Lawrence Hirsch, MD
Professor of NeurologyCards
About
Titles
Professor of Neurology
Director, Fellowship Program, Neurophysiology; Chief, Division of Epilepsy and EEG; Co-Director, Yale Comprehensive Epilepsy Center; Co-Director, Critical Care EEG Monitoring Program
Biography
Lawrence J. Hirsch, M.D. is Professor of Neurology, Academic Chief of the Division of Epilepsy and EEG, and Co-Director of the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, all at Yale University. He has held leadership positions in the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society (ACNS), American Epilepsy Society, American Academy of Neurology, and the Epilepsy Foundation. He is lead author of the 2012 and 2021 ACNS guidelines on critical care EEG terminology and senior author of the ACNS guideline on Critical Care EEG Monitoring. He is founder and former chair of the Critical Care EEG Monitoring Research Consortium; co-chair of the medical advisory board of the NORSE Institute; first author of the manuscript defining NORSE and FIRES; co-P.I. of the NORSE Multicenter study; and Principal Investigator of the NORSE/FIRES Open Biorepository housed at Yale University. He was the first to recognize the localizing and lateralizing value of postictal nosewiping, and he described and coined the term SIRPIDs. He has an H index of 90 with >31,000 citations, more than half of which are after 2019. He has published more than 230 peer-reviewed manuscripts and more than 100 reviews, editorials or book chapters on topics including status epilepticus, all aspects of EEG including intracranial recordings and brain monitoring in the critically ill, brain stimulation, epilepsy surgery, seizure clusters, rescue medications, SUDEP, and anti-seizure medication use. He has won multiple teaching awards, mentored dozens of trainees, and is co-author of the first-ever atlas on EEG in critical care, now with multiple editions.
Appointments
Neurology
ProfessorPrimary
Other Departments & Organizations
Education & Training
- Fellowship
- Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center (1997)
- Residency
- Columbia Presbyterian Center (1995)
- Intern
- Yale University (1992)
- MD
- Yale University School of Medicine
- BA
- University of Pennsylvania
Research
Overview
Research publications via PubMed.
Medical Research Interests
Academic Achievements & Community Involvement
Clinical Care
Overview
Lawrence J. Hirsch, MD, is Professor of Neurology, Chief of the Division of Epilepsy and EEG, Co-Director of the Yale Comprehensive Epilepsy Center, and Co-Director of the Critical Care EEG Monitoring Program.
Yale's epilepsy center, which has existed for over 50 years, was one of the first centers of its kind, internationally known for its clinical excellence and innovative research for adult and pediatric patients. His goal in caring for patients with epilepsy is to return them to the point where they can live normal, seizure-free lives. “Over the years, we have cured several hundreds of patients of their chronic, disabling seizures. It's immensely satisfying for everyone,” he says.
Dr. Hirsch is an active researcher in such areas as epilepsy surgery, brain stimulation to treat epilepsy, anti-seizure medications, seizure clusters, and brain monitoring in the critically ill. He has published over 200 manuscripts, has won multiple teaching awards, and speaks internationally on a regular basis. He is excited about the development of less invasive, more tolerable techniques and tools, including stimulators and lasers, which provide excellent options in even the most difficult cases.
One of the greatest challenges in the field is that many patients do not obtain access to the best tests and treatments, Dr. Hirsch says. “My goal is to help close this gap in access to care via telemedicine, home video/EEG services, remote consults, and educational outreach to patients, families, and clinicians,” he says. “We will continue to push our ability to prevent or cure epilepsy in as many people as possible, and to maximize quality of life in all people with seizures.”
Dr. Hirsch has been included in Castle Connolly Medical Ltd.’s lists of Top Doctors.
Clinical Specialties
Fact Sheets
Epilepsy
Learn More on Yale MedicineEpilepsy in Children and Teens
Learn More on Yale MedicinePediatric Sepsis
Learn More on Yale MedicineMyasthenia Gravis
Learn More on Yale Medicine
Board Certifications
Epilepsy
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Original Certification Date
- 2013
Clinical Neurophysiology
- Certification Organization
- American Board of Clinical Neurophysiology Inc.
- Original Certification Date
- 1997
Clinical Neurophysiology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Latest Certification Date
- 2018
- Original Certification Date
- 1997
Neurology
- Certification Organization
- AB of Psychiatry & Neurology
- Latest Certification Date
- 2016
- Original Certification Date
- 1996
Yale Medicine News
News & Links
News
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Contacts
Locations
Yale School of Medicine
Academic Office
Lippard Lab for Clinical Investigation
15 York Street, Ste PO Box 208018
New Haven, CT 06510
Patient Care Locations
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