Dr. Rohan Das, pictured with his wife, Akron Children’s Dr. Kayli Deckert, is our newest pediatric psychiatrist in our Lois and John Orr Family Behavioral Health Center.
If it weren’t for a successful career as a pediatric psychiatrist, Dr. Rohan Das would be an astronaut. Space has always fascinated him, and he often finds himself pondering the question: “Is there life in the universe outside of planet Earth and if so, what is it like?”
But as much as he loves keeping up on new space discoveries and contemplating what could be, he’s most passionate about treating kids and teens with emotional or behavioral disorders as Akron Children’s newest pediatric psychiatrist in our Lois and John Orr Family Behavioral Health Center.
In his role, Dr. Das spends his days working with inpatients to stabilize their symptoms so they can safely return home and helping outpatients achieve remission of psychiatric symptoms so they can function to the best of their ability.
Dr. Das is happy to keep his feet firmly planted on Earth because the feeling he gets from working in a field where he can make a tremendous impact in a child’s life trajectory is out of this world.
Why did you choose to come to Akron Children’s?
I absolutely love the culture here at Akron Children’s. I believe the hospital has done a great job fostering a kind, helpful, patient and understanding culture.
Dr. Das aspires to leave his patients with the feeling of being understood and with hope for the future.
Describe your role at Akron Children’s and what you hope to accomplish.
I work in both inpatient and outpatient psychiatric settings with 2 different, but equally important roles.
On the inpatient unit, my goal is to stabilize the patient’s symptoms, and provide families and caregivers the necessary skillset and resources to keep the patient safe upon discharge.
In the outpatient setting, my goal is to achieve and maintain remission of patients’ psychiatric symptoms, and to allow them to function to the best of their ability in their social, educational and occupational environments.
What is your area of expertise and why did you choose it?
I am a child and adolescent psychiatrist. I chose this field because I love working with kids and have always been interested in the brain and human behavior. I am very grateful to be able to work in a field where I believe one can make a tremendous positive impact in a child’s life trajectory.
Do you have a favorite instructor or mentor?
My favorite mentor was my residency and fellowship program director. He was thoughtful, kind, patient, understanding and always emphasized the importance of taking the extra step for patients and families.
What impression do you hope to leave with your patients each day?
I aspire to leave my patients with the feeling of being understood and with hope for the future.
What do you think is the hardest part of your job?
The hardest part of this job is the paperwork!
How do you deal with the emotional impact of being a provider?
I try to follow, to the best of my ability, much of the same advice I give to parents and families. I’m a very big advocate of mindfulness, regular cardiovascular exercise, and spending lots of quality time with friends and family.
Dr. Das and his wife enjoy spending time with family and their furry friends on their time off.
What does success mean to you?
Success to me is the peace of mind knowing that I’m trying my best to make a positive difference in the world.
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
I wanted to be an astronaut! Space has always fascinated me.
What’s your favorite quote?
“The strength of a person’s spirit would then be measured by how much ‘truth’ he could tolerate, or more precisely, to what extent he needs to have it diluted, disguised, sweetened, muted, falsified.” – German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche
What’s your favorite holiday?
My favorite holiday is Christmas, for sure. It’s such a magical time of year!
What is your favorite vacation spot and why?
My favorite vacation spot is Italy! It has such a rich history and culture, with so many beautiful cities to visit.
What question(s) would you most like to know the answer to?
I’d love to find out if there is life in the universe outside of planet Earth and if so, what it is like.
