Athens, Georgia
Medication Management in Athens
Athens concentrates the highest risk age window for first psychiatric episodes by the tens of thousands, then offers a counseling center at capacity and local practices quoting next semester. Between exams, downtown service shifts, and the counties around Athens with no coverage at all, treatable conditions get a full academic year to dig in. Medication that affects your brain should be managed, not merely refilled. shrinkMD brings board certified medication management to Athens by video, with appointments as soon as availability allows and progress tracked at every visit.
Medically reviewed by Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, board certified psychiatrist · Published June 7, 2026 · Last reviewed July 7, 2026 · Editorial policy
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Why shrinkMD
Why Athens chooses shrinkMD
Students 18 and older are seen within days, from a dorm or an apartment off Milledge, with continuity through summers anywhere in Georgia and across our other states after graduation. Nothing touches campus systems or family insurance.
Townies get the same speed: musicians on tour calendars, service workers on downtown hours, and the surrounding counties by video that does not care about county lines.
What's included
How medication management works here
Everything starts with your medication story: what you take now and every psychiatric medication you've tried, each with dose, duration, and response, because that history is the strongest predictor of what will work next. Changes are then made one at a time, at sensible doses, and judged against validated symptom scores rather than impressions.
Expect visits every two to four weeks while adjusting and every one to three months once stable. Side effects get adult guidance, what fades, what to report, and how to switch safely, and tapers are planned rather than abrupt. We deprescribe when a medication stops earning its place, we don't prescribe controlled substances, and labs, when needed, are coordinated through your local clinic or lab.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Athens
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Can I keep my clinician after graduation?
Yes, anywhere in Georgia automatically and across our other states if you move. Treatment started at 20 should not end with a diploma.
What about the rural counties around Athens?
Covered identically by video, which matters in a region where the nearest psychiatrist can be an hour away.
What if my medication causes side effects?
You get clear guidance on what fades within two weeks, what deserves a message, and what means call now, and switches are planned rather than abrupt.
Will you coordinate with my primary care doctor?
With your permission, yes, in both directions, so interactions get caught and both plans pull the same way.
How often will I be seen?
Every two to four weeks while starting or adjusting, then every one to three months once stable. The cadence follows your response, not a fixed grid.
About Athens
Athens is home to about 127,000 people. It's a college town home to the University of Georgia and a regional medical center for northeast Georgia. Our patients here range across students, university and hospital staff, and working families.
Serving Athens
Care should reach every corner of Athens. As a college town and home to the University of Georgia, Athens stretches from the Milledge Avenue corridor, downtown, and the UGA North Campus, and shrinkMD brings board-certified telepsychiatry to all of it by secure video, with the same psychiatrist over time.
What it costs
Transparent, published pricing
Our self-pay prices are the same in every state where we practice. No insurance billing, and no surprise statement later.
| Service | Self-pay price | What's included |
|---|---|---|
| Initial evaluation | From $295 | A full 50 to 60 minute evaluation, diagnosis, and written plan. |
| Follow-up visits | $110 to $215 | Per visit, depending on length and complexity. Member rates are lower. |
| Membership (optional) | $49 per month | Priority scheduling, member rates, and the Unstuck and QuitScrolling apps. First month free. |
Your care team
Who you will see
Your care is delivered by shrinkMD clinicians, and you keep the same one over time. You meet by secure video with a clinician licensed in your state.
- Shariq Refai, MD, MBA, FAPA, founder and board certified psychiatrist (ABPN), dual board certified in psychiatry and in sports and performance psychiatry.
- Matthew George, PMHNP-BC, ANP-BC, dual board certified psychiatric nurse practitioner with more than two decades of clinical experience.
Learn more
More from a trusted source: Mental health medications - MedlinePlus.
Nearby areas
Medication Management in nearby Georgia cities
Your next step in The Shrink Network
You are here: shrinkMD, the clinical care layer of The Shrink Network.
Each site in the network has one job. No matter where you enter, we help you find the next step that makes sense.
Get clinical care with shrinkMD
Want to understand more first?
Start medication management in Athens
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Athens residents, by secure video from home.
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