Venkatesh Handratta, MD
Dr. Venkatesh (“Ven”) Handratta, is an adult psychiatrist with a broad range of interests that intersect with Adult ADHD. He has a particular interest in treating individuals with complex issues such as adults with ADHD that have multiple coexisting psychiatric and developmental conditions, including mood disorders, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and autism spectrum disorder.
In addition, Dr. Handratta specializes in treating psychiatric illnesses that are secondary to medical illnesses, such as patients with cancer, neurological illnesses, dementia, or HIV. Dr. Handratta’s treatment approach with adults with ADHD, includes a focus on the multiple health risks associated with Adult ADHD such as obesity, disordered eating patterns, sleep disorders, Type 2 Diabetes, and substance use disorders. In addressing coexisting medical conditions, Dr. Handratta likes to work collaboratively with the patient’s primary care physician to ensure that there is coordination with inpatient care as well as to prevent drug interactions and overmedication of the patient.
He has a strong interest in the neurobiology of psychiatric conditions. Currently, he is in the process of creating a video course on this topic for medical students, residents, and fellows at Georgetown University where he is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Georgetown University School of Medicine. He is also a faculty member at the Chicago School of Psychology, where he teaches psychopharmacology to doctoral level psychology students.
Dr. Handratta practices evidence-based medicine and likes to make treatment decisions in collaboration with his patients. He believes that the best advocate for the patient is the patient himself.
In his free time, Dr. Handratta likes to hike and take long-distance walks. He also loves meditating and watching documentaries.
Education and Training:
After receiving his medical degree from Bangalore Medical College, Dr. Handratta moved to the US where he earned an MS degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore, in pharmacology and experimental therapeutics. He worked at the University of Maryland, Baltimore for several years as a research associate before completing a residency in Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut. Dr. Handratta has worked in a variety of settings including working in an underserved area on the Eastern Shore of Maryland before pursuing a fellowship in consultation-liaison psychiatry at Georgetown University Medical Hospital. He has practiced geriatric neuropsychiatry and adult general psychiatry for five years at the Georgetown University Hospital. His training in geriatric psychiatry provides him with a strong background for understanding and treating the rapidly increasing number of older adults with ADHD.
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Areas of Interest Include:
> Adult ADHD
> Anxiety
> Depression
> Bipolar Disorder & Mood Disorders
> Autism Spectrum Disorder
> Comorbidity of psychiatric disorders with medical illness, neurological issues, or dementia.
> Geriatric neuropsychiatry
Dr. Handratta is an Adult Psychiatry Board Certified in Psychiatry and Neurology and Licensed to practice in the State of Maryland and DC.