CHOC wants its referring physicians and patients to get to know its specialists. Today, meet Alejandra R. Suzuki, MD, FAPA, child psychiatrist. Born and raised in Argentina, she is of Japanese descent and is fluent in English, Spanish and Japanese. She joined CHOC’s medical staff in 2015, and is proud to be part of the hospital’s mental health initiative.
Where did you complete your education and training?
After finishing medical school at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, I entered a residency program in ophthalmology. My interest in neuro- ophthalmology sparked research opportunities for me in Japan. A few years later, I came to the U.S. to continue my research in neuro-otology at the University of Miami. I had always been interested in the brain, but the mind intrigued me. I decided to change career paths and pursue psychiatry. I completed my psychiatry residency at USC, followed by fellowship training in child psychiatry at UCLA. There, I became interested in autism and participated in research on morphometric MRI studies in children with autism.
I am board certified in general psychiatry and child psychiatry.
What excites you most about CHOC’s mental health initiative?
I am honored to have joined CHOC as it announced its commitment to a mental health initiative. CHOC envisions the integration of physical and mental health. Our mental health care delivery focused on the individual and benefits the patient as a whole. I’m very excited about collaborating with primary and subspecialty providers at CHOC. Given my multi-cultural background and past experiences, CHOC is the ideal place for me to practice. I look forward to contributing to the growth of our mental health initiative and to providing excellent care to our patients.
If you weren’t a physician, what would you be?
If I weren’t a physician, I would probably be a musician. I used to play the piano and love classical music.
What are your hobbies and interests outside of psychiatry?
Being from Argentina, I love the Tango, though I have to admit I am not the best dancer. I also love the music of Astor Piazzola.
