CDR Eric J. Serpico, DO, ABPN, MC, USN

Uniformed Services University

Dr. Eric Serpico grew up in an array of locations in New York and Florida. He attended Florida Atlantic University (BS, 2009) in the Bright Future Scholarship Program. He was commissioned as an Ensign in the Naval Reserves in 2010 and attended the New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO, 2014) in the Health Professions Scholarship Program. He was commissioned as an active duty Lieutenant in 2014.

He completed his Psychiatry Internship at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth in 2015, where he received the award of Psychiatric Intern of the Year due to his academic excellence and professionalism. A highlight occurring during his residency training includes being individually recognized by the hospital’s Commanding Officer for his acute life-saving work. He completed his Psychiatry Residency in 2018 and was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal for his outstanding performance as the program’s selected, sole Chief Resident.

CDR Serpico served as Staff Psychiatrist at U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa, Japan (2018–2020), simultaneously performing as the sole Psychiatrist in inpatient, consult liaison, and brig settings, while also supporting outpatient as well as addiction services. He operated as a Psychiatry subject matter expert on both the III MEF Alcohol Related Incident Working Group led by the Commanding General and the MEDEVAC Process Improvement team; furthermore, his streamlining efforts were formally recognized by the Department of Defense.

Upon arrival at his current duty station, U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bethesda, he excelled as the Department Head of Addiction Treatment Services, where he pioneered the creation of a virtual Intensive Outpatient Program. In 2021, he was selected as Associate Program Director (APD) of the National Capital Consortium’s (NCC’s) Psychiatry Residency Program, overseeing 50-plus trainees. He has represented his program as the Clinical Competency Committee Intern Chair and during Joint General Medical Education Selection Boards, as well as Operation Allied Freedom. As an Assistant Professor of Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS), he was honored with the Dean’s Commendation for teaching while engaged with over 200 medical students during lecture series and Operation Bushmaster. His other personal scholarly pursuits include attending the Advanced Readiness Officer Course and MEDXELLENCE.

While deployed (2021–2022), he was decorated with a Defense Meritorious Service Medal (DMSM) for his critical work supporting the no-fail mission regarding law of armed conflict operations, functioning as the sole Joint Medical Group Psychiatry Officer in Charge and acting Senior Medical Officer. Upon his return from deployment in 2022, he became the Inpatient Medical Director at Walter National Military Medical Center and resumed his roles as the FITREP Board Member and Convening Authority for the Directorate of Behavioral Health. He also was a leader in two Special Psychiatric Rapid Intervention Team missions, fostering resiliency amidst tragedies related to suicide and an active shooter. In 2023 he was additionally appointed the Interim Program Director of NCC’s Psychiatry Residency and was formally recognized for his leadership with a second DMSM.

He has since transitioned as billeted faculty at USUHS and currently is in charge as the School of Medicine’s Psychiatry Specialty Leader, Psychiatry Student Interest Faculty Chair, Mental Health Director for Operation Bushmaster, as well as the Bench to Bedside and Beyond (B3) Module Director on Military Sexual Assault Response Training Exercise. His collaterals executed include Deputy Director of the Operational/Military Leadership Track and Clerkship professor within his department. He continues to be an advocate within military mental health, serving as a representative of the Navy Psychiatry Executive Committee. In 2023 he was recognized for his outstanding contributions to the Navy psychiatric community by being competitively selected as the Navy’s Psychiatrist of the Year out of all O-3 and O-4 staff psychiatrists in the fleet.

In 2024 he contributed as an author to the published Veterans Affairs and DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for Assessment and Management Suicide Risk after dedicating over year of weekly working group meetings. Final products consist of a 151-page document with associated pocket, provider, and patient versions that discuss evidence-based treatment strategy and research advocacy. Currently, he has taken on the Suicide Prevention for Prescribing Providers Project, Senior Psychiatry Analyst and Presenter, collaborated with the Defense Health Agency and Center for Deployment Psychology, in response to the Suicide Prevention and Response Independent Review Committee (SPRIRC) established under the Secretary of Defense. After two-hour sessions for three months and one week of development, he created and delivered a four-hour training for all prescribing providers across the Department of Defense that has been implemented in multiple installments until 2029. Furthermore, he was meritoriously promoted as well as selected as Commander while below zone above peers within the Medical Corps community.