Alaina Vandervoort Burns

Dr. Alaina Vandervoort Burns serves as an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the UCLA School of Medicine. Her academic appointment is housed within the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, a leading center for mental health research and clinical care in Los Angeles.

Education:

• Adult Psychiatry Residency at Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, Los Angeles (2016)
• MD, MPH from SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University, Brooklyn (2012)
• BA in Spanish Language and Literature from Columbia University, New York (2006)

Dr. Burns specializes in the management of schizophrenia and psychiatric care in high-acuity settings, with a particular focus on program development and management for complex patient populations. Her clinical and research work bridges psychiatric treatment with community-based services, particularly examining how to improve outcomes for patients with severe mental illness through structured support systems. Her expertise extends to psychopharmacology, especially regarding antipsychotic medications and their management in complex cases.

Her publication record demonstrates a consistent focus on improving mental health service delivery, with particular attention to psychosis treatment programs and medication management challenges. Her research examines both clinical interventions and systemic approaches to mental health care.

Dr. Burns maintains active clinical and research collaborations within the UCLA Department of Psychiatry, working with colleagues including Dr. Adrienne Grzenda, Dr. Alexander Young, and Dr. Sonya Gabrielian on projects related to mental health services and treatment outcomes.

As a clinician-educator at UCLA, Dr. Burns contributes to the training of future psychiatrists while advancing innovative approaches to treating severe mental illness through both clinical practice and research initiatives.