Benton, KS — Russell E. Scheffer MD is being recognized by Continental Who’s Who as a Top Psychiatrist for his outstanding achievements in psychiatry and his professional excellence as a Medical Director with Cigna Healthcare.

Having led an extensive medical career, Russell E. Scheffer MD is a well-respected, board-certified psychiatrist with nearly 30 years of academic and clinical excellence. He has garnered a well-deserving reputation as one of the Best Doctors in America since 2005 for his devotion to serving his patients and the medical community. In his current capacity, Dr. Scheffer serves as the medical director within Cigna Healthcare, a global health service company that offers health, pharmacy, dental, supplemental insurance, and Medicare plans to individuals, families, and businesses. He is responsible for consulting and reviewing policies. Alongside his role as Cigna, Dr. Scheffer operates a small private practice where he offers his expertise in child, adolescent, and family psychiatry, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, ADHD, and more.
A graduate of the University of Nebraska, Dr. Scheffer completed his undergraduate studies in biology and chemistry in 1982. He went on to further his training in chemistry at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York, from 1983 to 1985. Following this, he obtained his Bachelor of Science degree in human biology from the University of Kansas in 1987. In that same year, he began the health professional scholarship program with the U.S. Army Reserves until his completion in 1991. His medical career began after he earned his medical degree from Kansas University Medical Center in 1991, followed by completing his general psychiatry internship and residency at the Dwight David Eisenhower Army Medical Center in 1995. Shortly after, he completed a child, adolescent, and family psychiatry fellowship at DDEAMC/Medical College of Georgia in 1996. With a commitment to excellence, Dr. Scheffer is board certified in Child, Adolescent, and General Psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is currently pursuing his MBA at the University of Kansas.
Throughout his military service, Dr. Scheffer gained valuable experience on active duty with the U.S. Army Medical Department. He served his military obligation at Fort Hood, TX, and Fort Gordon, GA. As a testament to his outstanding service, he is the recipient of numerous awards by the department, including the Army Commendation Award, the Army Achievement Award, the Army Superior Unit Award, and the Cold War Victory Award. While a full-time active duty officer, he served academic appointments at the Medical College of Georgia as an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry from 1996 to 2002 and at A&M Health Science Center as an Assistant Professor of Psychiatry from 1996 to 1998. Dr. Scheffer has served various other academic appointments in psychiatry, pediatrics, and behavioral sciences. He held the Chucker Airing Chair for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin/MCW.
Remaining abreast of the latest advancements in his field, Dr. Scheffer maintains active memberships with several professional organizations, including the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the International Early Psychosis Association, the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, the International Society for Affective Disorders, the Kansas Medical Society, the Medical Society of Sedgwick County, the Kansas Psychiatric Society, the International Society of Psychiatric Genetics, and the American Association of Physicians. He is a distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a member of the Educational Board Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and an Ad Hoc reviewer for Journals. In addition, Dr. Scheffer currently sits on various editorial boards as a researcher and peer reviewer, including Schizophrenia Research, Academic Psychiatry, Biological Psychiatry, Bipolar Disorders, Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, and many more. His research interests include psychopharmacology, bipolar disorder, psychotic disorders, ADHD, depression, pharmacogenomics, and biological markers. Dr. Scheffer has published numerous articles, books, and chapters.
An exemplary member of his field, Dr. Scheffer has received numerous awards, honors, and accolades throughout his extensive clinical and academic career. He is the recipient of the KUMC Endowment Association Early Career Award, the Anthony Meyer Best Teacher Award by the Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Division Medical College of Wisconsin, and the Outstanding Teacher Award by the Child Psychiatry Division UT Southwestern Medical Center, to name a few. In addition, he was named America’s Top Psychiatrist from 2007-2008 and among the Best Doctors in America from 2005-2015.
To learn more about Cigna Healthcare, please visit https://www.cigna.com/.
Dr. Scheffer’s research can be found at https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Russell+E.+Scheffer.