Oct. 1, 2018

Sahana Misra, M.D. F '98, associate professor of psychiatry, OHSU School of Medicine, was recently named chief of staff for the VA Portland Health Care System. With Dr. Misra's role at the VA comes a leadership appointment in the OHSU School of Medicine. Dean Sharon Anderson appointed Dr. Misra as associate dean for veterans affairs, effective Oct. 1.

"I am honored to work more closely with Dean Anderson and School of Medicine leaders. My identity as an OHSU faculty member and a member of the Department of Psychiatry has been a meaningful part of my career development, and I am excited to continue to enhance VA-OHSU relationships across all departments and our shared missions," said Dr. Misra.

Dr. Misra earned her medical degree at Rush Medical College and completed her psychiatry residency at Rush Presbyterian-St. Luke's Medical Center in Chicago. Following residency, she completed a geriatric psychiatry fellowship at OHSU and began her VA career in 1998 at the Portland VA Medical Center. Dr. Misra served for nine years as associate director in the OHSU psychiatry residency program, and was appointed to associate professor in the OHSU Department of Psychiatry in 2010. Her leadership at VAPORHCS has included associate chief of psychiatry from 2010 to 2013, mental health clinical director from 2013 to 2016, and acting chief of staff since 2016. Dr. Misra is the first woman to hold the chief of staff role at VAPORHCS.

Dr. Misra is board certified in psychiatry and geriatric psychiatry. Dr. Misra received a VA Cooperative Studies Career Development Award and has served as a principal investigator and co-investigator on several studies. Since joining VAPORHCS, she has published 12 peer review articles, two review articles and three book chapters and has been an invited presenter at multiple national, regional and local lectures and conferences. She has also served as chair of the VA Institutional Review Board.

Nationally, Dr. Misra has served as an executive council member for the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training and as an American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology Maintenance of Certification Ambassador.