Dr. Elin Barth Berg, MD, PhD

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Get to know Psychiatrist Dr. Elin Barth Berg, who serves patients in Columbia, South Carolina.

An outstanding and trusted psychiatrist, Dr. Berg has founded her own private practice in Columbia, South Carolina. 

There, she treats patients, does forensic work including civil and criminal areas pertaining to children and adults, and handles custody matters. 

Born in Oslo, Norway on December 15, 1949, Dr. Berg grew up with a goal to strive to be the best at whatever she put her mind to. At the age of 17, she received her baccalaureate, which gave her the right to attend medical school. 

While still residing in Norway, Dr. Berg attended medical school at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Oslo from 1968 until 1974. After that, she spent three months at Hoffman-LaRoche doing research on the extrapyramidal effects of Haldol. Dr. Berg then completed one and a half years of mandatory internship in order to attain her license to practice in the European commonwealth. The one and a half year mandatory internship consisted of six months of surgery, six months of internal medicine, and six months of family practice.  

Thereafter, Dr. Berg proceeded to do four years of general surgery residency, one year of neurosurgery, and four years of orthopedic and trauma surgery. She also spent two years as an assistant professor of orthopedic and trauma surgery.  

Attending Bowman-Dray, Dr. Berg served as a research assistant in biomaterials with the Department of Orthopedic Surgery under professor Anthony Gristina. She worked on two NIH research grants in biomaterials in the field of related infection. In 1986, she completed her dissertation for her Ph. D. within the field of biomaterials as a joint effort between Bowman-Gray School of Medicine and the Institute of Surgical Research located in Oslo, Norway.  

In 1988, Dr. Berg was hired to do research at the USC School of Medicine, holding the Luncesord-Moore chair of orthopedic research. Later in 1992, she decided it was time for a change of career from orthopedic surgery to psychiatry. That same year, she completed her residency training in general psychiatry, followed by a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry, and finally a fellowship in forensic psychology.  

Certified in child, adolescent, and adult psychiatry & forensic psychiatry, Dr. Berg is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN). The ABPN is a not-for-profit corporation dedicated to serving the professions of psychiatry and neurology.

Professionally, Dr. Berg has spent time as a medical director of a group home for juveniles who, because of mental illness, were diverted (subclass from the Department of Juvenile Justice and transferred to the Department of Juvenile Health). Her experiences also include psychiatric services at the local detention center and Richland County. Other appointments include serving as a member of the Executive Committee of the Columbia Medical Society, a member of the Disciplinary Commission with the South Carolina Board of Examiners, and as President of the International Society of Aquatic Medicine.  

Psychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of mental disorders. These include various maladaptations related to mood, behavior, cognition, and perceptions. Psychiatrists evaluate, diagnose, and treat patients with mental, emotional, and behavioral disorders. They conduct thorough psychiatric evaluations, develop treatment plans, prescribe medication, and evaluate treatment results.

With over five decades of experience, Dr. Berg has published in peer reviewed journals in the field of orthopedics and has participated in writings in orthopedic textbooks. She has also presented papers to the Orthopedic Society, the Society of Biomaterials, Gordon Research Conferences, as well as has given presentations to the Medical Society of Law and the Psychiatric Association.

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