Eric Nelson Avery, M.D.

Dr. Eric Nelson Avery is an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UTMB. He is also the Director of HIV Psychiatric Services for the University as well as an Associate member of the Institute for Medical Humanities and a special member of the Graduate Faculty for the School of Biomedical Sciences. He has been with the UTMB since 1982.

He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in Art from the University of Arizona in 1970. His Doctorate of Medicine was earned at UTMB in 1974. Continuing on at UTMB, Dr. Avery completed a one-year internship in the Department of Psychiatry before transferring to New York State Psychiatric Institute where he completed three more years of residency in General Psychiatry. In 1994, he completed a fellowship in Consultation & Liaison Psychiatry for HIV/AIDS.

Prior to joining UTMB, Dr. Avery was a consulting physician/psychiatrist for the Refugee Assistance Council in Laredo, Texas. He has also served as a volunteer with Amnesty International USA and acted as Medical Director for Las Dhure Refugee Camp in Somalia. Another unique professional experience includes the role of medical doctor on the ship Seasweep in Northern Indonesia.

His numerous research activities have centered on the study of treatment and risks related to HIV/AIDS. He educates medical students and residents in his areas of expertise, which also include delirium, dementia, ethics, and art and culture in medicine.

Dr. Avery is widely published and has prepared professional papers, posters, book chapters and abstracts. He also serves on the Editorial Board of the Medical Humanities Review at UTMB.

In addition to being a physician, Dr. Avery is a world-renown visual artist. He has received numerous honors for his artistic works, which include permanent collections and exhibitions, displayed on local, national, and international levels.