Gavriel D. Kohlberg, MD

Disorders of hearing and balance can be distressing and debilitating. My goal is to listen to each patient, to see how I can try to help them and to guide them every step of the way on their treatment path. At the University of Washington we are fortunate to be able to offer cutting-edge medical and surgical treatments for all aspects of otology and neurotology.

Gavriel D. Kohlberg, M.D., joined the department as an assistant professor in 2019. He is also a member of the division of Otology and Neurotology.

As an undergraduate, Dr. Kohlberg studied computer science at Harvard. After college he developed image processing algorithms as a research assistant in the radiology department at Massachusetts General Hospital. He completed his medical degree at Stanford School of Medicine, where he received additional training in biomedical informatics. He then pursued residency training in otolaryngology – head and neck surgery at the New York Presbyterian – Columbia and Cornell. After residency he served as a physician in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). He then completed a two-year otology and neurotolgy fellowship at the University of Cincinnati / Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center with Drs. Ravi Samy, Joseph Breen, Myles Pensak and Mario Zuccarello.

Dr. Kohlberg’s clinical interests include medical and surgical treatment of people suffering from ear-related problems such as hearing loss, otosclerosis, cholesteatoma and inner-ear balance disorders. Dr. Kohlberg also works as part of a team to treat tumors of the lateral skull base, including acoustic neuromas, meningiomas and glomus tumors as well as cancers of the temporal bone. He performs both traditional and endoscopic ear surgery. He is trained in hearing preservation cochlear implant surgery. He utilizes all surgical approaches to the lateral skull base, including the middle cranial fossa, retrosigmoid and translabyrinthine approaches. His research focuses on harnessing technology to allow people with hearing loss to better interact with the world around them.

Undergraduate Education: Harvard University, 2004

Medical School: Stanford University, 2010

Internship: New York Presbyterian – Columbia and Cornell Program, Department of Otolaryngology, 2011

Residency: New York Presbyterian – Columbia and Cornell Program, Department of Otolaryngology, 2015

Fellowship: Otology and Neurotology, University of Cincinnati / Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, 2019

Board Certification: Otolaryngology -  Head and Neck Surgery, 2016

Memberships: American Academy of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery

2023: Patient Safety Partner, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA 

2022: Patient Safety Awareness Week, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA 

2020: American Otological Society, Clinician Scientist Career Development Award 

2019: Physician of the Quarter – University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH

2019: 1st place otology / neurotology poster, Triological Society at COSM, Austin TX

2017: Head Naval Medicine Officer award for outstanding performance, Israel Defense Forces

2016: Top graduate honors for exemplary performance in medical officer course, Israel Defense Forces

2015: 1st place, resident research award, annual Cornell and Columbia resident research day

2014: 3rd place, resident research award, annual Metropolitan New York resident research day symposium

2013: 2nd place, resident research award, annual Cornell and Columbia resident research day

2007: Stanford Medical Scholars Research Fellowship, Stanford, CA

2004: Honors in Computer Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

2001: Harvard College Scholar, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Hearing loss, ear disease, ear disorders, tympanic membrane (ear drum) perforation, ear tumors, otitis media, otosclerosis, vertigo, skull base tumors, endoscopic ear surgery, glomus tumors, cholesteatoma, cochlear implantation, stapedectomy, tinnitus, acoustic neuroma, Bell's Palsy, facial nerve disorders, Meniere's disease, meningioma, middle ear disease.