Dr Katherine O’Reilly, MD

Consultant Respiratory and General Physician

I was appointed to my current NHS position at Southampton General Hospital (SGH) in 2006. Currently, I am Clinical Lead for Respiratory Medicine at SGH and in addition head up the Interstitial Disease/Pulmonary Fibrosis Service.

An Irish native, I grew up in Clonmel, Co. Tipperary but a longstanding interest in tennis led me to North America where I did the majority of my medical training. I qualified at McGill University in Montreal and subsequently completed my residency in Internal Medicine and Fellowship in Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine at the University of Rochester in New York State. In 2001 I returned to Ireland as Lecturer in Medicine based at St. Vincent’s University Hospital in Dublin.

I have a longstanding interest in interstitial (fibrotic) and occupational lung diseases and work closely with a group of scientists at the University of Southampton School of Medicine. Currently we are running clinical trials of new therapeutic agents for treating pulmonary fibrosis and pulmonary hypertension. In addition, I am interested in asbestos related lung disease and have co-authored reviews on the subject on the British Medical Journal (BMJ) e-learning site for doctors (this is soon to be available online) and in American Family Physician.

Away from work I enjoy all racquet sports and love mountain walking. Given the latter interest I make sure to schedule some time in the Alps and U.S. National Parks each year!