Dr Laura McWhirter
Consultant Neuropsychiatrist and Clinical Research Fellow
Address
- Street
-
University of Edinburgh,
Royal Edinburgh Hospital,
Morningside Terrace - City
- Edinburgh
- Post code
- EH10 5HF
Background
Laura McWhirter graduated MBChB from the University of Edinburgh in 2008, having taken an unusual route to medicine after a degree in music from the University of York in 2001. Dr McWhirter completed specialist training in General Adult and Liaison Psychiatry in South East Scotland in June 2018. Her research is primarily in the areas of Functional Neurological Disorders, cognitive disorders, and brain injury.
Qualifications
MBChB - University of Edinburgh, 2008
BA (Hons) in Music - University of York, 2001
PhD - 'Understanding functional cognitive disorder phenotypes in the differential diagnosis of neurodegenerative disease' - 2021
Responsibilities & affiliations
Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists - 2012
Member of the Royal College of Physicians (Edinburgh) - 2011
Secretary of the British Neuropsychiatry Association (2021 - present)
Research summary
Laura McWhirter's research interests are in cognitive disorders, functional neurological disorders, and brain injury.
Current research interests
Dr McWhirter's current primary research project aims to describe various clinical phenotypes in Long COVID.Past research interests
Somatosensory attention in functional neurological disorders, Foreign Accent Syndrome, transcranial magnetic stimulation, the history of physical treatments for functional neurological disorder.Current project grants
Clinical Phenotyping Of Prolonged Cognitive Symptoms After COVID-19 (Scottish Government Chief Scientist Office) (2021-23)
Past project grants
Baillie Gifford Clinical Research Fellowship (2018-21)