Kristi L. Kirschner, MD
Clinical Professor in the Departments of Medical Education, Neurology & Rehabilitation, and Medicine (Academic Internal Medicine)
Director of Undergraduate Education for the Department of Medical Education
Pronouns: She/Her
Contact
Building & Room:
986 CMET
Address:
MC 591
Office Phone:
Fax:
Email:
CV Download:
About
Kristi L. Kirschner, MD is a Clinical Professor in the University of Illinois College of Medicine Department of Medical Education (DME), with secondary appointments in the Department of Neurology and Rehabilitation and in the Division of Academic Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine. She also holds an adjunct appointment in the UIC Department of Disability and Human Development, College of Applied Health Sciences.
Dr. Kirschner is a physician specializing in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation with particular interest in the needs of patients with complex neurological disabilities, including adults with spina bifida, neuromuscular diseases and cerebral palsy. After completing residency she served as an attending physician at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (RIC, now known as the Shirley Ryan Ability Lab) until December of 2009. While at RIC, she founded and led the Donnelley Family Disability Ethics Program (1996-2009) and co-founded and directed the RIC Women with Disabilities Center (1992-2009). She moved her clinical practice to Schwab Rehabiliation Hospital in 2010, and remained active on the attending staff there through 2019.
She was a member of the faculty at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine throughout her time at RIC with appointments in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (1990-2009) and in the Medical Humanities and Bioethics (1997-2015)
Dr. Kirschner moved her academic appointments to the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 2015, where she led the creation of Health Humanities and Ethics curriculum for the college’s curriculum transformation project from 2016-2024. She is currently the director of undergraduate education for DME and is also developing curriculum for other health professionals, with the support of grants from the Health Resource Services Administration (HRSA) and the Chicago Community Trust. In addition she has conceived and helped to found the UI Health Lifespan Disability Clinic (LDC) https://hospital.uillinois.edu/primary-and-specialty-care/disability-inclusive-care which now serves over 400 people with complex disabilities. This innovative model of care is grounded in an interprofessional team made up of complex primary care, behavioral health, social and community support services and specializes in transition care for young adults aging into adulthood. In addition to clinical care, the clinic serves as an education-centered health home for health professional trainees who desire to care for this complex population.
Scholarship
ORCID iD: 0000-0003-0651-3678
Honors and awards (selected)
- August W. Christmann Award, Mayor’s Office for People with Disabilities, City of Chicago, 1994
- Coleman Foundation Chair in Rehabilitation Medicine, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, 1996-2009
- YWCA of Metropolitan Chicago Outstanding Achievement Award for Education, 1999
- Chicago Council for Disability Rights Gargoyle Advocacy Award, 1999
- Liberty Award, Progress Center for Independent Living, 2002
- Distinguished Alumnus Award, Carleton College Alumni Association, 2007
- Alpha Omega Alpha, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, 2016 (alumna honoree)
- Policy Award from the Health and Medicine Policy Research Group, 2020
- Department of Medical Education Faculty Member of the Year, 2024
Education
B.A., Carleton College, 1982
M.D., University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, 1986
Internship in internal medicine, Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, 1986-87
Residency in physical medicine and rehabilitation, Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago/McGaw Medical Center of Northwestern University, 1987-90
Fellowship, Maclean Center for Clinical Ethics, University of Chicago, 1994-95