Courtney White, MD

"There needs to be more education. I recognize that there are a lot of other common disorders and diseases that deserve that as well, but again, relatively to how common it is. We spend more time talking about these rare zebras instead of what you’re going to see."

, understands the detrimental effects it can have on a patient’s daily life. She was 23 years old and in medical school when she experienced her first migraine attack. It did not come as much of a surprise to her, as a number of her family members have struggled with the disease before, but it did offer her explicit insight into the patient experience.

White recently completed fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and now serves as a headache specialist at the 

. While White specialized in migraine, she feels that the overall education about the disease, which nears around 4 hours for neurologists, does not suffice for how great of a burden it causes. Migraine is currently the third most prevalent illness in the world, with around 12% of the US population suffering from the disease.

As such, each year, the US loses billions of dollars in lost productivity from migraine. Considering its severity, nonheadache specialists should remain well-versed in treating migraine, according to White. She sat down with 

 to discuss her education process and why there should be a greater push across all neurology to improve how clinicians handle patients with the disease.

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The headache specialist at Jefferson Headache Center discussed the need to revamp the education process for migraine care and how much time residents spend learning about the disease. [WATCH TIME: 2 minutes]

Evaluating the Education Process for Migraine Care: Courtney White, MD

"With something [like migraine] that is such a silent disease, it can be helpful in creating that patient-provider connection. Again, you don’t need to have gone through this to be a good clinician—but, through these experiences, I know what it’s like when I have to order an MRI for a patient, for example.”

Earlier this month, advocacy organization 

 hosted an event within the Philadelphia area that included 2-mile walk, 5-kilometer run, and post-event brunch, concluding with clinicians answering questions about relevant topics within the migraine space, including diagnosis, treatment options, and health disparities. Among them included Courtney White, MD, a headache specialist at 

 who most recently graduated from its residency program in 2020.

White delivered a short, but powerful speech at the event, describing her own personal experience when she got her first migraine attack. She discussed the challenges she faced, along with the years of improperly being diagnosed. While she says her experience does not make her a better clinician, she does see why patients feel a sense of comfort knowing she’s been through similar challenges.

sat down with White at the event to get her perspective on the challenges patients with migraine face, along with how her story has impacted her education and clinical career as a headache specialist.

The headache specialist at Jefferson Headache Center discussed the array of issues patients with migraine face and why her personal experience may resonate with patients. [WATCH TIME: 3 minutes]

Courtney White, MD

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Evaluating the Education Process for Migraine Care: Courtney White, MD

Understanding the Challenges of Migraine Through Personal Experience: Courtney White, MD

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