Associate Professor of Psychiatry
Medical College of Virginia/Virginia Commonwealth University
PSV President-Elect
Dr. Arias is a graduate of Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine (2001), and completed his residency in psychiatry, as well as a master’s degree in clinical and translational research, at the University of Connecticut Health Center. He was on the faculty at UCONN School of Medicine for 5 years, and a full-time faculty member at Yale University School of Medicine for 7 years in the department of psychiatry, before joining VCU in 2018 as an Associate Professor and the Associate Division Chair for Addiction Psychiatry. He is board certified in Psychiatry by the ABPN and board certified in addiction medicine by ABPM.
Dr. Arias has logged many hours teaching medical students, residents, and fellows at all three universities for which he was on the faculty. He has developed several innovative teaching programs, such as an elective course in psychiatric and addiction pharmacogenetics (at Yale), and a tele-addictions buprenorphine training clinic for fellows. He created the didactic program for the addiction medicine fellowship at VCU Health. He currently teaches as an attending at the MOTIVATE outpatient addiction clinic and as the program director of the Addiction Medicine Fellowship Program. He received a training grant from HRSA to expand the fellowship training program.
Dr. Arias’ current research focuses on studying the effects of several anticonvulsant compounds on drinking behavior and addictions in humans. Another focus of research is translational pharmacogenomics and personalized medicine for treating addiction and co-occurring disorders. He formerly received a K23 award from the NIAAA to study medication development and pharmacogenetics. He currently receives funding from the NIAAA and NIDA and is part of the VCU Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies.
Dr. Arias is an expert psychiatric clinician and psychopharmacologist. He currently is the interim medical director of the VCU Health MOTIVATE outpatient addictions clinic. He specializes in treating dual-diagnosis, dual/multiple addictions, co-occurring pain conditions and OUD, as well as generally complicated cases.
