UCLA GOLDBERG MIGRAINE PROGRAM
Mollie Johnston, M.D. Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology Headache and Interventional Pain
Dr Johnston graduated with Honors in Applied Physiology from the University of Iowa. She obtained her Doctorate of Medicine in her hometown of Minneapolis at the University of Minnesota Medical School. As a medical student, she pursued a semester at the Universidad de las Ciencias Medicas in Costa Rica studying Medical Spanish and volunteering in both urban and rural clinics. She completed her Neurology residency at UCLA where she was nominated Chief Resident and received the Augustus S. Rose Award for Excellence in Teaching of UCLA Neurology residents and Medical Students. She completed a two-year fellowship in Headache and Interventional Pain Management, and also completed a year of training in Orofacial pain with the UCLA School of Dentistry. During fellowship, she received the American Pain Society Fundamentals in Pain Management scholarship, and the American Headache Society Scottsdale Symposium Scholarship. After completing fellowship, she became Assistant Clinical Professor of Neurology at UCLA and the Director of Clinical Operations in the Headache and Research Treatment Program. She is an invited speaker for the American Headache Society (AHS), AHS Comprehensive Migraine Education Program (CMEP), American Academy of Neurology Brain Trust, International Headache Society, European Headache and Migraine Treatment International Conferences, UCLA Department of Internal Medicine, UCLA School of Dentistry, David Geffen School of Medicine (DGSOM), UCLA Facial Pain Symposium, UCLA Neurology Board Review, UCLA Pediatric Neurology, and Cedars Sinai Neurology Residency Program. She serves on the Executive Board of the Headache Cooperative of the Pacific. She was awarded the prestigious Teaching Humanism at the Bedside Award by the DGSOM in her first year of Professorship at UCLA, an award going to only ten UCLA physicians each year. Dr Johnston is double Board Certified by both the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and the American Academy of Pain Medicine. She has published on the topics of medication management for acute migraine and interventional approaches to migraine treatment. She is conducting clinical and neuroradiological research on the upper cervical nerves and their role in headache syndromes, notably C1 and its implication in treating periorbital pain in patients with migraine and facial pain. Her novel research on C1 has led to new interventional approaches for patients in whom medications and other treatments have failed. She offers clinical training and mentorship for UCLA and Cedars-Sinai medical students, residents, and fellows, and is involved in the UCLA Medical Student Mentor Program. She performs interventional treatments for migraine and other head, neck, back, and limb pain disorders using ultrasound, fluoroscopy, radiofrequency, and EMG. She is on the Executive Board of the Center for Ambulatory Surgical Treatment.