Serena Thompson, MD, PhD
Specialty
Adult epileptologist
Dr. Thompson graduated from the University of Southern California prior to attending medical school and graduate school in neuroscience at the University of Minnesota. She completed her residency at the Medical College of Wisconsin followed by epilepsy fellowship at the Cleveland Clinic. Prior to returning to Minnesota, Dr. Thompson was a full-time academic faculty member at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Dr. Thompson’s areas of expertise include epilepsy surgery, magnetoencephalography use in epilepsy evaluation, complex / refractory epilepsy, ketogenic diet, EEG, SEEG, electrocorticography, and cortical stimulation. Outside of medicine, Dr. Thompson enjoys Latin dance, fitness, and spending time with family.
Dr. Thompson uses the mutual education patient and physician provide each other as the groundwork for treatment. “It is my responsibility to educate patients and their families about their medical condition and treatment options, but it is the patient’s responsibility to educate me about their treatment goals, expectations, prior experiences, and life goals. It is my greatest honor and responsibility to listen to your story and empower you to make informed medical decisions.”
Education
Undergraduate School
University of Southern California, Los Angeles CA
Medical School
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN
Graduate Schools
University of Minnesota, Minneapolis MN
Residency
Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee WI
Fellowship
Epilepsy Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland OH
Areas Of Expertise
Areas of Active Interest – Epilepsy surgery, magnetoencephalography, complex and refractory epilepsies, EEG, SEEG, electrocorticography, cortical stimulation, ketogenic diet
Selected Publications
Thompson, S. K., Engel, S. A., & Olman, C. A. (2014). Larger neural responses produce BOLD signals that begin earlier in time. Frontiers in Neuroscience, 8, 159.
Hegdé, J., Thompson, S. K., Brady, M., & Kersten, D. (2012). Object recognition in clutter: cortical responses depend on the type of learning. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 6, 170.
Schumacher, J. F., Thompson, S. K., & Olman, C. (2011). Contrast response functions for single Gabor patches: ROI-based analysis over-represents low-contrast patches for GE BOLD. Frontiers in Systems Neuroscience, 5, 19.
Interests Outside Medicine
Latin dance, time with family
Leadership & Membership
Professional Organizations
American Academy of Neurology, American Epilepsy Society
Medical Licenses
Minnesota, Wisconsin
Clinic Nurse
Brad B.
Selected Awards
2017-2018 Excellence in Teaching Award, Cleveland Clinic
2016-2017 Excellence in Teaching Award, Cleveland Clinic
2015-2016 Harrington Humanitarian Award, Medical College of Wisconsin