Celebrating 30 Years of Global Leadership: AAO-HNS Honors Sheng-Po Hao, MD

Sheng-Po Hao, MDThe American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) proudly honors Sheng-Po Hao, MD, for his 30-year membership, marking his decades of service and dedication to the Academy. Dr. Hao, a professor and chair of the Department of Otolaryngology at Shin Kong Wu Ho-Su Memorial Hospital and program director of Otolaryngology at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan, will be stepping down from the chairmanship at the end of this year. This milestone anniversary coincides with Dr. Hao’s retirement plans and celebrates the distinguished career of a physician and leader who has worked tirelessly for the specialty, the AAO-HNS, and the global otolaryngology community.

(Left to right) Sheng-Po Hao, MD, and Eugene N. Myers, MD.Dr. Hao is a renowned expert in the surgical and research aspects of oral cancer, having published hundreds of articles and book chapters on the subject. He delivered the AAO-HNSF 2014 Eugene N. Myers, MD International Lecture on Head and Neck Cancer and was the recipient of the 2017 Nikhil J. Bhatt, MD International Public Service Award. In 2013, he gave the keynote lecture at the 20th World Congress of the International Federation of Oto-Rhino-Laryngological Societies in Seoul, Korea. As the founding president of the Taiwan Head and Neck Society and the Taiwan Oral Cancer Prevention and Therapy Association, and past president of the Taiwan Skull Base Society, Dr. Hao has been a matchless domestic and regional leader in pioneering research and care for patients with oral cancer. He is also the founding president and current secretary general of the Asian Society of Head and Neck Oncology.

A dedicated educator and volunteer, Dr. Hao has served as a reviewer for more than 30 scientific journals and serves on the Editorial Boards of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery and Laryngoscope. He has shared his expertise globally through instructional courses and surgical workshops, training medical students and residents in Taiwan and international fellows from countries including China, Indonesia, Italy, Korea, Malaysia, Spain, and the Philippines. Dr. Hao graduated from Taipei Medical University and completed his residency at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and fellowship at the University of Pittsburgh. He returned to Taiwan, where he has held numerous positions in medical and academic institutions. He has also been a visiting professor at the University of Pittsburgh, Yale University, and Seoul National University.

In addition to his academic and clinical achievements, Dr. Hao has remained a stalwart leader in the Academy. His involvement with AAO-HNSF’s international programs spans decades, beginning with the International Committee, the predecessor of the International Advisory Board (IAB), established in 1997. He then served as the AAO-HNSF 2022 – 2023 IAB Chair. Dr. Hao attributes his involvement with the Academy and his leadership and professional success to his mentor, Eugene N. Myers, MD. In a 2023 interview, Dr. Hao explained, “I was fortunate enough to work as a fellow with Dr. Myers at the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 and 1993. Dr. Myers was a driving force behind the launch of AAO-HNSF’s International Affairs Program. With [his] influence, I inherited an interest in international affairs, particularly global education, and my involvement with the Academy’s international programs has been pivotal to both my career and leadership journey.”

(Left to right) Eugene N. Myers, MD, and Sheng-Po Hao, MD.

Reflecting on Dr. Hao’s remarkable journey and impact on the specialty, his mentor, Dr. Myers, shared his thoughts on the legacy of his former fellow and the significant contributions the retiring physician has made to otolaryngology worldwide:

“When Sheng-Po Hao was an International Visiting Scholar with me at the University of Pittsburgh in 1992 to 1993, seeds were sown that blossomed—in his case—into becoming an internationally recognized authority in head and neck and skull base surgery and a leader in global education.

Dr. Hao has published hundreds of articles on cancer of the oral cavity, a major healthcare problem in Asia. As founding president of the Taiwan Head and Neck Society, president of the Taiwan Skull Base Society, and current secretary general of the Asian Society of Head and Neck Oncology, he has long established himself as a leader in education in our specialty in Asia.

His association with the AAO-HNS International Program also spans decades, which made him a popular choice to become an early Chair of the International Advisory Board, which broadened his global leadership.

Even with these time-consuming assignments, he has been a wonderful husband to his wife Helen, a practicing dentist, and a role model father to sons Peter, a head and neck surgeon, and Eugene. I'm so proud of Sheng-Po and am happy to have played a role in his outstanding career.”

– Eugene N. Myers, MD