Shobha Chottera M.D.
Shobha Chottera M.D. was born in Tanzania, East Africa where she spent the first 13 years of her life. During the 3rd year of medical school at Kasturba Medical college Manipal/ Mangalore, India – she got married to her husband and migrated to Canada. 5 years after marriage she moved to NJ, USA and she has been here, with her family ever since.
Currently she serves as the Statewide Medical Director of Pediatric Psychiatric Collaborative based out of Hackensack Meridian Health System; a 17 hospital chain. Being Board Certified in Adult, Child and Addiction Psychiatry has given her 25 years of opportunity to serve a wide range of patients with mental health issues in many different capacities and across all age groups.
Her Academics positions include Voluntary Faculty at Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine at Seton Hall University, NJ; Robert Wood Johnson University; St. Georges University & Rowan University. In this position she has taught and mentored medical students, medical residents and Fellows.
She serves as a teaching assistant for Harvard’s Principles and Practice in Clinical Research & Critical thinking. A program that includes 400 international students in medicine, pharmacy & other health sciences.
In the area of Advocacy, she serves as the Vice President of NJ Council of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry and President of Monmouth & Ocean County Chapters of the NJ Psychiatry Association. Here she works with teams to represent issues in Mental Health and Patient Advocacy in communities and in Trenton, the State Capitol.
On a personal note, Dr. Chottera enjoys spending time with their son, daughter in-law & daughter & two grandchildren on the Jersey Shore. Interests include hiking, bicycling, traveling and reading.
Her ongoing future interests include advancing psychoanalytic therapy skills to apply in areas of attachment, relationship building and issues of estrangement which seem to be “a silent epidemic” within families and between generations.