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Sarah A. Nguyen, MD

  • Psychiatry|
  • Geriatric Psychiatry
Adult & Geriatric Psychiatry | 300 Medical Plaza, Suite 2200, Los Angeles, CA 90095

About

Dr. Sarah Nguyen is a board certified adult and geriatric psychiatrist and Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences. She is also the Associate Director of the Integrative Psychiatry Clinic at UCLA. Her clinical interests include mood, anxiety, and cognitive disorders in adults and older adults. She is trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and mindfulness and uses a combination of these techniques in her practice. Her research focuses on pharmacological and combination and augmentation strategies using complementary and behavioral interventions, for mood and cognitive disorders in adults of all ages. Because of her prior experiences working with underserved populations in multiple clinical settings (ER, outpatient, inpatient, consultation-liaison), she is also interested in improving systems-based practices within medical education and healthcare systems.

Dr. Nguyen received her medical degree from the University of California, Irvine. She completed her internship and residency at Montefiore Medical Center/Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, where she was selected as Chief Resident of the Psychiatric Observation Suite/Emergency Room. She went on to complete her geriatric psychiatry fellowship at Yale University in Connecticut and received a Kindness Award for her excellent work with veterans. She received her undergraduate degree from University of California, Irvine.

Before coming to UCLA, Dr. Nguyen was an Assistant Clinical Professor at University of Connecticut School of Medicine where she was very involved in teaching and training medical students and residents and received a Clinical Attending Teaching Award for her outstanding work.

Dr. Nguyen is a member of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry and American Psychiatric Association. She also serves as the Chair of the Executive Committee for the Association of Family Psychiatrists.

Languages

English

Education

Medical Board Certifications

Geriatric Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2018
Psychiatry, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, 2016

Fellowship

Geriatric Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, 2017

Residency

Psychiatry, Montefiore Medical Center/ Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 2016

Degree

MD, UC Irvine School of Medicine, 2012

Recognitions

  • Super Doctors® Southern California Rising Stars 2021, 2023, 2024
  • 2019 Clinical Attending Teaching Award, University of Connecticut Health Center
  • 2019 Summer Research Institute/Research Career Institute in Mental Health of Aging (SRI/CIMA)
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Hospital Affiliations

Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center

UCLA Santa Monica Medical Center

Research

Publications

  1. Nguyen S.A. and Lavretsky H. Emerging Complementary and Integrative Therapies for Geriatric Mental Health. Curr Treat Options Psych. 2020.
  2. Tolton D., Fahed M., Nguyen S. Treating Post-Stroke Depression with ECT. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020. 28(4): S95.
  3. Nguyen S. and Steffens D. Presence of Optimism and Antidepressant Remission Rates in Late-Life Depression. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2020. 28(4): S68-S69.
  4. Patel B., Milla Fabiola M., Nguyen S.A. Family Matters: Cultural Proficiency in the Present Day. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2019. 27(3): S102.
  5. Patel B. and Nguyen S.A. The Elephant in the Room: Race Matters. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2018. 26(3): S106.
  6. Nguyen S.A., Abrams M., Conroy M., Kirwin P.D. Utilization of Family Therapy Techniques to Provide Clinical Interventions in Later Life. Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2017. 25(3): S86-87.
  7. Ceïde M.E., Nguyen S.A., Korenblatt J., Kennedy G.J. Beyond Primary Care: Integrating Psychiatry into a Certified Home Health Agency to Identify and Treat Homebound Older Adults with Mental Disorders. J Community Med Health Educ. 2016. 6:479.
  8. Nguyen S.A., Korenblatt J., Ceïde M.E. Does a Home Care Based Colocated Geriatric Psychiatry Program Effectively Lead to Treatment of Mental Disorders? Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2016. 24(3): S126-127.
  9. Nguyen S.A., Korenblatt J., Ceïde M.E. Does a Geriatric Psychiatrist Colocated in a Home Care Agency Improve Recognition of Mental Disorders by Primary Care Providers? Am J Geriatr Psychiatry. 2015. 23(3): S71.
  10. Manitt C., Nikolakopoulou A.M., Almario D.R., Nguyen S.A., Cohen-Cory S. Netrin participates in the development of retinotectal synaptic connectivity by modulating axon arborization and synapse formation in the developing brain. J Neurosci. 2009. 29(36): 11065-77.

Insurance

  • Aetna
  • Anthem Blue Cross
  • Blue Shield of California
  • Centivo
  • Cigna
  • First Health
  • Health Net of California
  • Interplan (part of HealthSmart)
  • L.A. Care
  • Medicare Advantage
  • MultiPlan
  • UFCM Health System
  • Prime Health Services
  • Private Healthcare Systems (PHCS)
  • TRICARE
  • UnitedHealthcare

The list of health care plans above may not be comprehensive and could change. 
Please contact your benefits coordinator or health insurance company directly to verify coverage.

Visit our health insurance information page for more details.

Recognitions

  • Super Doctors® Southern California Rising Stars 2021, 2023, 2024
  • 2019 Clinical Attending Teaching Award, University of Connecticut Health Center
  • 2019 Summer Research Institute/Research Career Institute in Mental Health of Aging (SRI/CIMA)
  • 2019 Physician Leadership in Medicine, Connecticut State Medical Society
  • 2017 Kindness Award, VA Connecticut Healthcare Systems
  • 2014 Geriatric Mental Health Foundation (GMHF)/American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) Honors Scholar
  • 2005 UC Irvine School of Biological Sciences’ William F. Holcomb Scholarship