Laura Kirkpatrick, MD

  • Assistant Professor
  • Associate Director, Child Neurology Clinical Research

Professional and Scientific Society Memberships

  • Child Neurology Society, 2017 - Present
  • ​Pennsylvania Medical Society & Allegheny County Medical Society, 2018 - Present
  • American Academy of Neurology, 2019 - Present
  • American Epilepsy Society, 2020 - Present
  • Society of Family Planning, 2020 - Present
  • American Neurological Assocation, 2023 - Present

Education & Training

  • BA, University of Chicago, 2009,
  • MD, Georgetown University School of Medicine, 2017
  • Residency in Pediatrics, Child Neurology, UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, 2017 - 2022
  • Fellowship in Pediatrics, Epilepsy, 2022 - Present
  • MS, University of Pittsburgh, 2023 - Present

Selected Publications

Patel H, Malave R, Bitting S, Weir K, Naus T, Shelton L, Harris K, Kerr W, Van Cott A, Kirkpatrick L. Youth and family perspectives on diagnosis communication about pediatric functional seizures: a qualitative study. (2024). Pediatric Neurology. 161:91-98.  

Harrison EI, Kazmerski TM, Hochheiser HS, Sogawa Y, Kirkpatrick L. Prescription patterns relevant to young people with epilepsy of childbearing potential. (2024). Epilepsy & Behavior. 161:110036.  

Kirkpatrick L, Bell LA, Harrison E, Kazmerski TM, Russell M, Syed T, Szoko N, Tyler CP. Communication and counseling preferences of people who experienced abortion care during adolescence. (2024). Journal of Pediatric and Adolescent Gynecology. S1083-3188(24)0027-5. Doi: 10.1016/j.jpag.2024.08.007. 

Allison B, Borcky T, Boutros-Khoury H, Kirkpatrick L. Teen pregnancy. (2024). Pediatrics in Review. In press. 

Vasudevan G, Filipink R, Gaesser J, Kazmerski TM, Sogawa Y, Kirkpatrick L. Preferences and experiences of parents/guardians of female adolescents and young adults with epilepsy and intellectual disability on sexual and reproductive healthcare counseling. (2024). Epilepsy & Behavior. 152:109658. PMID: 38277851. 

Terman S, Kirkpatrick L, Kerr W, Akiyama L, Baajour W, Atilgan D, Dorotan MC, Hyoung C, French J. Current state of the epilepsy drug and device pipeline. (2024). Epilepsia. Doi: 10.1111/epi17884. PMID: 38345387. 

Terman S, Kirkpatrick L, Kerr W, Akiyama L, Baajour W, Atilgan D, Dorotan MC, Hyoung C, French J. Challenges and directions in epilepsy diagnostics and therapeutics: proceedings of the 17th Epilepsy Therapies and Diagnostics Development conference. (2023). Epilepsia. Doi: 10.1111/epi.17875. PMID: 38135921. 

Maheshwari A, Coronata A, Kirkpatrick L, Abdul-al A, McCormick A, Matheo L, Kazmerski TM. An institution-wide assessment of pediatric to adult healthcare transition practices. (2023). Health Care Transitions. 2:100034. Doi:10.1016/j.hctj.2023.100034. New journal not yet indexed in Pubmed.  

Bell LA, Tyler CP, Russell MR, Szoko N, Harrison EI, Kazmerski TM, Syed T, Kirkpatrick L. Preferences and experiences regarding pregnancy options counseling in adolescence and young adulthood: a qualitative study. (2023). Journal of Adolescent Health. S1054-139X(23)00112-X. Doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.02.017. PMID: 37032209.  

Harrison EI, Kirkpatrick L, Hochheiser H, Sogawa Y, Kazmerski TM. A retrospective textual analysis of sexual and reproductive health counseling for adolescent and young adult people with epilepsy of gestational capacity. (2023). Epilepsy & Behavior.145:109321. Doi: 10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109321. PMID: 37348408.

Kirkpatrick L, Goldman P, Bell LA, Tyler C, Harrison E, Russell M, Syed T, Szoko N, Kazmerski TM. “Structured engagement of community partners to revise a pregnancy options counseling curriculum for pediatric residents.” (2023). Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development. 10:23821205231190476. Doi: 10.1177/23821205231190476. PMID: 37528948.

Parulekar M, Gordon D, Kazmerski T, Van Cott AC, Waters J, Kirkpatrick L. Co-production of online educational resources for adolescent and young adult females with epilepsy. (2023). Epilepsy & Behavior. 147:109420. Doi:10.1016/j.yebeh.2023.109420. PMID: 37716326.

MyNCBI

Academic and Research Interests

  • Epilepsy
  • Adolescent health
  • Reproductive health
  • Transition of care
  • Child neurology
  • Pediatric neurology
  • Women's neurology
  • Neurology

Research Grants

2023-2026, Child Neurologst Career Development Program K12 Award, CNCDP. 

2023-2024, Transition of Care Award, Child Neurology Foundation. 

2023-2025, CHP Scholar Award, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh Foundation. 

2023-2024, National Institutes of Health Loan Repayment Program, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD). 

2023-2025, Pitt Pediatrics Health Equity Grant, University of Pittsburgh Department of Pediatrics

2023-2024, Children’s Trust Grantmakers’ Award, Children’s Trust

2024-2025, Education Innovation Grant, Office of Faculty Development, University of Pittsburgh

2025-2028, New Investigator Award, Rosenau Family Research Foundation

2025-2026, Mixed Methods Research on Long-Acting Reversible Contraception, Society of Family Planning