|
Surita Rao, M.D.Associate Professor of PsychiatryDirector, UConn Psychiatry Residency Program
|
|||||||||
- Overview
- Education & Training
- Clinical Interests
- Teaching
- Committees & Organizations
- Research
- Publications
- Presentations
Dr. Surita Rao is an associate professor and director of the Psychiatry Residency Training Program at the UConn School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry. Her career has focused on clinical work, education and administration.
Dr. Rao was chair and director of the behavioral health service line at Saint Francis Care from December 2002 through October 2014. She was the service medical director in the Whiting Forensic Division, Connecticut Valley Hospital, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services from November 2014 through October 2015. She
Dr. Rao has been on the faculty at both Yale and Emory Universities, and has been on the UConn School of Medicine faculty since 2008. Her clinical work has focused on addiction psychiatry. Upon completing her fellowship training, she worked as the medical director of the Methadone Maintenance Clinics at Yale University School of Medicine. She has worked with impaired physicians and other health care professionals.
Dr. Rao is on the Board of Directors for the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and serves on several national ASAM committees. She is past president of the Connecticut chapter of ASAM and is a member of the executive council of the chapter. Dr. Rao serves on the alcohol and drug policy council for the state of CT and is also a member of the ADPC prevention sub-committee.
She has done many statewide, regional and national presentations on topics related to addiction psychiatry and psychiatry including serving as a subject matter expert in various ECHO projects. She has also done a variety of media appearances on television and radio over her career, including appearances on CNN and a pilot series of a radio show on Voice America Internet radio: "Mental Health with Dr. Surita Rao." Podcasts can be found online and through iTunes.
Education
Post-Graduate Training
Awards
| Degree | Institution | Major |
|---|---|---|
| MBBS | Bankura Sammilani Medical College | Psychiatry |
Post-Graduate Training
| Training | Institution | Specialty |
|---|---|---|
| Residency | Saint Vincent's Medical Center of Richmond | Psychiatry |
| Residency | Yale University School of Medicine | Psychiatry |
| Fellowship | Yale University School of Medicine | Addiction Psychiatry |
Awards
| Name of Award/Honor | Awarding Organization |
|---|---|
| Connecticut Department of Public Health's federal grant # CE925011 | Department of Public Health, Connecticut |
Addiction psychiatry, mood and anxiety disorders
Multiple courses and seminars to theh UConn meducal students and residents on addiction psychiatry topics
| Name & Description | Category | Role | Type | Scope | Start Year | End Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geriatric Psychiatry Division Director Search Committee | Other | Member | UConn Health | University | 2020 | 2020 |
| American Society of Addiction Medicine Ethics Committee | Professional/Scientific Organization | Member | External | National | 2019 | |
| American Society of Addiction EVP CEO Search Task Force | Professional/Scientific Organization | Member | External | National | 2019 | 2019 |
| American Society of Addiction Nominations and Award Council | Professional/Scientific Organization | Member | External | National | 2019 | |
| Addictions Committee AADPRT [ American Association of Directors of Psychiatry Residency Training] | Education Committee | Member | External | National | 2019 | |
| American Society of Addiction Medicine Criteria Education Committee. | Professional/Scientific Organization | Committee Member | External | National | 2018 | |
| Addiction Task force, AADPRT [ American Association of Directors of Psychiatry Residency Training ] | Professional/Scientific Organization | Committee Member | External | National | 2018 | 2018 |
| Curriculum Evaluation Committee. [CEC] University of Connecticut School of Medicine. | Education Committee | Committee Member | UConn Health | University | 2017 | 2021 |
| Alcohol and Drug Policy Council. State of Connecticut | Other | Committee Member | External | State | 2017 | |
| Alcohol and Drug Policy Prevention Sub-Committee, State of CT | Other | Member | External | State | 2017 | |
| Executive Committee-Connecticut Chapter of ASAM [ American Society of Addiction Medicine] | Professional/Scientific Organization | Committee Member | External | State | 2004 | 2024 |
Addiction psychiatry
Journal Articles
-
Pharmacotherapy of Cocaine Dependence
Psychiatric Annals 1995 Jun;25(6):363-368
-
Comorbidity Blues: Diagnosing and Treating Depression among Substance Abusers
Employee Assistance Journal 1994 Jan;6(6-34):
Book Chapters
-
Methadone Maintenance
Sourcebook on Substance Abuse: Etiology, Epidemiology, Assessment and Treatment. 1999 Jan;
Monographs
-
A pilot study on the adjunctive use of cimetidine with LAAM for maintenance pharmacotherapy in opiate dependence patients
Problems of Drug Dependence 1997: Proceedings of the 59th annual scientific meeting. NIDA Research Monograph 178. Rockville: USDHHS. 1998 Jan;
| Title or Abstract | Type | Sponsor/Event | Date/Year | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Short Summer Series Update on Pain Management- Part 2: A Case-Based Discussion of Chronic Low Back Pain and Fibromyalgia. June 17 and June 20, 2023. | Panel Discussion | Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center (CCPC) UConn | 2023 | Webex |
| Short Summer Series Update on Pain Management- Part 1. Substance use disorders in chronic pain patients amidst the opioid epidemic. Statewide presentation through the Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center (CCPC). Monday, June 12 and 21, 2023 | Talk | Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center (CCPC) UConn | 2023 | Webex |
| Addiction issues amongst functioning adults and ways to address it. May 11, 2023. | Talk | Department of Psychiatry, Northeast Georgia Medical Center | 2023 | Virtual |
| Ouch that Hurts: a 6-part series on safe and guideline-based pain management. Presented as part of a session on “Building Stronger Systems Through Engagement”. Overdose to Action (OD2A) CDC conference, Atlanta, Georgia. June 6, 2023 | Talk | Centers for Disease Control | 2023 | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Comparing opioid use characteristics amongst patients who were mandated to receive chronic pain e-consults versus those who were referred at UConn Health. Kane, M; Andrews,R; Chamberlin, K; Rao, S; Ozimek, J | Poster | Architecture of High Value Health Care National Conference | 2023 | Baltimore, Maryland |
| “Healthcare Attitudes on Reporting Impaired Colleagues”, Williamson, M; Hesselbrock, V; Rao, S;Chan, G. | Poster | American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) 54th Annual Conference | 2023 | Baltimore, Maryland |
| Oral presentation as a representative of the Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center -Ouch that Hurts: A 6-part series on safe and guideline-based pain management, opioid prescribing, and communication tools for collaboration”. June , 2023, Atlanta , Georgia | Talk | Centers for disease Control 2023 Overdose to Action (OD2A) Recipient Meeting | 2023 | Atlanta , Georgia |
| Wellness for physicians. | Talk | Department of neurosurgery,University of Connecticut. | 2022 | UConn Health-Virtual |
| Physician suicide prevention | Talk | Department of Occupational medicine ,University of Connecticut. | 2022 | UConn Health-Virtual |
| E-Consults: effective as a tool for provider education and chronic pain management Stevens, K., Andrews, R., Chamberlin, K., Ozimek, J., Rao, S. | Poster | Connecticut Chapter Scientific Meeting | 2022 | Hartford, CT |
| Difficult Conversations: How to Effectively Communicate To Optimize Pain Management.[Panel Discussant] | Panel Discussion | Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center. UConn Health | 2022 | Video conference Statewide Meetings |
| Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Office Policies and Procedures for a Team-Based Approach to Pain Management. February 28 and March 7, 2022 [ Panel Discussant] | Lecture | Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center. UConn Health | 2022 | Video conference Statewide Meetings |
| Acute Stress Disorder and Stress-Response Syndrome. Project ECHO. | Lecture | Community Health Network of CT | 2021 | Video conference Virtual ECHO Meetings |
| A session on substance use identification and treatment. Panel Discussant | Panel Discussion | Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center. University of Connecticut | 2021 | Video conference Statewide Zoom Meetings |
| Bipolar Disorders and Cyclothymic Disorders. Project ECHO | Lecture | Community Health Network of CT. | 2021 | Video conference Statewide Zoom Meetings |
| Restarting From Scratch: Beginner's Guide to Pain Management and Communication Without Stigma.[Panel Discussant] | Panel Discussion | CT Comprehensive pain Center. UConn Health | 2021 | Video conference Statewide Meetings |
| Reducing Risk When Utilizing Opioids in Pain Management: Informed Prescribing Through Guidelines and Shared-Decision Making. [Panel Discussant] | Panel Discussion | Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center. UConn Health | 2021 | Video conference Statewide Meetings |
| Where Do We Go From Here? Best Practices and Reasons for Opioid Tapering. [Panel Discussant] | Panel Discussion | Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center. UConn Health | 2021 | Video conference Statewide Meetings |
| Bipolar Disorders and Cyclothymic Disorder | Lecture | Community Health Network of CT. .Project ECHO | 2021 | Video conference Statewide Zoom Meetings |
| Acute Stress Disorder and Stress-Response Syndrome. | Lecture | Community Health Network of CT. Project ECHO. | 2021 | Video conference Virtual ECHO Meetings |
| Improving Recovery and Function for Patients with Substance Abuse Disorder with a Focus on Opioid Use Disorder. Project ECHO. RETAIN – CT. | Lecture | Connecticut Department of Labor | 2021 | Video conference Virtual ECHO Meetings |
| A Session on Substance Use Disorder Identification and Treatment | Lecture | Connecticut Comprehensive Pain Center. UConn Health | 2021 | Video conference Statewide Meetings |
| Women in Medicine. A panel discussion for University of Connecticut undergraduates interested in a career in medicine. October 19, 2020. | Panel Discussion | University of Connecticut School of Medicine | 2020 | Farmington, Connecticut |
| Project ECHO. Health Resources and Services Administration. HRSA .Primary Care and Behavioral Health Integration. March 10, 17, 19, 24 ,26, 31, April 2, 2020 | Panel Discussion | ECHO Project | 2020 | National Zoom conference ECHO Meetings |
| ECHO project: Chronic pain and addictions. Addiction Psychiatry and Psychiatry Expert on the Expert Panel. Zoom Video conferencing state wide presentations to multiple primary care clinics. August 2018 to June 2020. | Panel Discussion | CHCAT | 2020 | Video conference Statewide Zoom Meetings |
| Alcohol Use Disorder. Project ECHO. | Lecture | Community Health Network of CT | 2020 | Video conference Virtual ECHO Meetings |
| Motivational Enhancement Therapy – How People Change Behaviors. Project ECHO | Lecture | Community Health Network of CT | 2020 | Video conference Statewide Zoom Meetings |
| Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Project ECHO. | Lecture | Community Health Network of CT | 2020 | Video conference Statewide Zoom Meetings |
| Substance Use Disorders: Evaluation and Treatment. Addiction. Grand Rounds. August 9, 2018 | Talk | University of Connecticut Medical School. Department of Medicine | 2019 | |
| Dual Diagnosis: Mood Disorders and Substance use Disorders. Pearls for Practice in the Addictions. A Risk Management Course for All Providers, Massachusetts Chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. May 17, 2019 | Talk | Massachusetts Chapter of the American Society of Addiction Medicine. | 2019 | Massachusetts |
| The Current Opioid Epidemic in the United States. Second International Conference on Addiction Therapy and Clinical Reports. August 2019, Barcelona, Spain. | Talk | Second International Conference on Addiction Therapy and Clinical Reports. | 2019 | Barcelona, Spain. |
| American Society of Addiction Medicine Patient Placement Criteria Course. November 12, 2019 | Lecture | American Society of Addiction Medicine [ASAM] | 2019 | Baltimore, Maryland. |
| American Society of Addiction Medicine Patient Placement Criteria Course. November 12, 2019 | Lecture | American Society of Addiction Medicine [ASAM] | 2019 | Baltimore, Maryland. |
| The Psychological Aspects of Substance Abuse in Older Adults: Challenges of Identifying Users” Substance Abuse, Misuse and Dependence by Older Adults November 1, 2019 | Talk | Acute Care Geriatric Nursing Collaborative Annual Conference | 2019 | Connecticut |
| Andrews R, Chamberlin KW, Ozimek J, Katz M, Rao S. “Technology to Teach: Meeting Chronic Pain Needs of Primary Care.” | Poster | Alliance for Academic Internal Medicine [APDIM] | 2019 | October 2019, Denver, Colorado |
| Mood and anxiety Disorders, including dual diagnoses. Educational session for primary care providers. May 21, 2018 | Talk | Generations Community primary care and Behavioral Health Agency. | 2018 | Willimantic, CT |
| Opioid Misuse and Addiction: A Contemporary American Tragedy | Plenary Lecture | American College of Healthcare Executives Annual Conference | 2018 | Chicago, Illinois |
| Epidemiology and Treatment of Opioid Addiction | Lecture | University of Connecticut | 2018 | UConn Health, Farmington, CT |
| Substance Use Disorders | Lecture | University of Connecticut, Department of Medicine | 2018 | UConn Health, Farmington, CT |
| Motivation Enhancement Therapy | Lecture | Beacon Health Options. Conference for Primary Care Providers | 2018 | Wallingford, CT |
| The Stages of Change: An Overview | Lecture | Project ECHO, Univ of CT, CHCAT | 2018 | State Wide Education Meeting via Video Conferencing |
| Motivation Enhancement Therapy | Lecture | Project ECHO, Univ of CT, CHCAT | 2018 | State Wide Education Meeting via Video Conferencing |
| Introduction to Addiction | Lecture | Project ECHO, Univ of CT, CHCAT | 2018 | State Wide Education Meeting via Video Conferencing |
| PROJECT ECHO : Chronic Pain and Addictions [Bimonthly September 2018 through present] Educational Presentation and Case Conferences for Primary Care Providers from Clinics across Connecticut. | Panel Discussion | Project ECHO, Univ of CT, CHCAT | 2018 | State Wide Education Meeting via Video Conferencing |
| Motivation Enhancement Therapy | Lecture | Generations Family Health Center [ Primary Care,Dental, Behavioral Health] | 2018 | Willimantic, Connecticut |
| Mood and Anxiety Disorders | Lecture | Generations Family Health Center [ Primary Care,Dental, Behavioral Health] | 2018 | Willimantic, Connecticut |
| Overview of Psychopharmacology | Lecture | Generations Family Health Center [ Primary Care,Dental, Behavioral Health] | 2018 | Willimantic, Connecticut |
| Opioid Use Disorder : Opioid Epidemic | Lecture | Generations Family Health Center [ Primary Care,Dental, Behavioral Health] | 2018 | Willimantic, Connecticut |
| Opioid Use: Framing the Epidemic | Lecture | Project ECHO | 2018 | State Wide Education Meeting via Video Conferencing |