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BioDr. McDonald is a fellowship-trained, board-certified neurologist and clinical assistant professor in the Department of Neurology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

She specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, including neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody disease (MOGAD). Dr. McDonald also provides comprehensive care to general neurology patients.

Dr. McDonald completed her internship and adult neurology residency at the University of Utah. She has a long-standing interest in multiple sclerosis care and went on to complete a two-year clinical MS/neuroimmunology fellowship at Stanford Health Care Multiple Sclerosis Center. Dr. McDonald received the National MS Society’s Sylvia Lawry Physician Fellowship, including formalized training in conducting clinical trials. As part of her fellowship, she completed a master’s degree in epidemiology and clinical research.

Valerie McDonald, MD, PhD

Affiliate, Department Funds
Resident in Medicine

BioValerie McDonald received her MD degree from the University of Washington. During medical school, she conducted research exploring the relationship between physical activity and healthcare utilization. She is currently a resident physician in Internal Medicine at Stanford Health Care. Her career interests include cardiovascular prevention, cardio-kidney-metabolic health, implementation science, and leveraging AI and digital health innovations to improve patient care.

Prior to medical school, Valerie earned her PhD in environmental engineering at Michigan Technology University, studying sustainable wastewater treatment. She went on to a post-doc fellowship at the Yale Center for Biospheric Studies and Center for Green Chemistry, studying sustainability in stormwater management. She worked as a Professional Engineer for 10 years, consulting on water supply and water quality improvement projects for cities and counties throughout the Western US.