8 Results for Addiction Psychiatry near Laguna Beach, CA

Dr. Howard's Biography — Dr. Howard grew up in Southern California. She received an undergraduate degree in Psychology and one in Biology at UCI. She attended George Washington University Medical School in D.C. She was awarded a health professional scholarship in the United States Air Force. After graduating from George Washington University, she was stationed at Brooke Army Medical Center (BAMC). She completed a fellowship in Burn Surgery and Critical Care from BAMC and subsequently became the Clinical Medical Director of the Institute of Surgical Research (ISR) Burn Unit. Dr. Howard worked as a burn surgeon for over 12 years. A service-related disability ended her surgical career and she is a service-connected veteran. As such, Dr. Howard has a unique understanding of career ending disabilities, veteran related issues, stress related life transitions such as loss of home, income and job. Dr. Howard is also a cancer survivor and works with clients through all stages of cancer management. Her surgical background required her to have the difficult task of end of life discussions with patients and family members during her 12-year surgical career. A large percentage of her surgical patient population was also diagnosed with substance use disorders and psychiatric disorders so she had experience managing dual diagnosis patients in the burn surgery setting prior to training as a psychiatrist both in military and civilian settings. Dr. Howard returned to UCI and completed a residency in General Psychiatry in 2017. She spent the majority of her three years in residency at the Veteran's Hospital in Long Beach California. She treated acute inpatient and outpatient psychiatric related issues. She treated patients with dual diagnosis disorders (psychiatric and substance use disorders) in an outpatient VA clinic that focused on opiate use disorders and treatment with buprenorphine (Suboxone). She then moved to Boston to spend a year training in Forensic Psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Department of Psychiatry and the Law during which time she worked as a treating psychiatrist at Bridgewater State Hospital and Suffolk County Jail. She is board certified in General Psychiatry and General Surgery. She is a member of the American Medical Association (AMA), American College of Surgeons (ACS), American Psychiatric Association (APA), American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL) as well as the Association of Threat Assessment Professionals (ATAP).