Skip to Main Content

Amir Garakani, MD, DFAPA

Associate Professor of Psychiatry; Chair, Psychiatry and Behavioral Health

Contact Information

Amir Garakani, MD, DFAPA

Patient Care Location

Biography

Dr. Garakani is Chair of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health at Greenwich Hospital in Greenwich, CT. He was formerly Director of Education and an Attending Staff Psychiatrist in the Transitional Living Program at Silver Hill Hospital in New Canaan, CT. He is Board-Certified in Psychiatry, Forensic Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine. He received his B.A. in Classics (Latin), cum laude, with Distinction in All Subjects, from Cornell University, in Ithaca, NY, and his M.D. from the SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, NY, where he won the AMA Rock Sleyster Scholarship. He completed his psychiatry residency at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York, NY, and a research fellowship at the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Garakani also completed a fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry at New York University Medical Center. He has won several awards including the American Psychiatric Association (APA)/Lilly Resident Research Award, APA – NY County District Branch Resident Research Award, and travel awards from the Anxiety Disorders Association of America and Society of Biological Psychiatry. He also was an APA/GlaxoSmithKline Leadership Fellow and a Fellow of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. He has participated in NIMH-funded research and is first or co-author on over 90 peer-reviewed papers and book chapters. He has taught classes to Mount Sinai medical students and residents on psychopharmacology, phenomenology, neuroscience and forensic psychiatry, and supervised psychiatry residents and medical students. He previously was elected to the Executive Council of the APA NY County District Branch. He is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a Member of the American College of Psychiatrists. He is also a member of the Group for the Advancement of Psychiatry. He is also on the editorial board as a Clinical Case Discussion Editor for the Journal of Psychiatric Practice and an Associate Editor for Frontiers in Psychiatry - Psychopharmacology.

Education & Training

  • Fellow in Forensic Psychiatry
    New York University Medical Center (2008)
  • Research Fellow
    Mount Sinai School of Medicine (2007)
  • Resident in Psychiatry
    Mount Sinai Medical Center (2006)
  • MD
    SUNY Upstate Medical University (2002)
  • BA
    Cornell University, Classics (1998)

Certifications

  • Board Certification
    AB of Preventive Medicine, Addiction Medicine (Preventive Medicine) (2018)
  • Board Certification
    AB of Addiction Medicine, Addiction Medicine (2014)
  • Board Certification
    AB of Psychiatry & Neurology, Forensic Psychiatry (2009, recertified: 2019)
  • Board Certification
    AB of Psychiatry & Neurology, Psychiatry (2007, recertified: 2017)

Honors & Recognition

AwardAwarding OrganizationDate
Top DoctorsCastle Connolly2023
Outstanding Young Alumnus AwardSUNY Upstate Medical University2022
MemberAmerican College of Psychiatrists2020
Distinguished FellowshipAmerican Psychiatric Association2017
Resident Education Recognition AwardMount Sinai School of Medicine2013
Clinical Trials Workshop Travel GrantAmerican Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology2009
Resident Research Award, 3rd PrizeAmerican Psychiatric Association - New York County District Branch2008
Lilly Resident Research AwardAmerican Psychiatric Association2007
Travel Scholarship AwardSociety of Biological Psychiatry2007
Loan Repayment AwardNational Institute of Health2006
Resident Research AwardMount Sinai School of Medicine Department of Psychiatry2006
Resident Research Award, Honorable MentionAmerican Psychiatric Association - New York County District Branch2006
Fellowship AwardGroup for the Advancement of Psychiatry (GAP)2005, 2007
GlaxoSmithKline Leadership Fellowship AwardAmerican Psychiatric Association2004, 2006
Research Colloquium for Junior InvestigatorsAmerican Psychiatric Association2004
Resident Research Award, 1st PrizeAmerican Psychiatric Association - New York County District Branch2004
Trainee Travel AwardAnxiety Disorders Association of America (ADAA)2004
Marc H. Hollender, M.D. Psychiatry AwardSUNY Upstate Medical University2002
Rock Sleyster ScholarshipAmerican Medical Association2001
Stanley M. Kaplan Medical Student Essay Contest, Best Scientific Paper, 2nd PrizeUniversity of Cincinnati, Department of Psychiatry2001
Bruce Dearing Writing Award, 2nd PrizeSUNY Upstate Medical University2001
Bruce Dearing Writing Award, 1st PrizeSUNY Upstate Medical University2000
Bruce Dearing Writing Award, 1st PrizeSUNY Upstate Medical University1999
cum laude, With Distinction in All SubjectsCornell University, College of Arts and Sciences1998

Professional Service

OrganizationRoleDate
Frontiers in Psychiatry - Psychopharmacology sectionAssociate Editor2021 - Present
Journal of Psychiatric PracticeClinical Case Discussion Editor2020 - Present