Dr. Sheritta A. Strong, MD, DFAPA

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Get to know Psychiatrist Dr. Sheritta A. Strong, who serves patients in Omaha, Nebraska.

Dr. Strong is an internationally recognized American adult psychiatrist and an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC). She is a leader in education and advocacy at UNMC, and is the Co-Director of Medical Student Education in the Department of Psychiatry as well as the Interim Director for Inclusion.

In her many roles at UNMC, she is the faculty advisor and mentor to G.R.A.D.S., which is an inclusive, campus-wide, peer-mentoring group, a founding member of I.A.M.H.O.M.E. (diverse group of faculty, staff, and students), immediate past faculty board chair and psychiatry director for the UNMC student-run free (S.H.A.R.I.N.G.) clinics, and provides psychiatric care at the Charles Drew Health Center.

With years of experience in her field, Dr. Strong focuses her clinical attention on treating patients with chronic and persistent mental illness. She is also dedicated to reducing barriers to healthcare access for marginalized populations and she mentors underrepresented scientists and physicians to increase their retention in healthcare.

Nationally, she served on a panel for women’s inclusivity, BraveEnough, and co-led a workshop on microaggressions at the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry in Portland, Maine. 

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, Dr. Strong pursued her undergraduate degree at the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 1995, graduating in 1999 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Pursuing a career in medicine, she began her medical degree training at UNMC and completed her medical degree in 2004.

Following this, she stayed in Nebraska and pursued her residency training in psychiatry at the Creighton Nebraska Psychiatry Training Program through the UNMC College of Medicine, completing her training in 2008.

After completing her residency, Dr. Strong became a Clinical Instructor of Psychiatry in 2009 at Creighton University Medical Center, affiliated with UNMC. She became a Director of Second Year Psychiatry Medical Student Education in 2011, was appointed Assistant Professor of Psychiatry in 2012, and was appointed Interim Director of Inclusion in 2020.

Dedicated to clinical excellence, she is board-certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). The ABPN is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to serving the professions of psychiatry and neurology.

Since 2008, Dr. Strong has practiced adult psychiatry at the Charles Drew Health Center in Omaha, Nebraska. She also has hospital appointments at the Nebraska Medical Center, the Omaha VA Medical Center, and the Creighton University Medical Center.

Outside of UNMC, she is a member of the National Medical Association, the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority (serving as Corresponding Secretary of the Graduate Chapter & Graduate Advisor), the Communications Committee for the Alliance for Clinical Education, the University of Nebraska’s Diversity Officer’s Collaborative, the Nebraska Psychiatric Society, the National Medical Association, and the Omaha Chapter of the Links, Inc.

Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various difficulties related to mood, behavior, cognition, and perceptions. Psychiatrists evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They conduct thorough psychiatric evaluations, develop treatment plans, prescribe medication, and evaluate treatment results.

Among Dr. Strong’s most notable achievements include: 2020 Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (DFAPA); 2019 Early Career Achievement Award UNMC; 2018 American Psychiatric Association’s Nancy C.A. Roeske, M.D. National Education Award; 2017 Keynote speaker for the Urban League’s Scholarship Reception; 2014 National Coalition of Negro Women’s (NCNW) Women in Medicine Award; and 2010 President of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she has been a leader and educator for the public by serving on the Central Area of the Omaha Chapter Links, Incorporated to discuss ways to cope during the virus. After the police killing of George Floyd, she has been using Twitter as a platform to amplify the voices of Black women in STEM and medicine through the #ShareTheMicNowMed campaign.

 In her spare time, Dr. Strong enjoys nature by walking her dog, attends group dance exercise classes, and spends time with her husband and teenage sons.

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