Dr. Downs is on Doximity
As a Doximity member you'll join over two million verified healthcare professionals in a private, secure network.
- Connect with other colleagues in the same hospital or clinic
- Search all U.S. specialist profiles and refer a patient
- Read the latest clinical news and earn CME/CEU credits
Office
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla, CA 92093- Is this information wrong?
Summary
- Dr. Nancy Swerdlow Downs was born in Lawrence, Kansas and raised throughout the United States. She is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, active duty, and previous Director of the College Mental Health Program (CMHP) at UC San Diego Health. Her clinical, academic work focuses on integrative treatments for depression and anxiety in primary care, and novel interventions for suicide prevention, particularly in college and university settings.
Previously, as the Director for the CMHP, Dr. Downs and her team provided consultation-liaison services to staff and faculty, and timely access to cost-effective mental health care for approximately 43,000 UC San Diego undergraduate and graduate students. She is a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, a former member of the National Network of Depression Centers (NNDC) College Mental Health Workgroup and past Chair of the UC Office of the President Lead Psychiatrist Task Force. Dr. Downs serves an important role as an educator with psychiatry residents and as a mentor to early career faculty. With over 20 years of paid, full-time-equivalent academic experience, spanning 35 years, Dr. Downs continues to have a passion for working with patients, educating trainees, harnessing technology, contributing to the academic literature, and creating innovative, data-based programs, which enhance our community.
Dr. Downs’ academic creative work centers around developing, funding and executing inaugural clinical and teaching programs including 1) UCSD Psychiatry Internship Program 2) UCSD Combined Family Medicine and Psychiatry Residency Program 3) UCSD CMHP 4)Psychiatry Services on-campus, integrated for both the Counseling and Student Health Centers and capitalizing on EMR technology to track at-risk students 5) HEAR program utilizing anonymous web-based screening to identify/treat healthcare providers at risk for depression and suicidal behaviors.
Education & Training
- University of California (San Diego) Medical CenterFellowship, Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, 1989 - 1990
- University of California (San Diego) Medical CenterResidency, Psychiatry, 1986 - 1988
- Scripps Mercy HospitalInternship, Transitional Year, 1985 - 1986
- University of California San Diego School of MedicineClass of 1985
- Stanford UniversityAB, Human Biology, With Distinction, 1976 - 1980
- Stanford UniversityA.B., Human Biology (Biochemical Nutrition), 1980
Certifications & Licensure
- CA State Medical License 1987 - 2024
- CT State Medical License 2009 - 2010
- American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Psychiatry
Awards, Honors, & Recognition
- Distinguished Fellow American Psychiatric Association, 2018
- Fellow American Psychiatric Association, 2013
- Ten Year Service Award University of California, San Diego, 2013
- Join now to see all
Publications & Presentations
PubMed
- 11 citationsRelationship between burnout and Major Depressive Disorder in health professionals: A HEAR report.Sidney Zisook, Neal Doran, Maggie Mortali, Laura Hoffman, Nancy Downs, Judy Davidson, Byron Fergerson, Caryn Kseniya Rubanovich, Desiree Shapiro, Ming Tai-Seale, Alana...> ;Journal of Affective Disorders. 2022 Sep 1
- 2 citationsHealthcare provider distress before and since Covid-19.Sidney Zisook, Neal Doran, Nancy Downs, Daniel Lee, Judy E Davidson, Anastasiya Nestsiarovich> ;General Hospital Psychiatry. 2022 Aug 31
- Systematic tracking of mental health acute care visits: A model of care for college students.Elyse Galles, Jamie Gannon, Yuliana Noniyeva, James Schweikert, Nancy Downs> ;Journal of American College Health. 2021 May 12
- Join now to see all
Journal Articles
- Be true to our schools – models of care in college mental healthDowns N, Galles E, Skehan B, Lipson SK, Current Psych Rep., 8/9/2018
- Implementing a college mental health program – an overview of the first twelve months.Downs N, Alderman T, Bhakta S, Greenwood TA., J Am Coll Health, 3/30/2018
- Suicidal Ideation Among Student and Physicians at a US Medical School-A Healer Education, Assessment and Referral (HEAR) Program ReportZisook S, Young I, Doran N, Downs N, Hadley A, Kirby B, McGuire M, Moutier C, Norcross W, Tiamson-Kassab M, OMEGA Journal of Death and Dying, 1/4/2015
- Join now to see all
Books/Book Chapters
Abstracts/Posters
- Implementing a College Mental Health Program (CMHP)-an overview of the first 12 months.Downs N, Alderman T, Swerdlow N, National Network of Depression Centers Annual Meeting, 1/1/2016
- Combined Residency in Family Medicine and Psychiatry.Downs N, McCahill M, Am J Psychiat, 1/1/1997
- Rat endocrine response to physostigmine in a novel animal model of depression.Downs N, Swerdlow N, Clinical Research, 1/1/1985
- Join now to see all
Lectures
- "Integrative treatment in college mental health."Hillcrest, San Diego, CA - 1/1/2016
- "Integrating psychopharmacology and psychotherapy."La Jolla, CA - 1/1/2016
- "Listening to medical student burnout-the University of California, San Diego HEAR program."University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, San Diego, CA - 1/1/2015
- Join now to see all
Other
- Preventing Physician Distress and Suicide: AMA Stepsforward, Steps in practice.Downs N
https://www.stepsforward.org/modules/preventing-physician-suicide
1/1/2016 - Policies and procedures for University of California, San Diego Psychiatry Specialty Clinics.Alderman T, Downs, N
1/1/2015 - Policies and procedures for CAPS on-campus psychiatry.Downs N
1/1/2014 - Join now to see all
Press Mentions
- UC San Diego Launches New Program to Attract Students to Mental Health CareerAugust 24th, 2017
Professional Memberships
- Fellow
Hospital Affiliations
- UC San Diego Medical Center - HillcrestSan Diego, California
External Links
- UCSD profileshttps://profiles.ucsd.edu/nancy.downs
Viewing the full profile is available to verified healthcare professionals only.
Find your profile and take control of your online presence: