Albert H. Park, MD

Dr. Park is the chief for Pediatric Otolaryngology at the University of Utah. He oversees the operations for the seven pediatric otolaryngology fellowship trained physicians and has had the privilege to treat children for over fifteen years at Primary Children’s hospital. His scope of practice includes a wide range of pediatric otolaryngology conditions that include cytomegalovirus infections, hearing loss, airway obstruction, congenital neck lesions, and recurrent parotitis to name a few.

He was born in Baltimore, Maryland and raised in New Jersey. He attended Swarthmore College for his undergraduate studies then moved to St. Louis to obtain his medical degree at the Washington University School of Medicine. He subsequently completed his residency in otolaryngology at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago and his fellowship in pediatric otolaryngology at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada. He joined the faculty at Loyola University Medical Center in Chicago for seven years. In August 2002, he moved to Salt Lake City to become an Associate Professor at the University of Utah. He is currently a professor and pediatric otolaryngologist (Ear Nose and Throat Specialist) at the University of Utah and at Primary Children’s Hospital.

He is the principal investigator for an NIH funded multi-institutional clinical trial to determine whether the antiviral drug, valganciclovir can improve hearing outcomes for children with cytomegalovirus (CMV), a very common and understudied cause of childhood hearing loss. In fact, CMV is the most common infectious cause of pediatric sensorineural hearing loss. He also established a CMV working group comprising of pediatric genetics, infectious disease, otolaryngology, audiology, neurology, department of health (EHDI) and ARUP laboratories to streamline clinical and research initiatives in this field.

These collaborative efforts have resulted in the first clinically validated dry blood spot and saliva PCR assay available to test any child for congenital CMV infection. He also worked with Representative Menlove and others to introduce a bill in the Utah legislature to increase overall awareness about congenital CMV infection and to mandate early CMV testing for newborns who fail their hearing screen. This legislation was passed in July 2013, and Utah became the first state to introduce a hearing targeted screening program for early CMV diagnosis.

He has served on the Otolaryngology Otology study section for the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS), as a reviewer for NIH and on several program committees for the AAO-HNS, the Triologic Society and American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO). He was the chair of the American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology (ASPO) research committee and created the ASPO CMV network to foster pediatric multi-institutional clinical studies. He a board member of the National CMV Foundation, the only national organization established to inform and educate others on specific prevention measures to protect against the risk of CMV. https://healthcare.utah.edu/ent/specialties/pediatric-ent/cytomegalovirus.php

He has lectured throughout the United States, Europe and, Asia on a wide range of pediatric otolaryngology and hearing related topics. He is the author of over 80 journal articles and book chapters and greatly enjoys teaching undergraduates, medical students, residents and fellows. He has been married for over 20 years, has two great kids and two wonderful dogs. He enjoys swimming and triathlons.