Gainesville, Florida
Psychiatric Evaluation in Gainesville
Gainesville has a paradox: a university medical powerhouse in town, and months of waiting to see anyone for anxiety or depression anyway. Students hit the highest risk age window for first episodes while juggling exams, and the counties around Alachua, from Levy to Gilchrist, are a psychiatric desert where the nearest option is an hour each way. The way out starts with an accurate diagnosis. shrinkMD provides full psychiatric evaluations to Gainesville by secure video, with a board certified clinician and a first appointment withwithout the typical months-long wait.
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 Gainesville chooses shrinkMD
We see UF students, staff, and Gainesville families within days by video, with appointments that flex around classes, labs, and Shands shifts. Care continues through summers anywhere in Florida and follows graduates into any of our ten states.
Nothing touches university systems or family insurance, because we bill none. Flat fee, published first, records released only with your authorization, and the same clinician each visit, semester after semester.
What's included
What your evaluation includes
Plan for 45 to 60 minutes of real clinical work, two to four times the length of a rushed intake. Your clinician maps your symptoms and their timeline, screens the conditions that imitate one another, including bipolar patterns hiding behind depression and anxiety masking trauma, reviews medical contributors like thyroid problems and sleep loss, and documents every psychiatric medication you've tried with its dose, duration, and response.
You leave with a working diagnosis explained in plain language, validated baseline scores so progress can be measured, and a concrete plan covering medication and therapy options. Prescriptions reach your local pharmacy the same day when medication is part of the plan, and your follow up is booked before you sign off. If we aren't the right level of care, we say so and point you to what is.
Keep exploring
Care and next steps in Gainesville
Frequently asked questions
Good questions, clear answers
Can I keep my clinician after I graduate from UF?
Yes, anywhere in Florida automatically, and in our other nine states if you move there. Treatment started at 20 should not end with a diploma.
My parents pay my insurance. Will they see anything?
No. We bill no insurance, so no claim ever appears on a family plan. What you share with family is your choice, and we can help you plan that conversation.
What happens after the evaluation?
Treatment starts: same day prescriptions when appropriate, a booked follow up, therapy coordination when it belongs in the plan, and measured progress from visit one.
Do I need a referral to book an evaluation?
No. You book directly, and with your permission we coordinate with your primary care clinician afterward so the whole picture stays connected.
Is a video evaluation as accurate as in person?
Yes. Psychiatric evaluation is history, conversation, and structured screening, all fully intact over secure video, and the research consistently shows equivalence.
About Gainesville
Gainesville is a college town and major medical hub built around the University of Florida and its teaching hospitals. It's home to about 145,000 residents. The people we see here include students, faculty, and hospital staff.
Serving Gainesville
Gainesville is a North Central Florida college town, home to the University of Florida, and reaching a psychiatrist here shouldn't take a long drive. shrinkMD sees adults across Gainesville by secure video, whether you're near Devil's Millhopper, the 4th Avenue food park area, and the University of Florida campus. You keep the same clinician each visit, with no commute and no waiting room.
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.
Related reading
- the psychiatric evaluation
- what to expect at your first evaluation
- your first appointment, step by step
More from a trusted source: What is psychiatry? - American Psychiatric Association.
Nearby areas
Psychiatric Evaluation in nearby Florida 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 psychiatric evaluation in Gainesville
Call 1-877-747-4656 now, appointments are available as soon as availability allows for Gainesville residents, by secure video from home.
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