About / Team
Meet the Clinical Team at shrinkMD
shrinkMD is deliberately built around a small, senior clinical team rather than a rotating roster. Every clinician is board certified, licensed in the states they serve, and practices within the same published standards: full evaluations, measurement based care, responsible prescribing, and follow up with the same clinician every visit.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed June 8, 2026 · Editorial policy
Why small is the point
A team built for continuity, not volume
Most large telehealth platforms staff for throughput: hundreds of prescribers, seven minute slots, and a new face at every visit. The clinical cost of that model is real, because psychiatric treatment depends on a clinician noticing change over time, and nobody can notice change in a patient they have never met before.
shrinkMD is structured the other way. A small senior team, each clinician carrying a panel they actually know, supported by standards that are written down and published. When you book a follow up, you are booking the person who evaluated you, who knows your medication history, your scores, and your goals.
Meet the team
Our clinicians
Each clinician has a full bio. LinkedIn profiles are linked on their pages.
Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA
Founder and Medical Director. Board certified psychiatrist, dual board certified in sports and performance psychiatry. Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.
View bio →Matthew George, PMHNP-BC, ANP-BC
Dual board certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner with more than two decades of experience across outpatient, hospital, and long term care settings.
View bio →
One clinician who knows your history, visit after visit. That is the model.
How matching works
How you're matched with a clinician
When you complete the intake, we match you with a clinician licensed in your state whose experience fits what you described: the conditions involved, the medication history, and the kind of follow up you will need. The match is reviewed under physician oversight rather than assigned by an algorithm chasing open slots.
If the fit is ever wrong, say so. Changing clinicians within shrinkMD is allowed and simple, and your full record moves with you, because the record belongs to your care, not to a scheduling system.
Why it matters
The standard every clinician practices to
Our clinical team works within defined telepsychiatry standards to ensure consistent, accountable care.
- Licensure compliance in the state where care is delivered.
- Evidence based diagnostic and treatment decisions, measured with validated scales like the PHQ-9 and GAD-7.
- Responsible prescribing, with non controlled medications only.
- Structured follow up, continuity, and clear documentation.
Each clinician contributes to a model designed for safety, accountability, and long term stability.
Collaboration
A team that actually talks to each other
Because the team is small and physician led, clinical collaboration is real rather than theoretical. Complex cases are discussed, prescribing patterns are reviewed against the Digital Psychiatry Index, and the medical director is reachable by every clinician, every week.
With your written permission, your shrinkMD clinician also coordinates with the other people in your care: your therapist, your primary care physician, or a specialist, so treatment pulls in one direction.
Keep exploring
Learn more and get started
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Who will I see at shrinkMD?
You'll be matched with a licensed clinician, either a psychiatrist or a psychiatric nurse practitioner, who is licensed in your state and experienced in adult mental health.
Are your clinicians board certified?
Yes. Every clinician is board certified and practices within structured clinical standards and state licensure requirements.
Will I see the same clinician at every visit?
Yes. Continuity is a core standard at shrinkMD: one clinician who knows your history, your medication record, and your scores, visit after visit.
What is the difference between a psychiatrist and a psychiatric nurse practitioner?
A psychiatrist is a physician (MD or DO) with residency training in psychiatry; a PMHNP is an advanced practice nurse with graduate psychiatric training and board certification. At shrinkMD both evaluate, diagnose, and prescribe within the same published standards under physician medical direction.
Can I switch clinicians if the fit isn't right?
Yes, simply and without friction. Your complete record moves with you so the new clinician starts fully informed.
Do shrinkMD clinicians work with my existing therapist or doctor?
Yes, with your written permission. Therapist plus prescriber is often the strongest configuration, and we coordinate so the plan stays unified.
How do I schedule with a clinician?
Visit the Locations page, select your state, complete the brief intake, and book your evaluation online. Most patients are seen as soon as clinician availability allows.
Meet your clinician
Complete the intake and book a full evaluation with a board certified clinician licensed in your state.
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