Meet Dr. Avani Patel, Psychiatrist, MD, MHA

Dr. Patel is a powerhouse at the intersection of medicine and the boardroom. Raised in a rural area of Mississippi, Dr. Patel’s journey is more than just her qualifications—it’s a calling of her passion, resilience, and earning her way to success. She is a knowledgeable board-certified physician, psychotherapist, advocate, and servant leader to her community. She is a proud Mississippian and honored to be serving in her home state. 
Dr. Patel has several niche interests including but not limited to sports psychiatry, lifestyle psychiatry, and working with high-achieving professionals. She has a true passion for mental health care, healthcare administration, advocacy, marketing, and communications with several years of leadership, public speaking, and non-profit board experience. She represents Mississippi on a national platform having served on various local and national boards such as Mississippi State Medical Association, Mississippi Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association Foundation, and the American Psychiatric Association. Keep reading to learn about Dr. Patel’s Background, Education, Professional Roles, Awards/Accolades, and Publications.

Background & Education

  • Dr. Patel is a board-certified psychiatrist by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology licensed in the state of Mississippi. Dr. Patel graduated from residency training at the University of Mississippi Medical Center Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior in June 2024, and she earned her Doctor of Medicine at the UMMC School of Medicine in May 2020 and Master’s in Healthcare Administration with concentration in executive level leadership (Chief Executive Officer/Chief Medical Officer) at Oklahoma State University Graduate College in May 2020. She completed additional training in sports psychiatry with her certificate awarded in March 2024 by the International Society for Sports Psychiatry. She graduated magna cum laude from Mississippi College. 
  • In addition, Dr. Patel has pursued 3 non-clinical fellowships & leadership academy training, a feat that is unheard of in the realm of medicine especially during residency training:

    • American College of Psychiatrists (ACP) Laughlin Fellowship: Dr. Patel is set to complete the ACP Laughlin Fellowship in February 2025. This honor is considered to be highest in the field of psychiatry for trainees. The College selects twelve psychiatry physicians during their post-graduate training from the United States and Canada. The Laughlin Fellows are chosen from an elite pool of applicants deemed likely to make a significant contribution to the field of psychiatry. Dr. Patel was chosen as the Senior Laughlin Fellows from her cohort which will help this fellowship leadership in curriculum planning and more moving forward for the new selected fellows.

    • American Psychiatric Association (APA) / American Psychiatric Association Foundation (APAF) Leadership Fellowship: Dr. Patel graduated from APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship in June 2024, which aims to develop national leaders in the field of organized psychiatry by offering psychiatry trainees opportunities to interact with national thought leaders in the field and to further develop their professional leadership skills, networks and psychiatric experiences. Many APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship graduates have gone on to become nationally renowned psychiatrists, assuming leadership roles in APA/APAF organizations and in other reputable organizations. Dr. Patel was elected by her cohort to serve as Chair of the APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship for the 2023-2024 year, providing her the opportunity to serve on the APA Board of Trustees as a non-voting member.

    • American Medical Association (AMA) & Satcher Health Leadership Institute (SHLI) at Morehouse School of Medicine Medical Justice in Advocacy (MJA) Fellowship: In November 2022, Dr. Patel graduated from the AMA-SHLI MJA Fellowship. Twelve dynamic physician-leaders across the country were selected as the inaugural cohort of fellows for the AMA-SHLI Medical Justice in Advocacy Fellowship. The fellows were selected from over 300 applicants from across the United States and represent a diverse field of medical professionals in multiple specialties. Together, the fellows generated and exchanged solutions and implemented health equity projects that inform policy to ensure optimal health for all. Under the mentorship of renowned multidisciplinary health equity experts, fellows mobilized to be part of the next generation of advocacy leaders.

    • Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA) Physician Leadership Academy (PLA): In June 2022, Dr. Patel graduated from the MSMA PLA which combines the elements of mentoring, organizational education, and skills training to prepare MSMA physician members for future leadership positions. This in-depth program provides training in core aptitudes such as communications, marketing, public speaking to excel as future leaders not only in our own practices but also in organized medicine and the public policy arena. This training occurred during the midst of Dr. Patel’s six years of service on the MSMA Board of Trustees.

professional roles & memberships

  • American Psychiatric Association: Board of Trustees, non-voting (May 2023 – May 2024) & Member (2019 - Present)

  • American Psychiatric Association Foundation: Chair of the APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship (June 2023 – June 2024)

  • American Medical Association: Women’s Physician Section, Governing Council (June 2024 – Present); Member (2015 – Present)

  • American Medical Association Foundation: Board of Directors (June 2022 – June 2024)

  • Mississippi Psychiatric Association: Executive Council (August 2021 – June 2023); Member (July 2020 – Present)

  • Mississippi State Medical Association: Board of Trustees (6 Terms – August 2017 – August 2024); Member (2015 – Present)

  • Central Medical Society: Executive Council (6 Terms – August 2017 – August 2024); Member (2015 – Present)

Awards & Accolades

  • Women Physicians Section Inspiration Award, September 2024: In recognition by the American Medical Association (AMA) which honors and acknowledges physicians who have offered their time, wisdom and support throughout the professional careers of fellow physicians, resident physicians and students. These individuals may have steered others into a specialty they love, help them find work/life balance, guided them through a professional society or served as an important role model

  • Dr. Nina Moffitt Award, June 2024: In Recognition by the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior to recognize one outstanding psychiatry resident, supported by the Mississippi Psychiatric Association, an individual who embodies outstanding leadership and clinical excellence

  • Dr. Howard Roffwarg Award, June 2024: In Recognition by the UMMC Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior to recognize an outstanding psychiatry resident, an individual who embodies outstanding scholarly achievement, knowledge, & dissemination of such in the field of psychiatry via first-author publications, speakerships, & other scholarly works

  • PGY-IV Resident Medical Student Teaching Award, June 2024: In Recognition by the UMMC Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior to recognize one outstanding psychiatry resident educator, an individual who embodies commitment to medical student teaching with a focus on compassionate engagement and imparting knowledge to the medical students, voted on by medical students

  • Resident Recognition Award, May 2024: In Recognition by the American Psychiatric Association (APA), the Resident Recognition Award is presented annually to outstanding psychiatry residents or fellows from each department or institution who exemplifies one or more APA values of compassion, as evidenced by exemplary patient care and/or compassion to colleagues and in the workplace; leadership, as evidenced by leadership roles in individual residency programs, at the District Branch level, and/or at the national level; community service on the local or national level; political action on behalf of their patients, profession, and/or community; clinical excellence, as evidenced by exemplary patient care

  • Emerging Leader Award, May 2024: The first of its kind, the APA Foundation will recognize an APAF Fellow who has made the most of their time in the Fellowship and has made an impact within their cohort, the APA/APAF and the council, committee, or workgroup they worked on. They are also one who will demonstrate promise in leadership in the field of psychiatry.

  • 2024 Trainee Award, UMMC, March 2024: In Recognition by the UMMC Group on Women in Medicine and Science (GWIMS), this award is for a trainee who has demonstrated exemplary professionalism and success as role model for women trainees—one whose participation in committees or activities across the UMMC campus or community has demonstrated an effort to influence a positive cultural change.

  • PGY-III Resident Medical Student Teaching Award, June 2023: In Recognition by the UMMC Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior to recognize one outstanding psychiatry resident educator, an individual who embodies commitment to medical student teaching with a focus on compassionate engagement and imparting knowledge to the medical students 

  • Doctor of Distinction, August 2022: In Recognition by the Mississippi State Medical Association (MSMA), this award is presented after completion and graduation of MSMA Physician Leadership Academy

  • The Garland “Bo” Holloman Service Award, June 2022: In Recognition by the UMMC Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior for dedication to Patient Care and Advocacy

  • The Scott Rodgers Interprofessional Teamwork Award, June 2022: In Recognition by the UMMC  Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior named in honor of the former Chair to recognize an outstanding junior resident physician for excellence in teamwork; this award is the first of its kind and the awardee was voted on by essential staff members (attendings, nurses, techs, social workers, etc) on the psychiatry team across the multiple ERs, adult psychiatry wards, and the child psychiatry ward.

  • American Cancer Society (ACS) Best Dressed Jackson Honoree, April 2022: Nominated by community members and selected by the committee for upholding substantial character and leading with service; Dr. Patel was the only physician recognized and raised over $10,800 for the cause.

  • Standing for American Freedom by Commissioner Andy Gipson, December 2021: Dr. Patel was recognized as a frontline physician at this event benefitting Friends of MS Veterans.

  • Dr. Carl Gustav Evers Award, May 2018 & 2019: In recognition by the Mississippi State Medical Association, Dr. Patel received this award twice for demonstrating qualities of scholarship, peer to peer support, and exceptional leadership in student activities of the AMA and MSMA.

  • Members Move Medicine Member Spotlight, November 2018: In recognition by the American Medical Association of “inspiring members who are relentlessly moving medicine through advocacy, education, patient care and practice innovation.”

  • Dr. Virginia Stansel Tolbert Award, May 2017: In recognition by the Mississippi State Medical Association of outstanding leadership and academic achievement along with involvement in organized medicine.

Research & publications

  • Patel AK, Bernstein S, Gold, J. A Nuanced Approach to Adolescent Mental Health in the Era of Social Media. Aims and Scope of Encyclopedia of the Neurological Sciences, Third Edition. September 2023.

  • Patel AK. Finding My Niche: Sports Psychiatry. Psychiatric News, Volume 59, Number 3. March 2024.

  • Patel AK. Why Psychiatry? Psychiatric News, Volume 28, Number 12. December 2023.

  • Patel AK. Become an APA/APAF Fellow and Expand Your Opportunities. Psychiatric News, Volume 28, Number 12. December 2023.

  • Patel AK et al. Inpatient Consult to Psychiatry Template: A Quality Improvement Project. JMPA. March 2023.

  • Patel AK et al. The Mask of Psychiatric Disorders: A Case of Acute Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy in Postpartum Psychosis and Bipolar I Disorder. JMPA. January 2022.

  • Patel AK, Bryant B. Separation Anxiety Disorder. JAMA. 2021;326(18):1880.

  • Patel AK, Balasanova AA. Treatment of Alcohol Use Disorder. JAMA. 2021;325(6):596.

  • Patel AK, Balasanova AA. Unhealthy Alcohol Use. JAMA. 2021;326(2):196. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.2015

  • Patel, NK, Patel, AK, et al. Psychiatry Meets Plastic Surgery: A Review on the Importance of Psychiatry in Patients Seeking Cosmetic Plastic Surgery. JMPA. 2021.

  • Patel, AK, Ladner, ME. When Psychosis Versus Infection Ravages the Mind: A Case of Late Latent Syphilis. JMPA. 2021.

  • Patel, AK. Stress Management: A Guide to Patients. JMPA. 2020; 19-20

  • Patel, AK Editorial: The Importance of Humanism and Compassion in Medicine. JMSMA. 2020; 61(3): 74

  • Patel, AK, Sheth M. The Top 10 Women in Medicine You Need to Know. JMSMA. 2018; 59(9): 408-409

  • Patel, AK. Personals. JMSMA. 2018; 59(5): 260-261

Blog Style Articles & Interviews

  • Patel, AK. APA Annual Meeting 2024: What To Know Before You Go. APA. May 2024.

  • Patel, AK, Berg, S. This resident psychiatrist stakes her claim as physician leader. May 2023.

  • Patel, AK, Murphy, B. When picking a physician specialty, don’t ignore your instincts. May 2023.

  • Patel, AK, Berg, S. What it’s like to specialize in psychiatry: Shadowing Dr. Patel. April 2022.

  • Patel, AK et al. What doctors wish patients knew about unhealthy alcohol use. American Medical Association. 2021.

  • Patel, AK. Special Article: Interview Exclusive, Dr. Claude Brunson, MSMA Executive Director. JMSMA. 2020; 61(2): 45-51

  • Patel, AK, Murphy, B. These 3 AMA medical student members have met their Match. American Medical Association. 2020.

  • Patel, AK, Murphy, B. The 15 skills medical schools expect from students on day one. American Medical Association. 2020.

  • Patel, AK, Murphy, B. Premeds: Make your mark in medical school multiple mini-interviews. American Medical Association. 2020.

  • Patel, AK, Murphy, B. How a medical school mentor can shape your career. American Medical Association. 2020.

  • Patel, AK, Murphy, B. How you can ace your medical school admissions interview. American Medical Association. 2020.

  • Patel, AK, Murphy, B. How volunteering now can make you a better medical student. American Medical Association. 2020.

  • Patel, AK, Murphy, B. 4 tips for choosing the right medical school. American Medical Association. 2020.

  • Patel, AK. Avani K. Patel: Improving the culture of medicine. American Medical Association. 2020.