Professor McLaughlin qualified from University College Dublin in 1997 with first class honours in Medicine. She then trained in both the UK and Ireland. In 2005, she obtained the prestigious HRB Fellowship for her Medical Doctorate.

Having fully qualified in respiratory medicine, Professor McLaughlin spent two years training in intensive care medicine and became a fellow of the Joint Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine of Ireland in 2009.

Since her appointment to St James’s Hospital, Professor McLaughlin has published a number of research and clinical papers particularly in the field of tuberculosis (TB). In 2019, she was appointed associate clinical professor in Trinity College Dublin.

Professor McLaughlin’s clinical interests continue in the fields of TB, bronchiectasis and quality in healthcare.

Professor McLaughlin is an active member of the European Tuberculosis Surveillance Network.