RFC Alumni: Andrea DeSimone, DO

Dr. Andrea DeSimone is a board-certified psychiatrist at Bayhealth. As the department chair, she is instrumental in expanding psychiatric services across the hospital system. Dr. DeSimone is an alumna of the Rowan University School of Osteopathic Medicine. Following her academic achievements, she successfully completed her psychiatry residency at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. Subsequently, she pursued advanced training in consultation-liaison psychiatry through a fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital, solidifying her expertise in the field. 

Dr. DeSimone is deeply invested in academic and leadership, evident in her involvement with the AOGME Resident and Fellow Council (RFC) during her residency. As a member of the RFC executive leadership, she led a plethora of initiatives to advance the osteopathic profession and presented to hundreds of medical students on residency match preparation. Dr. DeSimone’s leadership extends to various councils and committees, including as the chair of the Membership and Recruitment Committee for the RFC, the AOA Bureau of Emerging Leaders, and as a representative for the Young Physicians Committee of the Pennsylvania Osteopathic Medicine Association.  

Today, as an attending physician, Dr. DeSimone contributes as a faculty member for both the internal medicine and family medicine residency programs where she enjoys the time training students and residents. Bayhealth serves as a core clinical campus for the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine, hosting a broad range of residency programs in internal medicine, family medicine, general surgery, and emergency medicine.  Given Bayhealth's presence in Kent and Sussex Counties in Delaware, areas that are notably underserved in terms of medical resources and considering the Sussex Campus's focus on a rural community, Dr. DeSimone is committed to improving healthcare access. Her specific focus is on patients hospitalized for acute medical issues who also encounter acute psychiatric challenges. 

Presently, Dr. DeSimone holds several notable positions: councilor at Large for the Delaware Psychiatric Society, downstate representative for the Delaware State Osteopathic Medical Society, a member of the Medical Society of Delaware's Committee on Ethics, and part of the Fellowship & Awards Committee at the Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. She is also involved in the AACOM UME-GME Taskforce, co-chairs the Patient Centered Care Subcommittee of the Delaware Department of Human Services' Addiction Action Committee, and actively participates in Bayhealth's Behavioral Health Steering Committee, Ethics Committee, Graduate Medical Education Committee, and chairs the GME Diversity Equity and Inclusion Committee. 

Outside of work, Dr. DeSimone enjoys beachside reading, experimenting with new plant-based recipes in the kitchen, and indulging in true crime documentaries. Her passion for swimming extends to teaching youth and adaptive aquatics.