Meet Michael Johns III, MD

Michael Johns III is an otolaryngologist at Keck Medicine of USC, who specializes in laryngology, and voice, swallowing and airway disorders.

Here’s what you won’t find on his resume.

Music brings him joy.

“I’ve always loved listening to music. The voices of Peter Gabriel, Jerry Garcia, Stevie Nicks and Karen Carpenter have always resonated with me my entire life. The way Karen Carpenter captured the notes in the song, ‘Goodbye to Love,’ just touched my soul. I saw that singers and musicians could face serious threats to not only their career but also to their mission of spreading love to the world if anything were to damage their voice. This was one of the key driving motivators when I decided to sign on as the director of the USC Voice Center.”

Otolaryngology is in his blood.

“My father was an otolaryngologist. I pursued economics in college at the University of Virginia, but in the end I was passionate about medicine. They say the nuts don’t fall far from the tree!”

He wants to travel the world.

“I get away when I can. You will find me on the ski slopes when I have free time. There are so many things I still want to do, such as hike the Inca Trail, kite surf and visit New Zealand.”

Yoga and cooking keep him happy.

“I enjoy the moving meditation of yoga. Cooking is another daily source of joy and sustenance!”

Seeing you heal is his reward.

“My favorite part of my job is interacting with my patients and creating a care plan together to heal and improve their quality of life. As a specialist in voice and swallowing disorders, I love being able to help restore people’s ability to speak, sing, communicate and eat.”

Life learning is his mission.

“Being part of an academic medical center, pursuing new advances and applying them to my specialty is part of my core mission. The process of new discovery inspires me to learn, advance the field of medicine and improve outcomes for my patients.”

Technology changed the landscape of his career.

“There are much easier treatment options for my patients. Instead of having to go into the operating room, most interventions to restore voice, swallowing and breathing can be done within the office. “

Keck Medicine of USC is his home.

“I love working in a team environment within a world-class academic medical center to provide the highest quality patient-centered care available.”

View Dr. Johns’ full biography and schedule an appointment.

Topics