Susan H. McDaniel

Susan H. McDaniel, Ph.D., is a distinguished professor in both the Department of Psychiatry and Department of Family Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. She serves as Director of the Institute for the Family and Vice Chair of Family Medicine, while also leading the University of Rochester Physician Communication Coaching Program.

• PhD in Clinical Psychology, University of North Carolina (1979)
• Postdoctoral Fellowship in Family Therapy, Texas Research Institute for Mental Sciences (1979-1980)
• Family Therapy Fellowship, Center for Family Learning (1981-1982)

Dr. McDaniel's research focuses on medical family therapy, biopsychosocial healthcare integration, and interprofessional collaboration. Her recent work examines team dynamics in healthcare, physician communication coaching, and gender bias in medical settings. She has contributed to over 100 peer-reviewed articles and 16 books, including Medical Family Therapy and Psychosomatic Medicine: An International Primer.

Scientific Awards include:

• Eric D Caine MD Award (2025)
• STFM CERA Paper of the Year (2024)
• Nathan W. Perry, Jr. Award (2023)
• 2016 APA Fellow and two inaugural awards in her name
• Multiple lifetime achievement awards (2000-2017)

As APA President (2016), she spearheaded initiatives for psychology's role in primary care and healthcare reform. Her work emphasizes systems thinking in medicine, family-centered care, and physician-patient-family communication.