Dr. Raja V. Rao, M.D., is a seasoned psychiatrist with over four decades of clinical experience in adult psychiatric care. He holds active medical licenses in Georgia, Florida, and New York, and has built a career marked by compassion, clinical excellence, and leadership. Dr. Rao earned his medical degree from Gandhi Medical College in Hyderabad, India, and completed his psychiatric residency at Lincoln Hospital in the Bronx and the City Hospital Center at Elmhurst (Mount Sinai Services) in Queens, NY, where he served as Chief Resident. His extensive training and diverse practice environments have equipped him to treat a wide range of psychiatric disorders including depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, PTSD, ADHD, and dual diagnoses.

Throughout his career, Dr. Rao has held several prominent leadership roles, most notably serving as Chief of Psychiatry and Medical Director at St. James Mercy Hospital in Hornell, NY, for over 20 years. He has practiced across inpatient, outpatient, private practice, and community mental health settings, including long-standing roles in nonprofit and county-level mental health programs. He has also contributed to psychiatric care via telepsychiatry and has remained active in outpatient care through organizations such as LifeStance Health and Clarity Wellness Community. Dr. Rao’s dedication to service is complemented by his passion for teaching—he has supervised psychiatric nurse practitioners across New York and Georgia and mentored psychiatry residents in hospital settings.

Dr. Rao is a member of the American Psychiatric Association and the Western New York Psychiatric Association. Known for his patient-centered, empathetic approach, he integrates strong clinical judgment with a thoughtful and pragmatic style of care. Outside of his professional work, Dr. Rao enjoys biking, traveling, watching Western movies, and spending quality time with his family.