Dr. Swapnil Palod has over 20 years of experience in the field of psychiatry. He began his medical journey by completing his MBBS in India and then started his core training in psychiatry in the UK in 2004. In 2008, he earned his Membership of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (MRCPsych). He continued his specialist training at St. George’s University of London, obtaining the Certificate of Completion of Training (CCT) in Learning Disabilities (Intellectual Disabilities) in 2012.
He has a special interest in Neurodevelopmental Psychiatry, particularly in conditions such as Intellectual Disability, Autism Spectrum Disorder, and Adult ADHD. With extensive experience in diagnosing and managing severe mental illnesses among adults with intellectual disabilities, he has worked as a psychiatrist in various Neurodevelopmental Services within both community and inpatient settings across the United Kingdom.
He received training in a range of Autism assessments, including the Diagnostic Interview for Social and Communication Disorders (DISCO), the Adult Asperger Assessment (AAA), and the Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised (ADI-R). He worked at the Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) Diagnostic Service in Essex, UK, which was nominated for the NAS Clinical Excellence Awards in 2015. He also served as the lead clinician at the Adult ADHD Service in Kingston Upon Thames, Greater London. During this time, he conducted detailed assessments using semi-structured interviews (DIVA) and was involved in the initiation and titration of medication.
He has been working as a Rural Psychiatrist in Queensland Health since 2020. He is a Fellow of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (FRANZCP), and he works two days a week at Omega Mind Clinics. He is an academic senior lecturer at James Cook University Medical School. He has presented his research at various international conferences and has co-authored several publications. Additionally, he contributed as a member of the working group for the College Report titled ‘ADHD in Adults with Intellectual Disability’ (CR230) published by The Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK.
He has raised funds for various charities through his participation in cycle rides. Notably, he took part in the London to Amsterdam ride for Cancer Research, the Cycle Bhopal Ride to support the victims of the Bhopal Gas Tragedy, and the London to Paris ride to benefit the National Autistic Society.