Dr. Lakeya McGill is an assistant professor of medicine and a licensed clinical psychologist in the Division of General Internal Medicine. Her current research focuses on discovering knowledge that promotes equitable pain care for all patients, including adults with sickle cell disease (SCD). Her long-term goal is to become a leader in clinical pain research and advance a research program that (1) examines the impact of sociocultural, environmental, and psychological factors on chronic pain-related outcomes and disparities, (2) identifies protective and risk factors for chronic pain-related outcomes, and (3) develops and implements personalized, culturally appropriate psychosocial and multi-level chronic pain interventions. Dr. McGill is an awardee of the NIH/HEAL National K12 Clinical Pain Career Development Program through the University of Michigan. Her K12 project aims to elucidate the impact of intersecting experiences of discrimination on psychosocial, pain, and treatment outcomes in adults with SCD. Her research will advance the field by identifying multi-level risk factors and treatment targets, an initial step towards advancing equitable pain care.
Dr. McGill is an active X (Twitter) user: follow her @lakeyamcgillphd. She enjoys trying new foods and restaurants.
Education & Training
- BA (Psychology), Rhodes College, 2011
- MA (Clinical Community Psychology), University of Maryland, 2016
- PhD (Clinical-Community Psychology), University of Maryland, 2019
- Internship/Residency (Behavioral Medicine), University of Washington, 2019
- Rehabilitation Psychology Fellowship, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2021
- T32 Fellowship (Rehabilitation for Brain Injury & Neurological Disability/Pain Psychology), Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, 2023
Representative Publications
McGill LS, Hamilton KR, Letzen JE, Finan PH, Lanzkron SM, Smith MT, Haythornthwaite JA, Campbell CM. Depressive and insomnia symptoms sequentially mediate the association between racism-based discrimination in healthcare settings and clinical pain among adults with sickle cell disease. Journal of Pain, 2023; 24(4):643-654.
McGill LS, Hughes AJ, Carroll CP, Bediako SM. Illness intrusiveness in adults with sickle cell disease: The role of fatigue. Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings, 2023.
Robbins MA, McGill LS, Holloway BM, Bediako SM. Sickle cell disease, more than just pain: The mediating role of psychological symptoms. The Southern Medical Journal, 2019; 112(5):253-258.
Holloway BM, McGill LS, Bediako SM. Depressive symptoms and sickle cell pain: The moderating role of internalized stigma. Stigma and Health, 2016; 2(4):271-280.
Click here for a more complete bibliography of Dr. McGill's works.
Research Interests
- Health equity
- Pain disparities
- Sickle cell disease
- Social determinants of health
- Psychosocial & behavioral interventions