Mark Sullivan, MD, PhD

Personal Statement

My clinical service and research focuses on the interaction of mental and physical illness, especially in patients with chronic pain. Much of my research in recent decades has focused on the risks of treating chronic pain with opioids. I have developed educational programs and outcome tracking tools to assist with opioid treatment of chronic pain. I have published a book about patient empowerment in chronic disease care, The Patient as Agent of Health and Health Care (Oxford, 2017). I have another book written with Jane Ballantyne forthcoming, The Right to Pain Relief and other deep roots of the opioid epidemic (Oxford, 2022).

Education

Vanderbilt Univ. Sch. of Medicine Medical education, 1984
Univ. of Missouri Columbia Internship, Family Medicine
UW - Dept. of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences Residency, Psychiatry

Department Affiliations

Other Affiliations

UWMC Center for Pain Relief

Teaching Philosophy

​I like to have trainees manage patients under my supervision. Trainees need real responsibility to learn and develop management skills.
In didactic sessions, I strive for interaction between myself and trainees. I generally teach in a seminar format centered around case presentations. I expect all trainees to contribute to the discussion and the learning of others.

Recent Publications

A prospective cohort study of prescription opioid use and change in generalized anxiety in non-cancer pain.
(2025 Nov 29)
Gen Hosp Psychiatry 98(): 23-29
Metivier A, Chrusciel T, Miller-Matero LR, Salas J, Pappas C, Secrest S, Wilson L, Lustman P, Ahmedani B, Carpenter RW, Sullivan MD, Scherrer JF

Highly sensitive, real-time cortisol sensing with molecularly imprinted polymer nanoparticles on graphene electrodes in a microfluidic biosensor.
(2026 Mar 1)
Talanta 299(): 129141
Sullivan MV, Klein M, Mohan JM, Shen AQ

Development of practice guidelines for Complex Rehabilitation Technology wheelchair service, preventative maintenance, and repair.
(2025 Nov 24)
Assist Technol
Fried J, Schein RM, Pramana G, Walker W, Betz M, Sullivan M, Stanley R, Schmeler MR

Ribosomal protection as a linezolid resistance mechanism in Mycobacterium abscessus.
(2025 Oct 24)
bioRxiv
Funck T, McGowen K, Sullivan MR, Zinga S, Wolf ID, Nurjadi D, Denkinger CM, Rubin EJ

Association of Opioid Dose and Use Frequency with 12-Month Pain Severity and Function Trajectories.
(2025 Nov 11)
Pain Med
Salas J, Miller-Matero LR, Sullivan MD, Secrest S, Wilson L, Pappas C, Lustman PJ, Ahmedani B, Carpenter RW, Scherrer JF

Show complete publication list »
Edit Profile