Dr. Amer Smajkic, MD, is a double board-certified Child, Adolescent, and General Psychiatrist with nearly three decades of clinical, academic, and research experience in Chicago. Originally from Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, he graduated from medical school before arriving in Chicago in 1994 as a refugee of the Bosnian war. His early work as a therapist at Chicago Health Outreach focused on refugees, immigrants, and survivors of war, shaping his lifelong commitment to trauma-informed care.
Dr. Smajkic developed strong academic ties with the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois at Chicago, working under the mentorship of Dr. Stevan Weine and Professor Ivan Pavkovic. He participated in national and international research on genocide, ethnic cleansing, PTSD, mood disorders, and refugee mental health, publishing multiple papers and presenting widely. He later completed his general psychiatry training and child and adolescent psychiatry fellowship at Rush University Medical Center.
Throughout his career, Dr. Smajkic has held leadership roles, including Director of Child Psychiatry Consult-Liaison Services at Rush, Assistant Professor at Rush University, Chairman of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Advocate Christ Hospital, and Director of the Child and Adolescent Inpatient Unit at Riveredge Hospital. His clinical expertise includes ADHD, developmental and learning disorders, anxiety, depression, and trauma-related conditions.
Dr. Smajkic is an active member of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is also a past president of the Bosnia-Herzegovinian American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
He is the owner and founder of Chicago Child Psychiatry Associates, providing specialized psychiatric care to children, teens, young adults, and adults through in-person and virtual services. In 2022–2025, he was recognized as one of Chicago’s top patient-rated psychiatrists.
