Kirkham Profile Picture

Dr. Julia Kirkham

MD, MSc, FRCPC
Pronouns: she/her

Positions

Associate Professor

Cumming School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry

Full Member

Hotchkiss Brain Institute

Full Member

Mathison Centre for Mental Health Research and Education

Contact information

Phone number

Office: 403-955-6155

For media enquiries, contact

Kelly Johnston
Senior Communications Specialist

Please submit your media request here

 

Background

Credentials

Fellow (Geriatric Psychiatry), Royal College of Physicians of Canada, 2017

Fellow (Psychiatry), Royal College of Physicians of Canada, 2014

Educational Background

MSc Healthcare Quality , Queen's University, 2019

MD University of Saskatchewan, 2009

BSc University of Iowa, 2003

Biography

Clinician scientist with research focusing on improving healthcare quality in dementia and mental healthcare. 

Research

Areas of Research

Dementia, mental healthcare quality
Activities

My research interests are in quality improvement in geriatric mental health including examining and improving access to healthcare, equitability, and safety. My recent research focuses on optimizing medication prescribing among persons in dementia in long-term care. This includes examining the impact of antipsychotic deprescribing and quality measurement on other psychotropic prescribing in long term care, with a goal of mitigating unintended consequences of antipsychotic reduction in future interventions. Other work lately aims to improve the treatment of depression and availability of non-pharmacological treatment options for older adults. This includes the application and development of novel delivery options for psychotherapy for older adults with depression using internet based individual and group therapies.

Participation in university strategic initiatives