Kate Fitzgerald, M.D.

Dr. Kate Fitzgerald received her medical degree from Wayne State University before coming to the University of Michigan to complete her medical residency and fellowship training in child and adolescent psychiatry. She now practices as a child psychiatrist, specializing in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric anxiety and related disorders, including depression. She is co-director of the Pediatric Anxiety and Tic Disorders Clinic at the University of Michigan and an associate professor within the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Michigan.

Dr. Fitzgerald’s research focuses on neural mechanisms underlying pediatric anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. Her current research uses fMRI, EEG, and behavioral assessments to look for biomarkers that may serve as targets for novel, mechanism-based treatments. Currently, she is conducting federally funded research to elucidate developmentally sensitive mechanisms of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for OCD (R01 MH1022420) and the pediatric anxiety disorders (1R01MH107419). She is also working to develop a brain-behavior assessment battery for anxiety and depression in preschoolers (R03 MH102648-01). The AIM Rising Star Research award is funding efforts to target these brain-behavior measures with a child-friendly cognitive training, “Kidpower”, designed to increase capacity of the frontal cortex to exert control over fear, thereby reducing anxiety. Dr. Fitzgerald is also involved in the dissemination of cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety and depression to affected youth through public schools.

Outside of work, Dr. Fitzgerald enjoys spending time with her husband and two teenage sons, especially playing tennis, watching basketball and hockey, and visiting Lake Michigan.