Navigating the Stresses of Success

Samoon Ahmad, M.D. is Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the New York University (NYU) School of Medicine and serves as Unit Chief of  Bellevue Medical Center’s Acute Inpatient Unit. Dr. Ahmad graduated from Allama Iqbal Medical College in Lahore, Pakistan, where he trained in Internal Medicine, General Surgery, and Cardiology. He has been affiliated with Bellevue Hospital since 1992, when he joined the NYU Medical Center as a Resident in Psychiatry. Dr. Ahmad joined the faculty of the NYU School of Medicine in 1996, where he was Director of the Division of Continuing Medical Education (CME). He has served on various committees including Grand Rounds, CME Advisory, CME Task Force, Educational Steering, Bellevue Collaboration Council and as member of the Bellevue Psychiatry’s Oversight Committee. Dr. Ahmad supervises and mentors trainees, writes on a broad range of subjects and lectures nationally and internationally on various topics, with emphasis on the use of antipsychotics, obesity and metabolic disorders. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is also a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, an Associate member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and has served on the board of Governors of Bellevue Psychiatric Society. 

Dr. Ahmad developed Bellevue's Psychiatry Integrated Systems Conference, based on the morbidity and mortality conference in medicine, to better coordinate services and treatment at the institution. He was recognized for his 25 years of distinguished service at Bellevue, and in 2014, was named Bellevue’s Physician of the Year in Psychiatry for his continued pursuit of clinical excellence, leadership and dedication at the institution. His major research interest are in metabolic disorders and medical comorbidities in the mentally ill. He was the principal investigator of an inpatient study about the prevalence of metabolic abnormalities in the chronically mentally ill, specifically the association of psychiatric medications, diet, physical activity and obesity. Additional research has focused on understanding the role of faith, religion and resilience in disasters. His documentary “The Wrath of God: A Faith Based Survival Paradigm” about the aftermath of the earthquake in Pakistan was awarded “The Frank Ochberg Award for Media and Trauma” by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.  

Dr. Ahmad specializes in the psychopharmacological treatment of psychotic, mood, anxiety and substance use disorders and is the founder of the Integrative Center for Wellness in New York City. He has consulted for numerous outside state and federal agencies, is a contributing and consulting editor to various textbooks, and lectures on a broad range of topics in general psychiatry. He lives in New York City with his wife Kimberly and their son Daniel. Dr. Ahmad enjoys photography, traveling, driving, and collecting and listening to vinyl.