Fascinated by the medical world, Vanessa Madrigal wanted to be a nurse since the sixth grade. True to her profession, she takes patient care, education and advocacy seriously. At the Neurology and Pain Specialty Center, Vanessa specializes in Movement Disorders, such as Parkinson’s disease, Essential Tremor, Tourette’s, Restless Leg Syndrome and Dystonia. Among her many responsibilities, she is in charge of collecting patient histories, the complete mapping and programming of Deep Brain Stimulators and coordinating the Neurology and Pain Specialty Center’s Deep Brain Stimulation research study.

A 2002 graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, California, Vanessa has a B.S. in nursing and holds a public health nurse certification.

While a student, Vanessa was a student nurse technician in the Medical, Surgical and Spinal Cord Injury Units in the Veteran Affairs Hospital in La Jolla, California. From 2002 to 2008, she worked at South Coast Medical Center in Laguna Beach, California as a registered nurse in the Medical/Surgery and Telemetry Floor. She provided direct patient care, worked as a patient advocate, and participated in interdisciplinary collaboration to provide better patient care outcomes.

Vanessa joined the staff of the Neurology and Pain Specialty Center in 2004.

Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys spending time with her family, running and baking.