Laura Kirk, MSPAS, PA-C, CPXP, DFAAPA, FACH is the Assistant Director of Advanced Practice Providers- Ambulatory Services at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She received her Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies in 2000 from Arcadia University in Philadelphia, PA. She has worked clinically as a PA since that time in several surgical fields: orthopaedic surgery, interventional radiology, and otolaryngology. In addition to her administrative roles, PA Kirk also has an ambulatory otology practice at UT Southwestern. Her clinical and academic interests include vestibular migraine and tinnitus.

PA Kirk completed the Relationship-centered Communication Facilitation program with the Academy of Communication in Healthcare in 2016 and the Faculty in Training program in 2019. She was recognized as a Fellow of the ACH in 2022 and currently serves in a volunteer role on the executive committee and board of the ACH as the Vice President for External Education. 

PA Kirk initiated a communication pilot program at UTSW, co-facilitating virtual workshops for “Communication Skills for Telehealth” and the foundational Relationship Centered Communication workshop. She completed her certification as a Patient Experience Professional in 2022. She serves on the UTSW Patient Experience and Provider Training workgroups. She completed the internal Coaching certification at UTSW in the inaugural cohort in 2023 and provides executive coaching to faculty and APPs at UTSW. PA Kirk serves as the executive champion for the Advanced Practice Providers’ Wellness subcommittee. She is committed to increasing diversity, equity, and inclusion within her leadership capacity, and to leveraging skilled communication to reduce health disparities in her own clinical practice.