Ryan S. Shugarman, M.D., PLLC

I am a board-certified general and forensic psychiatrist and a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association who greatly enjoys working with patients with a wide range of mental health symptoms and conditions. After graduating from college at Cornell University and then medical school at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, I completed both general psychiatry residency and forensic psychiatry fellowship training programs at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine / Western Psychiatric Institute and Clinic in 2009 before moving to Northern Virginia. Between 2009 and 2012, I was employed full-time by the District of Columbia Department of Mental Health, working as an attending general and forensic psychiatrist at Saint Elizabeths Hospital and the District's outpatient mental health clinics, where I was also heavily involved in teaching medical students, residents, and fellows. In 2010, I established my current practice in Alexandria, Virginia, and since 2013, I have worked full-time in this capacity, a position which has been highly fulfilling in both my clinical work with patients and performance of forensic assessments / IME evaluations and provision of expert witness services for both civil and criminal matters. In both my clinical and forensic work, I utilize a thoughtful, thorough approach to understanding and exploring the issues at hand and in offering my insight. In my clinical work, I custom-tailor my approach to treatment, utilizing a variety of psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacological strategies to best meet the needs and individual preferences of my patients. In my forensic evaluative work, I conduct in-depth assessments and prepare comprehensive reports that fully explore the pertinent issues and address issues involving causation.