Neuropsychiatry professor wins award

By Tecla Markosky

The South Carolina chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness recently named Dr. Meera Narasimhan Psychiatrist of the Year.

Groups of patients, family members, physicians and other medical health professional came together for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) annual conference from Nov. 3-5 on Hilton Head Island for the purposes of promoting awareness of mental illness and offer support for patients and their families.

Dr. Meera Narasimha (right) receives award

The Psychiatrist of the Year Award is no small feat, according to David Almeida, director of South Carolina NAMI. He said the organization bestows the Psychiatrist of the Year award only upon doctors who go above and beyond their call of duty.

"There were three other physicians in the running for the award this year, but the competition would be tough even if we only had one," Almeida said. "We don’t give out the award unless we really feel that person embodies a true commitment to treatment."

At the ceremony, Dr. Narasimhan, accompanied by her parents, thanked the audience and the larger medical community for giving her the opportunity to practice medicine while maintaining a human touch. She said she strives to incorporate medical science and basic human values everyday in her practice.

"I thank you for the opportunity to be able to make a difference in an individual’s life," she said to group.

According to Dr. Narasimhan, the award symbolizes the future of care for those with psychiatric suffering. "For all the service that really needs to be rendered for all people with mental illness out there," Dr. Narasimhan said.

Throughout the ceremony, her parents beamed from their seats in the audience.

"I dedicate this award to my parents, teachers, mentors who have been exemplary role models and to my patients who have made me a better physician and a better human being," Dr. Narasimhan said from her podium.

  Dr. Narasimhan attributes many of her opportunities to practice compassionate medicine to her post as the director of Biological Research at University of South Carolina School of Medicine.

"I have always been interested in the mind body connection, the intricacies and complexities of the brain and implications of treatment intervention," she said. "My current position provides me with a unique opportunity to pursue three things I am passionate about: research, education and patient care. It enables me to bring cutting edge research and treatments at the doorstep of consumers, make a contribution to science but better yet, be able to make a difference in a patient’s life," she said.

Previously, she’s received the Paul E. Kaunitz award for excellence in the interface between medicine and psychiatry at Yale University, and the Laura B. Temple award for outstanding contributions towards patients and their families from the South Carolina Department of Mental Health. She was named Teacher of the Year and received the Chairman’s award for outstanding contributions towards residency training at the USC School of Medicine. She was also awarded the Nancy Roeske Award by the American Psychiatric Association for excellence in medical student education and the Research Advancement Award at the School of Medicine. 

  She was named to her present position of director of biological research in July of 2004. Dr. Narasimhan currently serves as a psychopharmacology consultant for the SC Department of Mental Health. Previous to her post at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Dr. Narasimhan worked for the SC Department of Mental Health from 1999-2004.

Dr. Narasimhan completed medial school in India at the Gandhi Medical College in Bhopal. She was completed her internship at Columbia University, New York, NY. She was a resident at Yale University, Department of Psychiatry in New Haven, Conn.

She completed a Psychopharmacology fellowship at Yale University Department of Psychiatry, also in New Haven Conn.