Catherine C. McDonald, PhD, RN is an adolescent injury prevention and health promotion researcher. Her scholarship focuses on the complex interplay of factors that contribute to adolescent morbidity and mortality associated with different types of injury and violence. Injury is the leading causes of death for adolescents, both nationally and globally, and Dr. McDonald’s long term goal is to make an impact on adolescent health by addressing risk engagement and health promotion in the context of injury.

Dr. McDonald’s clinical practice has consistently focused on the pediatric population. She has cared for children, adolescents and families along the continuum of health and illness in a variety of settings, including the pediatric intensive care unit, pediatric emergency room, and in the community as a school nurse. These direct patient care settings have influenced her research trajectory by focusing on adolescent risk and protective factors in the context of injury. By developing interventions that address injury prevention, Dr. McDonald’s clinical practice will expand to reach a vast number of adolescents in the community and hospital setting.