Alan R. Teo, M.D., M.S. (he/him)

  • Professor of Psychiatry, School of Medicine
  • Biomedical Informatics Graduate Program, School of Medicine

Biography

I am a physician-investigator and mental health services researcher with over 15 years of experience conducting and publishing peer-reviewed scientific research. I am Director of Education and Core Investigator at the Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC) at the VA Portland Health Care System (VAPORHCS). I am also a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University. I have maintained a continuous record of independent, federal grant funding as a Principal Investigator (PI) since 2015, and my current funding continues through 2027. I have nearly 90 peer-reviewed manuscripts (34 first-authored) with an h-index of 30. The reach and visibility of my research has included coverage in a range of national and international media including BBC, CNN, NPR, TIME, USA Today, The Guardian, The Atlantic, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post.

The overarching theme of my research is how our social connections and interpersonal relationships shape and influence mental health outcomes. In this work, I attempt to harness the benefits of social, while also understanding and minimizing the dangers of social isolation and loneliness. My research draws from my training in health services research, behavior change theory, social psychology, and psychiatry.

Education and training

  • Degrees

    • B.A., 2001, Stanford University
    • M.D., 2007, University of California
    • M.S., 2012, University of Michigan

  • Residency

    • Psychiatry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 2011

  • Fellowship

    • Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI 2013

Memberships and associations:

  • Core Investigator, Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care (CIVIC), HSR&D Center of Innovation, VA Portland Health Care System
  • Member, University of Michigan Depression Center, 2012-2013
  • Affiliate, Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan, 2013-Present
  • Member, Board of Directors, Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists, 2014-Present
  • Advisory Board Member, VA Mental Health Quality Enhancement Research Initiative (QUERI) Suicide Prevention Coalition, 2014-2015
  • Chair, Committee on Research Communication, Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System, 2016-2024
  • Member, Executive Committee, Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System, 2018-Present
  • Member, Promotion and Tenure Committee, Department of Psychiatry, Oregon Health & Science University, 2020-2024
  • Treasurer, Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture, 2018-2021
  • Executive Committee, Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture, 2018-Present
  • President-Elect, Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture, 2021-2023
  • Member, VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, S.A.V.E. Suicide Prevention Training Curriculum Workgroup, 2021-Present
  • Advisor (Subject Matter Expert), VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, Suicide Prevention Program, Lethal Means Safety Messaging Campaign Evaluation, 2022-Present
  • Advisor (Subject Matter Expert), National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA), Social Connection Screening and Intervention, 2022
  • President, Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture, 2023-Present
  • Executive Committee, Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists, 2023-Present
  • Secretary General, Pacific Rim College of Psychiatrists, 2023-Present

Areas of interest

  • Impact of Social Connection on Depression and Suicide Risk
  • Interventions for Suicide Prevention in Military Veterans
  • Hikikomori and Cultural Aspects of Social Withdrawal
  • Applications of Social Media to Health Services Research

Additional information

Honors and awards

  • Ai Isayama Scholarship, Asia-Pacific Research Center, 2000
  • Young Psychiatrists Fellowship, Pacific Rim College of Psychiatry, 2008
  • John P. Spiegel Memorial Fellowship, Society for the Study of Psychiatry and Culture, 2009
  • Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration Minority Fellowship, American Psychiatric Association, 2009-2013
  • Resident Research Award, American Psychiatry Association, 2012
  • Fellowship Award, Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2012
  • Young Presentation Award, Pacific Rim College of Psychiatry, 2012
  • Best Poster Award, Pacific Rim College of Psychiatry, 2012
  • Research Colloquium for Junior Investigators, American Psychiatric Association, 2013

Publications

Elsevier pure profile

Publications