Richard K. Gurgel
( out of 354 reviews )

Richard K. Gurgel, MD, MSCI

Languages spoken: English, Tagalog

Clinical Locations

  • TOSH Hearing and Balance Center

    801-595-1700

  • Otolaryngology/ENT, Area E

    801-587-8368

  • Dr. Richard Gurgel, MD MSCI, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah with an Honors B.A. in Biology. He then continued his training by attending medical school at the University of Utah. There he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society as a junior.



    Dr. Gurgel did his residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which is consistently ranked as a top 10 Otolaryngology program in America, according to U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals. He went on to do his fellowship in Otology, Neurotology, and Skullbase Surgery at Stanford University, also a leading institution in the field. There he was a member of Stanford Society of Physician Scholars and elected fellow teacher of the year for two consecutive years.


    Dr. Gurgel’s clinical interests include the full spectrum of neurotology, specifically in the care of patients with vestibular schwannomas (acoustic neuromas), glomus tumors, and other skull base lesions. He also has an interest in the surgical restoration of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss and auditory prosthesis such as cochlear implants. He is the section chief of Otology and director of the cochlear implant program at the University of Utah, caring for children and adults, and the Salt Lake Veteran’s hospital, caring for our country’s veterans.

    Dr. Gurgel is an NIH-funded surgeon-scientist with research focusing on the impact of hearing loss on cognition in older adults, and how cochlear implants can improve cognition. He has published two leading books in his field, Otologic Surgery and Imaging in Otolaryngology, as well as over 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. He has served as the chair of the prestigious Hearing Committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He is also the fellowship director of the Neurotology fellowship at the University of Utah.

    Dr. Gurgel has lived in Germany, Israel, and the Philippines. He is fluent in Cebuano and Waray-Waray (both Filipino dialects). Outside of the hospital, his time is mainly spent with his wife on all activities pursuant to raising five daughters.

    Specialties

    • Neurotology
    • Lateral Skull Base Surgery
    • Acoustic Tumors
    • Cochlear Implantation
    • Facial Nerve Disorders
    • Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery
    • Otology

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Neurosurgery - Adjunct

    Patient Rating

    4.8 /5
    ( out of 354 reviews )

    The patient rating score is an average of all responses on our patient experience survey. The rating averages scores for all questions about care from our providers.

    The scale on which responses are measured is 1 to 5 with 5 being the best score.

    Patient Comments

    Patient comments are gathered from our Press Ganey Patient Satisfaction Survey and displayed in their entirety.
    Patients are de-identified for confidentiality and patient privacy.

    February 28, 2023

    He should be nominated for sainthood. He is the kindest, and has the best bedside manner of any doctor Ive ever had.

    February 26, 2023

    Very caring so very nice

    February 24, 2023

    He did quite good. I hope that he is a "miracle worker " & can help my left ear!!

    See More Patient Comments

  • Dr. Richard Gurgel, MD MSCI, graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah with an Honors B.A. in Biology. He then continued his training by attending medical school at the University of Utah. There he was elected to the Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society as a junior.



    Dr. Gurgel did his residency in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, which is consistently ranked as a top 10 Otolaryngology program in America, according to U.S. News and World Report Best Hospitals. He went on to do his fellowship in Otology, Neurotology, and Skullbase Surgery at Stanford University, also a leading institution in the field. There he was a member of Stanford Society of Physician Scholars and elected fellow teacher of the year for two consecutive years.


    Dr. Gurgel’s clinical interests include the full spectrum of neurotology, specifically in the care of patients with vestibular schwannomas (acoustic neuromas), glomus tumors, and other skull base lesions. He also has an interest in the surgical restoration of both conductive and sensorineural hearing loss and auditory prosthesis such as cochlear implants. He is the section chief of Otology and director of the cochlear implant program at the University of Utah, caring for children and adults, and the Salt Lake Veteran’s hospital, caring for our country’s veterans.

    Dr. Gurgel is an NIH-funded surgeon-scientist with research focusing on the impact of hearing loss on cognition in older adults, and how cochlear implants can improve cognition. He has published two leading books in his field, Otologic Surgery and Imaging in Otolaryngology, as well as over 100 peer-reviewed publications and book chapters. He has served as the chair of the prestigious Hearing Committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. He is also the fellowship director of the Neurotology fellowship at the University of Utah.

    Dr. Gurgel has lived in Germany, Israel, and the Philippines. He is fluent in Cebuano and Waray-Waray (both Filipino dialects). Outside of the hospital, his time is mainly spent with his wife on all activities pursuant to raising five daughters.

    Board Certification and Academic Information

    Academic Departments Neurosurgery -Adjunct

    Education history

    Graduate Training Master of Science in Clinical Investigation - University of Utah M.S.C.I
    Neurotology – Skull base surgery - Stanford University Hospital and Clinics Fellow
    Residency Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery - University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics Resident
    Medicine - University of Utah School of Medicine M.D.
    Other Training Brigham Young University Center for Near Eastern Studies
    Biology, major; Chemistry minor, [(magna cum laude)] - University of Utah B.A.

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