About Me

Dr. Smita Patel, M.D., DLFAPA

Board Certified Psychiatrist

Dr. Patel was born in Detroit, Michigan and was raised in India and the Washington, DC metropolitan area. She successfully completed her General Psychiatry Residency from St. Elizabeth Hospital in Washington, DC in 1988 and subsequently completed her fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry from The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD in 1990. She received her board certification from the “American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology” in 1992. After completing her training, she joined Taylor Manor Hospital (now Shepherd-Pratt) in Ellicott City, Maryland as a staff psychiatrist. Since 1999, Dr. Patel has been serving as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at George Washington University, Washington, D.C. She is a member of the Board of Advisors at SMHS at George Washington University, Washington DC. In the past she has served as a Director of Adolescent Services in area hospitals.

Her areas of expertise are  Psychopharmacology,  bipolar disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorder, eating disorders, disruptive behavior disorders, and  autistic spectrum disorders, gender identity disorders. While providing a unique cost effective Psychopharmacological treatment to diverse patient population she also educates patients regarding mindfulness techniques and provides holistic approach to the overall wellness of health. She served the Washington DC Metro area for over 30 years as a Board Certified Psychiatrist, a full time clinician, and educator . As an educator, she has given numerous CME lectures, grand rounds and teaching seminars to educate and mentor fellow psychiatrists, medical students and non-psychiatrists (social workers, psychologists and nurses) alike.

She was a Physician advisor as well as a consultant to Healthcare Management Organization (HMO) such as Value Behavioral Health Services and Magellan Health. She is an active member of the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Science Dean’s Council. She is a member and a distinguished fellow of American Psychiatric Association (APA), District of Colombia Medical Society, American Medical Association (AMA), and American Association of Physicians from India (AAPI).