Dr. McKinnon joined the University of Texas Medical Branch in 2019, and is Associate Professor and Vice Chair, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Dr. McKinnon is the holder of the J.M. Robinson Distinguished Professorship.

Dr. McKinnon graduated from Boston University School of Medicine and following a surgical internship at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, MD, spent five years as a U.S. Naval Flight Surgeon. He completed his Otolaryngology training at Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA, and his Neurotology fellowship at the University of Virginia. He is Board Certified in Neurotology, received his M.B.A. from Johns Hopkins University, and his M.P.H. (Biostatistics concentration) from the University of Memphis.

Dr. McKinnon was on the teaching faculty of the National Naval Medical Center/Walter Reed Army Medical Center Combined Otolaryngology Residency, and Staff Otolaryngologist to both the White House Medical Unit and the DiLorenzo Tricare Health Clinic. Following his active duty service, he was Associate Professor, Otology/Neurotology at Georgia Regents University before joining the Shea Ear Clinic. While with the Shea Ear Clinic, Dr. McKinnon was Clinical Associate Professor, Otology/Neurotology, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Tennessee Health Sciences Center, and later concurrently Associate Professor and Vice-Chair Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Drexel Univeristy College of Medicine, as well as Associate Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Pennsylvania College of Osteopathic Medicine.

Dr. McKinnon is a Fellow of the Triological Society, and the American Neurotology Society, Active Member of the American Otological Society, as well as being active in many other organizations. His primary research interests are the management of cochlear implant programs, and the development of novel electromagnetic cochlear arrays.