Dr. Joanna Fong-Isariyawongse is an Associate Professor of Neurology at the University of Pittsburgh, with a strong emphasis on Sleep Medicine and sleep health advocacy. She possesses extensive knowledge and clinical expertise in sleep medicine, adeptly managing conditions such as sleep apnea, insomnia, and circadian rhythmic sleep disorders. Her dedication to sleep health advocacy is a cornerstone of her career. Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse’s advocacy extends beyond the medical sphere, targeting both the healthcare community and the wider public, with a particular focus on children, adolescents, first responders, and athletes at both student and professional levels. Her mission is to enhance understanding and awareness of the pivotal role of sleep in maintaining health, cognitive function, emotional stability, and life quality across all populations.
Alongside her focus on sleep medicine, Dr. Fong-Isariyawongse also specializes in Epilepsy. Her expertise extends to the medical management of patients with epilepsy, including those seeking surgical evaluation for medically refractory epilepsy. She is an expert in critical care EEG and has been instrumental in overseeing the continuous critical care EEG monitoring service across multiple hospitals within the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) system.
Her exceptional patient care was recognized when she received UPMC’s Excellence in Patient Experience Award in 2020, a prestigious accolade awarded to only 48 out of 7,600 physicians and advanced practice providers. Furthermore, her outstanding contributions to the field have been acknowledged by Pittsburgh Magazine, which has named her a Best Doctor annually since 2019.
Education & Training:
• Fellow, Cleveland Clinic – Cleveland, Ohio, Sleep Medicine Fellowship
• Fellow, Cleveland Clinic – Cleveland, Ohio, Epilepsy Fellowship
• Resident, Cleveland Clinic – Cleveland, Ohio, Neurology
• Resident, Cleveland Clinic – Cleveland, Ohio, Preliminary Internal Medicine
• M.D., The Ohio State University College of Medicine – Columbus, Ohio, Medicine
• B.A., University of California, Berkeley – Berkeley, CA, Biochemistry & Molecular Cell Biology
Clinical Articles
