Dr. Van Cott’s clinical and research interests focus on epilepsy and traumatic brain injury in the veteran population. She leads the VA Epilepsy Center of Excellence Consortium Site in Pittsburgh and is the Chair of the National VA Epilepsy Center of Excellence Women Veterans with Epilepsy Workgroup.  She plays an active role in the teaching of medical students and mentors residents and junior faculty in research projects and career development planning.

Dr. VanCott is currently serving as a co-investigator in a VA funded research project that will prospectively examine medical and psychiatric co-morbidities in service men returning from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. Other current research endeavors are focusing on prescribing patterns for veterans with epilepsy.

Dr. Van Cott has always enjoyed educating fellow health care providers and frequently lectures on the treatment of epilepsy, most recently at a national ASET Neurodiagnostic Society’s Educational Seminar. She serves on the Professional Advisory Board of the Epilepsy Foundation (EF) of Western/Central PA. She also continues to play an active role in the education of residents, specifically with regards to the neurological exam and electroencephalography interpretation and serves as a mentor to several residents. She has joined the Neurology department’s Medical Student Curriculum Committee and serves at this education coordinator at the VA.

Dr. Van Cott also is an active member in several national organizations. She is an active member of the VA Epilepsy Center of Excellences (ECoE), serves on the Southeast ECoE Steering Committee.