David R. McDuff

Dr. David R. McDuff is a Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Adjunct Associate Professor at the Uniformed Services University. He is the founder of the University of Maryland’s Division of Alcohol & Drug Abuse and Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship, and the Sports Psychiatry Program. A retired Army Colonel, he has served as team psychiatrist for the Baltimore Orioles and Ravens, and performance medicine physician for the Indianapolis Colts. His expertise spans addiction psychiatry, trauma psychiatry, and sports psychiatry. He authored Sports Psychiatry: Strategies for Life Balance & Peak Performance (2012), now in three languages. He co-led the International Olympic Committee’s 2019 Consensus Panel on Mental Health in Elite Athletes. Recognitions include the 2015 Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and repeated selection as Baltimore’s Top Doc.

Educations:

• B.S. Biology, Spring Hill College (1974)
• M.D., University of South Alabama College of Medicine (1978)
• Residency in Psychiatry, Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center (1979–1982)

Research Interests: Dr. McDuff focuses on mental health challenges in elite athletes, including substance use disorders, trauma recovery, and performance optimization. His work emphasizes team-based interventions, crisis management, and global policy for athlete well-being. He has published extensively on sports psychiatry strategies and co-authored groundbreaking IOC guidelines.

Awards:

• 2019 IOC Mental Health Workgroup Member
• 2015 Distinguished Life Fellow, APA
• Repeated ‘Top Doc’ honors in Addiction Psychiatry

Advising & Grants: He mentors athletes and teams globally, with involvement in NCAA and professional league programs. His grants include funding for substance abuse prevention and trauma recovery initiatives. He lectures internationally and maintains active clinical practices in Baltimore.

Labs/Teams: Directs University of Maryland’s Sports Psychiatry Program and collaborates with IOC committees. His work is detailed on www.mdsports.net.