Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Director of the Voice and Dysphagia Laboratory, McGill University
McGill University, Canada
Dr Karen Kost is a Professor of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery and is the Director of the Voice and Dysphagia Laboratory at McGill University.
Dr Kost did her undergraduate studies and residency at McGill University in Montreal and completed a fellowship in Voice and Head and Neck Oncology in London England. Areas of special interest include Voice, Head and Neck Oncology, and Airway problems.
Dr. Kost has an interest in Global health. She worked in the Canadian Arctic for over 20 years, and participated in 2 humanitarian medical missions in remote villages of the Himalayas in Nepal.
Dr Kost has served as President of the Canadian Society of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (CSO-HNS), and established the Women in Otolaryngology (WIO) section of the CSO-HNS. She also served as President of the American Society of Geriatric Otolaryngology. As an active member of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), she has servied on several committees including, the Geriatric Otolaryngology Committee. Dr Kost is currently the VP-elect of the American Laryngological Association.
Dr Kost has published extensively on voice and tracheostomy, which was the subject of her Triological thesis. She has authored 30 book chapters, edited/co-edited 4 textbooks on Geriatric Otolaryngology and has given >500 presentations on voice/tracheostomy around the world.
Dr Kost is the recipient of the following awards: i) Birkett prize in Otolaryngology, ii)Teacher of the Year Award, iii) Recognition of Service and Commitment Award from the CSO-HNS, iv) Distinction Award of Otolaryngology from the AAO-HNS, v) Helen B Krause Trailblazer Award from the WIO branch of the AAO-HNS vi) October 2024- the Quebec "Award of Excellence in Otolaryngology" by the Quebec association of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, vii) June 2025 - the 'Lifetime Achievement Award' from the CSOHNS.