Credentials
- Board certified in psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
- Board certified in sports and performance psychiatry.
- Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (FAPA).
- Doctor of Medicine.
- Master of Business Administration.
- Active medical license. NPI: 1467680660.
- ORCID: 0009-0009-1090-4373.
- Wikidata: Q139822307.
Practice
I'm a practicing psychiatrist and the founder of shrinkMD, a multistate telepsychiatry practice. I've worked in psychiatry for more than fifteen years across general adult psychiatry, sports and performance psychiatry, and addiction medicine, with experience in professional sports settings including affiliations involving the NFL Substance Abuse Program and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Editorial role
I'm the medical editor and a contributing author for the editorial publications in The Shrink Network: Shrinkopedia, AnxietyResource, DepressionResource, AnxietyResearch, and PsychiatryRx. I review the clinical content on every page before publication. I also author the evidence summaries, condition entries, and treatment overviews where my name appears.
What "Reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA" means
When a page on the network carries the line "Reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA," it means I read the page for clinical accuracy and editorial consistency before it went live, and I'm willing to put my name on what it says. The review process is described in detail in the editorial methodology pages of each property.
What it doesn't mean
Reading a page I reviewed does not make you my patient. The educational publications in the network aren't a clinical service. Reviewing a page doesn't establish a doctor-patient relationship with the reader. If you're looking for clinical care, the right destination is shrinkMD or your own clinician.
Areas I cover most often
Anxiety disorders, panic, social anxiety, OCD-spectrum conditions, generalized anxiety, mood disorders including major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder, sleep disorders, sports and performance psychiatry, modern psychiatric practice, telepsychiatry, evidence-based pharmacology, and the limits of popular mental health commentary.
Corrections and contact
If you spot something wrong on a page I reviewed, I want to know. Each site has a corrections page that routes to the right place. The fastest path to me directly is the contact form on this site with "Editorial Correction" or "Medical Review" selected.
Disclosures
I'm the founder of shrinkMD (clinical practice), shrinQ (commercial educational program), and Unstuck and QuitScrolling (wellness apps). I'm the author of three books on overthinking and anxiety. The editorial publications I review don't run ads, take affiliate commissions, or accept sponsored content. Where I have a financial interest related to a topic, it's disclosed on the relevant page.