Meet Our Graduates

Tian Sui, MD

Tian Duke-Sui, MD

General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

Since graduation, I have moved to Chapel Hill, NC, and started the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at the University of North Carolina Hospitals.

What am I doing now?

I am currently rotating as a first-year Child and Adolescent Psychiatry fellow on the Child Psychiatry and Adolescent Psychiatry units as well as on the Pediatric Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry service at the University of North Carolina Hospitals. On about 10 weekends during the year, I am on-call covering the Child, Adolescent, and Eating Disorder units. I also spend 1-2 days a week seeing a mix of ambulatory medication management and therapy patients on the Dorothea Dix campus (the former first North Carolina psychiatric hospital), and the UNC Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Clinic. Currently, all outpatient work is done virtually from home due to the current COVID-19 pandemic.

What did the UF program provide toward my career?

I greatly enjoyed the training experience and supervision with wonderful colleagues and mentors at the University of Florida General Psychiatry program. The program gave me an enormous amount of knowledge of clinical experience that made me feel well prepared for fellowship and clinical practice. The vast range and acuity of patients helped me feel comfortable working in many areas of Psychiatry. I felt the collegiate learning environment and steady support of my mentors at the UF General Psychiatry residency gave me an incredible learning experience.​


Jessica Khan, Psychiatry Resident

Jessica Khan, MD

2020 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

After graduation, I took a month off to move up to Raleigh, North Carolina, where I accepted a position as an assistant professor at the University of North Carolina.

What am I doing now?

I work in several outpatient clinics at UNC, including a schizophrenia specialty clinic and a clinic that provides services for UNC healthcare workers. I provide medication management and psychotherapy services to a wide range of people. I am also looking forward to getting more involved in teaching and working with residents and students!

What did the UF program provide toward my career?

The education and training I received at UF definitely prepared me to work in a variety of settings with confidence. I have a strong fundamental understanding of pharmacology and neuromodulation and feel capable of managing most situations that come up. I also greatly appreciate the psychotherapy training I received at UF as it helps me not only provide therapy services but also develop thorough formulations of all my patients and communicate better with my colleagues and friends. I still keep in touch with friends and mentors from the program and feel great support from my Gator network, which is very important for career opportunities (especially in academics!). If you’re looking to train somewhere where you will feel prepared to handle anything, I would definitely recommend coming to UF!


Brett Flanagan, MD

Brett Flanagan, MD

2019 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

I am currently working as an outpatient psychiatrist in lovely West Palm Beach.

What am I doing now?

Since the beginning of residency,  I was particularly passionate about therapy and continuity of care.  I quickly realized that therapy and medication management combined brought me more joy than either separately.  Luckily I joined a group that has encouraged this form of practice.  I do therapy with the mass majority of my patients-CBT, couples counseling, motivational interviewing, and DBT. My appointments are typically  30 minutes, which I recommend because you never truly know someone in 15-minute increments. Both my patients and I are happy with this format. At the end of my day,  I feel like I’ve made an appreciable difference in their lives.


Previous Resident

Yarelis Guzmán Quiñones, MD, FAPA

General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

I took a position as an outpatient psychiatrist at Baptist Behavioral Health in Jacksonville, where I practiced for over a year. I have since moved to Baltimore, Maryland where I practice as an outpatient psychiatrist in a physician-owned private practice.

What am I doing now?

I currently work as an outpatient psychiatrist in Baltimore and Annapolis. Also, I am the Clinical Director of a first responder treatment initiative with the Maryland Department of Health. In addition to therapy and medication management, I provide TMS for my patients. Last year I became a Fellow at the American Psychiatric Association.

What did the UF program provide toward my career?

UF provided me with everything I needed to succeed in the real world. I got solid foundations on everything from pharmacology to psychotherapy, from billing to time management. The diverse treatment settings available at UF made me a confident psychiatrist. From child and adolescent to movement disorders, we have it all.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

Listen to your patients. Books can bring us the basics, but our patients give us real experience. Allow your patients to ask questions and participate in their treatment plans.


Andrew Pierce, MD

Andrew Pierce, MD

2017 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

Graduating from residency was one of the most exciting and rewarding times of my life.  Once all the bottles had been popped and confetti hit the floor, a new chapter began.  The first thing I did after graduation was take a break!  My wife and I spent a month visiting family, traveling and settling in to our new home – Nashville, Tennessee.

What am I doing now?

During the waning months of residency, I chose to pursue a career that would provide the variation in practice setting, opportunity for personal as well as professional growth, and lifestyle I desired.  The best part is that I get to work with two former Gator Alumni – Rakesh Amin and Anand Patel!

I am now an Attending Psychiatrist with TrustPoint Hospital in Murfreesboro, TN.  In this role I care for a full roster of inpatients, maintain a half-day schedule of outpatients, and was recently named Medical Director of our Intensive Outpatient Therapy Program. I am also involved heavily in academic endeavors.  I am in the process of credentialing to join the Vanderbilt College of Nursing and Meharry Medical College as adjunct faculty.

When I’m not working, you can usually find me hanging with my wife Emma and our Labradoodles while exploring all that a booming town like Nashville has to offer.

What did the UF program provide toward my career?

The Residency Program at UF provided me with so many things during my four years in Gainesville, that I don’t think it’s possible to list them all.  One of the most important aspects was being placed in an environment that allowed me to grow as a physician without fear that mistakes derail those years of hard work.  Being in a program that provides support and acknowledges just how challenging life as a resident is cannot be understated.  I had my fair share of meetings with our Program Director, Dr. Hobbs, but those meetings (and the lessons learned from many other mentors along the way) formed the foundation for my career.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

In my experience, residency is a time period of growth and learning unlike almost any other in our lives.  Freed from the foundational and generalized knowledge required by medical school, we can concentrate our efforts on Freud, fluoxetine, and all the other things that make for a competent psychiatrist.  A Psychiatrist cannot thrive without that knowledge, but the most important thing a future psychiatrist needs to learn is how to take care of themselves physically, emotionally and spiritually.  You can’t lift others up without first being on solid ground.


Laura Rodriguez-Roman

Laura Rodriguez-Román, MD

2017 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

I joined the faculty here at UF!

What am I doing now?

I work on the Adult Inpatient Unit, where I see mostly patients with psychosis and mania. I also see my own patients in the outpatient clinic. I supervise residents and med students on both the Inpatient Unit and the outpatient clinic. And in terms of teaching I have been doing some board review lectures for the seniors.

What did the UF program provide toward my career?

Everything! From psychopharmacology to psychotherapy, from billing to empathy.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

I think one of the basic things that we all need to know is how to really listen to patients. On the other hand learning the business side of medicine is becoming more and more necessary.


Vikram Vaka Headshot

Vikram Vaka, MD

2015 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

I spent a year as a psychiatrist at MetroHealth and was assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University and subsuquently took on a new job as a Psychiatrist at the state hospital in Columbus Ohio and as faculty at OSU and Wright State. I wrote a book chapter on treating psychiatric patients with renal complications. I also got married and bought a home..

What am I doing now?

I work full time as a board certified clinical psychiatrist at Twin Valley Behavioral Healthcare in Columbus, OH. I also see outpatients at the Community Support Network and am an assistant professor with Wright State University and Ohio State University. I regularly work with medical and PA students and give lectures to medical students regarding the Neurology and Psychopharmacology for Treating Addictions.

What did the UF program provide toward my career?

UF left me very prepared to practice. I learned a great deal about patient care, psychopharmacology, the use of EMR and billing that has been invaluable in my practice. In addition, UF did a phenomenal job of preparing me for the boards and I passed them on my first attempt.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to lean about during residency?

I think residents should make sure to gain experience with every psychotropic they plan to use and the pros and cons of each one so they gain familiarity with all aspects of psychopharmacology including the appropriate treatment of addictive substances when they are out practicing on their own.


Marc Ettenshon

Marc Ettensohn, MD


2016 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

I work at Ketamine Treatment Centers of South Florida in West Palm Beach.

What am I doing know?

In this outpatient clinic, I see general psychiatry patients and treatment-refractory patients referred for I.V. ketamine treatment. Among many things, patient care involves monitoring medical status during infusions and optimizing I.V. treatment by means of rate titration, adjunctive medications, and therapy. I also function as a consultant, providing education on ketamine to referring providers and conjunctively helping to develop treatment plans. In my down time, I enjoy reviewing and writing literature, as well as developing protocols with colleagues for other various innovative treatments.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

UF Psychiatry provided a well-rounded education in most areas of sub-specialization. I think it is hard to find both the enriching and diverse environment that really set me up for success. From Dr. Khurshid’s sleep disorders clinic to Dr. Ward’s expertise on deep brain stimulation, the list goes on and on. Additionally, I was given many opportunities to be a part of educational activities outside of UF, including fellowships and conferences, all of which have been invaluable.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

Take every complex, treatment-refractory patient and treat them as a case study that necessitates thinking outside the box. Treatment-refractory patients first and foremost provide us with the opportunity to alleviate suffering, and in doing so, this secondarily stimulates personal and academic progression. This process is becoming increasingly important in psychiatry, as we continually discover complexities that require a vast medical understanding.


Melinda Hansen, MD

Melinda Hansen, MD


2016 Graduate
General Psychiatry and Community Psychiatry Fellow

What have I done since graduation?

During my first year in practice, I began my own LLC and took contract jobs via Locum Tenens in Alaska. I worked in outpatient adult, adolescent & addictions psychiatry for Southcentral Foundation (SCF) in Wasilla & Anchorage as well as consult & liaison and inpatient at Barlett Regional Hospital in Juneau.

What am I doing now?

I am working for the Alaskan Natives at SCF as part of the Nuka System of Care which is an innovative model integrating medical care with behavioral health services. I am responsible for dual diagnosis assessments and subsequent medication assisted treatment collaborating with CDCs and PCPs to treat customers impacted by substance use disorders. Additionally I am working to facilitate the dissemination of this service to remote Alaskan Native Villages. I also practice community psychiatry for both adult and adolescents in the Wasilla and Anchorage areas.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

UF Psychiatry provided me a wide breadth and depth to many facets of the field that I feel set me up for an extremely versatile practice. This has enabled me to literally step into almost any role necessary in a state that has a multitude of needs that are going unfilled. The Community Psychiatry Fellowship track really opened a lot of doors for me in this arena as well and I am very grateful for the guidance I received in Vero Beach from Drs Tucker, Yergen, Yvorchuk and Creelman.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

Learn how to integrate care with fellow physicians as much as possible. In the midst of a physician shortage, psychiatrists and primary care physicians are going to need to collaborate as much as possible to serve the needs of a growing population.


Anu Mathur, MD

Anu Mathur, MD

2016 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

Since graduating from residency in June 2016, I took a job at Linden Oaks Medical Group which is affiliated with Edward-Elmhurst Hospital in Naperville, IL.

What am I doing now?

I predominately work as an outpatient adult psychiatrist. I also see adult patients in the intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization program. I’m part of the initiative for the behavioral health integration system where I am working closely with primary care clinics.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

The program provided me with a strong foundation in psychiatry. I had exposure to various patient populations, supervision by great faculty, and rotations through multiple facilities which has been invaluable to me as an attending.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

Take the opportunity to ask questions during residency, as you have faculty and your fellow residents to turn to. Topics can include psychopharmacology, recent treatment guidelines or how to bill and utilize your time efficiently.


Naomi Park, MD


2014 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

I’ve been working as a Behavioral Health Medical Professional in Community Mental Health in Tucson, Arizona.

What am I doing now?

Treating patient with opiate dependence in the Suboxone/Methadone clinic.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

UF provided me with strong problem solving skills.  It taught me to trust my instincts and have confidence to apply theory into real-life situations safely.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

Night float is in my opinion the most valuable experience you will have, so make the most of it and learn as much as you can.  I also highly encourage moonlighting as well.


Aviv Itzhaki, MD, MPH

 Aviv Itzhaki, MD, MPH

2014 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

Since graduating from UF, I joined the VA system where I practiced for just over a year. I have since moved back to my hometown of Las Vegas, where I have joined a private practice group.

What am I doing now?

I am an active owner and partner of Focus Mental Health Solutions group in Las Vegas, Nevada. I am currently in charge of a 25 bed inpatient unit, along with consulting work I perform for multiple hospitals in the Las Vegas valley. I have a courtesy faculty appointment with the University of Nevada, and supervise residents and medical students on my inpatient unit.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

A Great foundation in psychiatry, but more importantly, the confidence to practice psychiatry in any aspect needed. The education gained as a chief resident has been critical to my current career path and interactions with business savvy physicians. The leadership skills that had been finely tuned by my supervisors during residency have helped elevate my career in a short period of time.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

Please refer to the statements made by my colleagues prior to this, as they are truly the most important aspects, but to avoid being repetitive, I will address a different aspect. For those of you who are considering private practice as an option, try to get an understanding of the business side of medicine. Ask billing questions! Find out about insurance panels, and how does Obamacare impact us as psychiatrists? What does the market look like where I plan to practice? Can I learn how to negotiate? These are all important questions that can overwhelm those not prepared. Learn how to garner that information from your supervisors during your residency, and if they do not have the information, find someone who does. Remember that we are all colleagues, and are willing to help you along your journey.


Wayne Moss, MD

Wayne Moss, MD

2014 Graduate
General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

I worked at Great Plains Hospital in North Platte, Nebraska, for my first year out of residency. Then I got adventurous and moved to the beautiful red-rock town of St George in southwestern Utah, where I work for Intermountain Healthcare, a progressive non-profit healthcare system with hospitals throughout Utah.  For the past year, I have been building a fast-paced, high-volume outpatient psychiatry practice along with being on-call for inpatient psychiatry, consults, and a 24-hour crisis stabilization unit 1-2 weekends a month. I see a full range of patients, from children to adults, from anxiety and depression to bipolar and psychosis. Of special interest, I have seen numerous patients diagnosed with depression and anxiety who have failed to get better on SSRIs and other anti-depressants. On closer inspection, however, the depression and anxiety really turn out to be the surface manifestations of underlying mood and bipolar disorders, for which anti-psychotics and mood stabilizers turn out to be the best meds. It is very gratifying to be a part of a patient’s recovery.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

The UF program, especially the PGY-4 Community Psychiatry Program in Vero Beach, helped me to develop the skill and self-confidence to take care of any psychiatry patient presenting with any psychiatry problem. I continue to be grateful for the mentoring and good fellowship of Dr. Creelman and Dr Tucker. Their sound advice continues to guide my current practice. I am also grateful for the role-modeling of Dr Hobbs, who is probably the best residency director in the entire country.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

To learn how to connect with patients and work that connection to the patient’s benefit. Even a good medication may not work any better than the strength of that connection.


Michael Gower, MD Adjunct Assistant Professor

Michael Gower, MD

2013 Graduate in General Psychiatry
2014 Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

I did a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at UF, which I completed in June 2014.  Then I started my current job.

What am I doing now?

I work full-time as an outpatient psychiatrist in the Gainesville VAMC.  I also have a clinical adjunct faculty position at UF, where I do some teaching and supervise residents once a week in the adult outpatient clinic.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

At UF I learned how to confidently manage all kinds of adult psychiatric patients.  As a chief resident I learned how to be a leader for my peers and to deal with a variety of administrative issues.  All of this serves me well in my current position.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

How to LISTEN to patients.


Mariam Rahmani, MD

Mariam Rahmani, MD

2012 Completed General Psychiatry Training
2014 Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

After graduating from the General Psychiatry residency training program, I completed a fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at UF. Then, I stayed on as faculty. I got more involved with professional organizations, particularly the Florida Psychiatric Society and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

What am I doing now?

I am honored to be a part of the team of faculty that trained me as a psychiatrist. I am now the Training Director for the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship program at UF. I feel supported by my colleagues and the department. I love teaching our residents and students, especially organizing the didactics curriculum for our fellows. I see patients at the UF Health clinic and in a community mental health clinic, where I work with children in foster care. I work on the Child Inpatient unit when I’m on call, which is usually a few weekends a year. I also supervise the residents/fellows outpatient child psychiatric clinic. I serve on several committees for the Florida Psychiatric Society and the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

UF provided me with opportunities to work with different patient populations in a variety of settings, with the appropriate amount of faculty supervision, which helped cultivate my clinical skills.  The training also provided me with valuable personal and professional support in the form of individual and group supervision from faculty and camaraderie from my caring colleagues. In addition, the department provided financial support for me to attend professional meetings.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

I recommend that residents appreciate the opportunities and time they have to learn psychiatry. As busy as residency is, life gets busier after graduation, so take advantage of the protected time for education now.


Christopher VanSchenck, MD

Christopher Van Schenck, MD
2013 Graduate in General Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

Since graduation I have moved home to California; enjoying time with family and working for Dignity Health in Stockton as an outpatient Psychiatrist.

What am I doing now?

I have a clinic where I see a wide variety of patients. I also have a substance use disorder clinic one day per week during which I treat people for opiate dependence, alcohol abuse and other substance use disorders.

 What did the UF program provide towards my career?

UF provided all the training I needed to handle most every situation I encounter as a psychiatrist. The variety and number of patients I was exposed to at UF was outstanding and the attending psychiatrists made themselves available to teaching. All aspects of the program were invaluable – hospital consults, cognitive d/o clinic, exposure to VA patients, pediatric psychiatry and more.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

The most important thing is to learn to take a complete history. Without this one cannot help a patient and may even cause harm. As an example, one doesn’t want to miss conditions which could easily mimic symptoms of a mood disorder such as narcolepsy, restless leg syndrome or obstructive sleep apnea.


Michael Shapiro, MD

Michael Shapiro, MD


2011 Graduate in General Psychiatry
2013 Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

After completing my general residency training, I did a Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at UF and joined the faculty.

What am I doing now?

I am now the Clinic Director of the UF Child Psychiatry Clinic, the Medical Director of the UF Inpatient Child Psychiatric Hospital, the Compliance Officer for the Department of Psychiatry, and the Course Director for the Fourth Year Medical Student Elective in Child Psychiatry. I am also on the PRITE Editorial Board. I also supervise and teach the General Psychiatry Residents and Child Psychiatry Fellows, and I continue to see my own patients.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

The program helped foster my interest in child psychiatry and also inspired me to stay in academic medicine and education. It helped model dedication to teaching.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

Our job is hard, but it is well worth it. Have fun with what you do, and enjoy who you work with.


Todd Broder, MD

Todd Broder, MD


2009 Graduate in General Psychiatry
2010 Fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry

What have I done since graduation?

Immediately after completing residency at UF I was accepted into a Forensic Psychiatry Fellowship at UF under the direction of Dr. Tonia Werner. I spent one year preparing both civil and criminal forensic evaluations and reports. I also provided clinical service at various prisons. Upon graduation from fellowship in 2010, I joined a private practice in St. Augustine.

What am I doing now?

I have been a staff psychiatrist at Flagler Hospital for over 4 years. I am currently the Assistant Medical Director for Flagler Hospital’s inpatient mental health services and I serve as Medical Director for Flagler Hospital’s outpatient mental health services. In addition, I continue to perform independent criminal and civil forensic evaluations. I maintain a courtesy faculty appointment at UF and provide occasional didactics to residents and forensic fellows. Personally I continue to stay active with hiking, jogging, and biking and I have been enjoying more extensive traveling in the past few years.

What did the UF program provide towards my career?

Transitioning directly into private practice was certainly anxiety provoking. I was immediately responsible for a 21 bed inpatient MHU as well as ER support and consult service for a 350 bed general medical hospital. Despite a subjective feeling of anxiety, this transition was essentially seamless and I felt very prepared for the responsibility. I am thankful for my experience in residency which offered a great fund of knowledge and various clinical experiences with escalating autonomy and responsibility.

What is the one most important thing future psychiatrists need to learn about during residency?

Safety. In my opinion, learning how to effectively assess safety and make safe and responsible medical decisions is the foundation for a successful practice. Knowledge base, efficiency, and personal style can all be expanded on and perfected throughout a career but safety should never be compromised. One important component of this concept includes an understanding of our own limitations. Some of the most dangerous physicians I have seen demonstrate over confidence and possess limited insight as to when they need to consult or ask for help.