Stephen Strakowski, MD

Clinical Biography

Dr. Strakowski is the Acting Senior Associate Dean of Research at the Dell Medical School and a psychiatrist in the Mulva Clinics for Neurosciences at UT Health Austin as well as Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Educational Psychology at the University of Texas, Austin. He graduated summa cum laude in engineering from the University of Notre Dame in 1984 and Alpha Omega Alpha from Vanderbilt University School of Medicine with an MD in 1988. He completed residency training at McLean Hospital/Harvard University School of Medicine in 1992. He then moved to the University of Cincinnati for 24 years before accepting his current position at UT in 2016.

As Founding Chair, Dr. Strakowski is responsible for developing a new psychiatry department as part of the creation of the Dell Medical School (DMS), University of Texas. Dr. Strakowski leads the development of improved mental health care delivery, research and research strategies to improve access and quality of treatment for people suffering from mental illness in the region. He supervises the academic faculty and serves on DMS leadership teams. He is also guiding the development of a neuroscience institute and expanding UT imaging research. He is Mental Health Service Line Chief for the Seton Family of Hospitals (Ascension Texas). He is also leading a plan with the state to redesign mental health care for a 50 county area.

Prior to moving to DMS, Dr. Strakowski served as Senior Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer at UC Health, the health system affiliated with the University of Cincinnati (UC). In that role he was responsible for developing and implementing strategic vision, plans, and goals for the academic health system. For 8 years, Dr. Strakowski also served as Department Chairman of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neuroscience at UC. As such, he led the Department from significant financial and structural disarray to one of the stronger departments in the University. He remains a volunteer faculty member in that department.

Dr. Strakowski is active in research with more than 20 years of experience and multiple prior NIMH and foundation awards dedicated to studying the causes, neurobiology, course and treatment of bipolar disorder, particularly in younger people. Additionally, he is a national leader addressing health disparities in the U.S., specifically in the widely recognized problem of misdiagnosis of African Americans with schizophrenia. In his research efforts, Dr. Strakowski has published more than 300 manuscripts, letters, books and book chapters. He has received numerous awards for this work.

Dr. Strakowski is an educator and mentor, teaching medical students, psychiatry residents, and graduate students in biomedical engineering, psychology and neuroscience. He is widely sought as a grand rounds speaker and lectures regularly at conferences.

Dr. Strakowski maintains an active clinical practice within UT Health Austin and provides consultations for difficult to treat patients (primarily with bipolar disorder) both regionally and nationally. He has been recognized as a “Best Doctor” by several organizations for many years. He is an active patient advocate, having served as President of the Board for the local chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentall Ill (NAMI) in South West Ohio, and the Board in Austin among other endeavors.