Shawna Benard

Shawna Benard serves as Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology (Clinician Educator) at the University of Southern California's Keck School of Medicine, where she holds dual roles in academic medicine and clinical leadership. She is Medical Director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit at Keck Hospital, overseeing specialized patient care and diagnostic operations within the Department of Neurology.

Her research centers on epilepsy management challenges, with particular emphasis on medication adherence barriers in epilepsy patients and innovative applications of deep learning for seizure detection. She investigates electroencephalography diagnostics in critical care settings, bridging clinical neurology with artificial intelligence to improve seizure identification and patient outcomes. This multidisciplinary approach integrates computational neuroscience with practical clinical solutions for neurological disorders.

Analysis of her 2020-2025 publications reveals a cohesive research trajectory focused on enhancing epilepsy care through technological innovation and understanding treatment obstacles. Her work demonstrates consistent progression from diagnostic EEG applications in critical care to AI-driven seizure analysis and patient adherence studies, reflecting a commitment to translating research into tangible clinical improvements for complex neurological conditions.

As Medical Director of the Epilepsy Monitoring Unit, Dr. Benard leads a specialized clinical team dedicated to comprehensive seizure disorder diagnosis and management. This unit serves as a critical resource for both inpatient and outpatient neurological care at Keck Hospital, providing advanced monitoring services and contributing to the training of neurology specialists.