MICHAEL O'LEARY, MD

Dr. Michael O'Leary specializes in diseases of the ear and balance. He helped create the new ChEARS Hearing Center that offers hearing healthcare with advanced hearing aids, assistive listening devices and implants. His skull base role is that of neurotologist, focusing on tumors of the lateral skull base such as acoustic neuromas and meningiomas. He is also a nationally-recognized leader in the development of minimally invasive techniques including the endoscopic removal of pituitary tumors.

Michael J. O'Leary, MD was born in 1954, in Denver, Colorado and grew up in New York. He graduated from Scarsdale High School in Scarsdale New York with honors in 1972.  He began his medical career in New York, earning his bachelor's degree in biology from the University of Rochester in 1976 (Cum Laude) followed by his doctorate of medicine from Georgetown Univ., Washington, DC in 1980 (Magna Cum Laude).

During medical school in 1976 he entered the US Navy as an Ensign (0-1), the start of a 24-year career. Following internship and residency at the Naval Hospital San Diego in 1986, he was assigned as Chief, Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery at Naval Hospital Newport, RI until 1989 (the “head and tail” of the department). He then underwent subspecialty training in Neurotology/Skull Base Surgery beginning as a Clinical Fellow at the prestigious House Ear Clinic in Los Angeles. This was followed by a year of Microvascular surgery at Washington University in St. Louis, MO with Dr. Richard E. Hayden. In 1991 he returned to Naval Hospital San Diego as the Chief, Neurotology/Skull Base Surgery. Upon his retirement in 2000 as a Captain (0-6), his neurotology division had grown from one to a team of over 25 individuals, performing pioneering clinical and basic science research focused on disorders of the ear and skull base.

Dr. Michael O'Leary is board-certified by the American Board of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, a fellow of the American College of Surgeons, and a clinical assistant professor of surgery with the Uniformed Services University of Health Science. He is a past chairman of the Skull Base Surgery committee of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck surgery and has served as consultant to the Surgeons General.

Honors include membership in AOA - the honor medical society, and he is a recent recipient of the AAO/HNS honor award. He is a member of numerous medical associations, and has served as president of the San Diego Society of Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, the Society of Military Otolaryngologists, and the House Fellowship Alumni group. Military decorations include the Navy Commendation Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal and the Navy Meritorious Service Medal. He is also an Eagle Scout.

Doctor Michael O'Leary has authored or presented more than 90 scientific works focused on the ear and skull base, including 10 book chapters. He is a champion of digital advances in medicine and an opinion leader regarding process improvement and practice effectiveness in medicine.