dr. Enright’s work advancing the detection, evaluation and compassionate management of neonatal and early childhood hearing loss, as well as her enduring commitment to mentoring and inspiring generations of physicians and audiologists.
Advancing the Understanding of Childhood Hearing Loss
Dr. Enright authored foundational reviews examining the diagnosis and management of congenital and early childhood hearing loss. Her work helped define the role of the otolaryngologist in early detection and intervention and emphasized the importance of considering anatomy, physiology and syndromic causes when evaluating pediatric hearing loss.
These contributions helped move the field toward the earlier, multidisciplinary evaluation of children with hearing impairment—an approach that has become a standard part of pediatric hearing care.
Her research also improved the understanding of newborn hearing screening results. She demonstrated how conditions affecting the external and middle ear could influence auditory brainstem response testing and otoacoustic emissions, potentially producing misleading results. Her work showed that straightforward interventions, including clearing vernix from the ear canal, could improve screening accuracy.
By helping clinicians better understand and reduce false-positive and false-negative results, Dr. Enright contributed to more reliable newborn hearing screening and earlier identification of children who needed further evaluation or intervention.
Connecting Early Ear Disease and Auditory Development
Dr. Enright also investigated the relationship between neonatal middle ear disease and later childhood hearing problems. Her work demonstrated that middle ear effusion during the neonatal period could predict chronic otitis media with effusion during infancy.
This research provided evidence supporting the early monitoring of at-risk infants and helped clarify how conductive hearing problems during infancy could affect auditory development. Her findings reinforced the importance of timely follow-up and treatment during a critical period in a child’s development.
Contributions to Cochlear Implant Research
Earlier in her career, Dr. Enright contributed to several important studies examining hearing and word-recognition norms and outcomes associated with promontory, single-electrode and multichannel cochlear implants.
Working with pioneers including William House and Bradly Edgerton, she helped clinicians better understand hearing outcomes, refine expectations for patients and identify individuals who could benefit from emerging hearing technologies.
Leadership, Education and Mentorship
Dr. Enright’s impact extends well beyond her research. She has held leadership roles across several major professional organizations, including serving as president of both the American Auditory Society and the American Neurotology Society.
Her service has also included two elected terms on the American Auditory Society Board, service as secretary-treasurer of the Association for Research in Otolaryngology and the American Neurotology Society, and service on the Council of the Triological Society.
Throughout her career, she has been recognized as an influential mentor to physicians, otologists, otolaryngologists and audiologists. She was also a co-author of landmark research examining the gender gap in otolaryngology, helping bring greater attention to career and lifestyle factors affecting women in the specialty.
A Career Spanning Audiology, Medicine and Otology
Dr. Enright earned a bachelor’s degree with high distinction in speech pathology and audiology and a master’s degree in audiology from the University of Michigan. She received her PhD in speech and hearing sciences from the University of California, Santa Barbara, before earning her medical degree and completing training in general surgery and otolaryngology–head and neck surgery at the University of California, San Francisco.
Following a fellowship at the House Ear Clinic, her career included appointments at the University of California, Irvine; private practice in Newport Beach, California; a professorship at the University of California, Davis; and service as senior staff in otolaryngology at Henry Ford Health System.
Through her research, clinical work, leadership and mentorship, Dr. Enright has helped improve the care of children with hearing loss while influencing the development of the professionals and institutions responsible for carrying the field forward.
The American Otological Society congratulates Karen Jo Enright, MD, PhD, recipient of the 2026 AOS Award of Merit.
Click here for a list of award recipients over the past 20 (twenty) years.