Taylor Jersak, M.D.

Professional Background

Dr. Taylor Jersak is an Assistant Professor of Palliative Medicine at Children’s Mercy Kansas City and the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Dr. Jersak attended the University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine. She then traveled to Columbus, Ohio and completed Internal Medicine-Pediatrics residency, a chief resident year, and hospice and palliative medicine fellowship. Following completion of her training, she joined the faculty at Children’s Mercy-Kansas City and the University of Kansas, where she practices both adult and pediatric palliative care. She is currently the pediatric site director for the University of Kansas Hospice and Palliative Medicine fellowship.

Dr. Jersak has clinical interests in palliative care for adolescents and young adults (AYA) with serious illness and outpatient palliative care. She led the development and is the attending physician for the Adolescent/Young Adult Continuum Palliative Care Clinic at KU. She collaborates with colleagues at both CMKC and KU to provide longitudinal palliative care for AYAs with complex congenital heart disease, progressive neuromuscular diagnoses, medical complexity, and other serious illnesses.

• BS, Biological Science, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO
• MD, Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia School of Medicine, Columbia, MO
• Residency, Internal Medicine-Pediatrics, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center / Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
• Chief Resident-Pediatrics, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH
• Clinical Fellowship, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center / Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus, OH

• Internal Medicine, American Board of Internal Medicine
• Pediatrics, American Board of Pediatrics
• Medical License, Kansas Board of Healing Arts
• Medical License, Missouri Board of Registration for the Healing Arts

• American Academy of Hospital and Palliative Medicine, Member, 2019 - Present
• American Academy of Pediatrics, Member, 2015 - Present
• American College of Physicians, Member, 2015 - Present

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• Jersak T, Noritz G. Evaluation of Pain in Adults With Childhood-Onset Disabilities and Communication Difficulties. Front Neurol. 2021 Oct 5;12:722971. https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2021.722971
• Jersak T, Kim SS, Noritz G, Testa M, Humphrey L. Defining Persistent Total Parenteral Nutrition Use in Patients with Neurologic Impairment. J Palliat Med. 2022 Apr;25(4):577-583. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2021.0086
• Jersak T, Gustin J, Humphrey L. Challenges of the Transition: A Case of Noncompliance in an Adult with Congenital Heart Disease. J Palliat Med. 2019;22(12):1621-1623. https://doi.org/10.1089/jpm.2018.0467
• Brickner JP, Muenster JE, Pancoast TH, Tosh AK. An adolescent with asthma presenting with worsening cough. Int J Adolesc Med Health 2015 Nov;27(4).:459-61. https://doi.org/10.1515/ijamh-2014-0046