Rodney Anthony Villanueva, MD

“Psychiatry is a specialty that is truly an art and science. I believe that listening to patients’ stories helps to understand them beyond the symptoms they have.”

Dr. Villanueva is board certified in psychiatry and forensic psychiatry. He believes quality mental healthcare should be accessible to all. He specializes in the treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and LGBTQ mental health issues.

He is the associate program director for the Atrium Health Sandra and Leon Levine Psychiatry Residency Program. He is also psychiatry clerkship director and co-medical director for the Atrium Health Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Behavioral Health Fellowship program.

Dr. Villanueva is passionate about providing mental healthcare to those who are often marginalized in society. His work in medical education is driven by a desire to teach medical students, residents and APP fellows that improving the health of the community is a noble calling.

He served in the U.S. Army as a medical corps officer and is an Operation Iraqi Freedom Veteran. He has received several awards, including the Brian R. Nagy MD Teaching Award at Atrium Health Carolinas Medical Center Department of Psychiatry and the Clinical Preceptor Award for Excellence in Teaching from the University of North Carolina. He has also been recognized with the UNC Charlotte School of Medicine Outstanding Teaching Award.

He received his medical degree at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences and a certificate in LGBT Healthcare at Drexel University. He completed his residency in psychiatry at Tripler Army Medical Center and a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at the National Capital Consortium.

Dr. Villanueva enjoys spending his free time with his husband and their 2 dogs.