Dr. Katherine Rizzo graduated with honors from the University of Florida where she received a Bachelor of Science in Microbiology and Cell Sciences. She then went on to pursue a 4-year medical degree at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, graduating in the top quartile of physicians in her class. Dr. Rizzo completed a 4-year residency in General Psychiatry at the University of South Florida during which time she held many leadership positions including serving as Chief Resident where she was responsible for overseeing the inner workings of the entire residency program. She also served as USF Psychiatry’s Recruitment Chair, recruiting recently graduated physicians to the postgraduate program. Dr. Rizzo served on the following professional committees: USF Psychiatry Resident and Medical Student Education Committee, University Psychiatry Center Benzodiazepine Review Committee, USF Grand Rounds Subcommittee, and the USF Recruitment Committee. Additionally, she has worked as a psychiatrist at Gracepoint Wellness Center as well as volunteered at USF Bridge Clinic. Her professional affiliations include the American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, the American Osteopathic Association, the Florida Psychiatric Society, and the Clinical TMS Society.
Dr. Rizzo is a Doctor of Osteopathy (DO) signifying that she is a fully trained and licensed physician who has graduated from an osteopathic medical school. Osteopathic medical schools require additional training in caring for the whole person. The osteopathic physician recognizes the integrated nature of the various organ systems and the human body’s capability for self-regulation and self-healing. Osteopathic physicians view the patient more holistically to reach a diagnosis rather than treating symptoms alone. In addition to prescribing medication, they focus on nutrition, exercise, mindfulness practices, and outside influences affecting the patient.
Dr. Rizzo has particular interests in Integrative Psychiatry and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). She underwent training through the University of Arizona’s Integrative Medicine Program in Psychiatry, learning a holistic approach to care that utilizes both conventional and complementary therapies in the treatment of psychiatric disorders. She has been certified in NeuroStar Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) since August 2019 and is conducting TMS research that is scheduled to be presented at the Clinical TMS Society’s Spring 2022 national conference.
A believer in integrating evidence-based medicine with a holistic approach to psychiatry, Dr. Rizzo is a warm, compassionate physician who takes the time to get to know her patients to provide them with individualized and exemplary care.