Terry D. Schneekloth, M.D.

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SUMMARY

Terry D. Schneekloth, M.D., specializes in transplant and addiction psychiatry. Dr. Schneekloth evaluates and treats psychiatric and substance use disorders in patients undergoing solid organ and bone marrow transplants, and organ donors. He pursues research on the optimal care of organ recipients before and after a transplant to improve survival and quality of life after a transplant.

Focus areas

• Outcomes of addiction treatment and Alcoholics Anonymous attendance before and after a transplant. Dr. Schneekloth has previously published on the positive impact of completing primary addiction treatment before a transplant and attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings in lowering the return to drinking after a transplant, compared to reported relapse rates at other centers. He continues to investigate those psychosocial factors positively impacting sobriety and outcomes after a transplant.
• Impact of comorbid psychiatric disorders in organ transplant recipients. Co-occurring depression, bipolar disorder and anxiety in solid organ and bone marrow transplant candidates may negatively affect outcomes after a transplant. Dr. Schneekloth develops strategies to effectively treat these comorbid disorders, improve quality of life and reduce recurrence of psychiatric disorders after a transplant.
• Cannabis use after organ transplantation. With changes in many state laws to allow medical marijuana and recreational cannabis, the impact of cannabis use before and after a transplant surgery may have significant health implications. Dr. Schneekloth has developed a protocol to investigate the impact of cannabis use — smoked and edibles — after a transplant. This protocol focuses on recipient outcomes, including medication and medical care adherence, infections, and survival.

Significance to patient care

Transplant preparation and the recovery process are very stressful life events for organ recipients and their family members. Psychiatric and substance use disorders that occur at the same time as a transplant may worsen the distress and the likelihood of positive outcomes after a transplant. This includes full recovery. Dr. Schneekloth pursues research that improves assessment before a transplant, better manages substance use and psychiatric disorders, and better treats these disorders long term. His goal is to improve patients' quality of life and survival after a transplant.

Professional highlights

• Medical director of Psychosocial Practice, William J. Von Liebig Center for Transplantation and Clinical Regeneration, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, 2023-present.
• Chair, Department of Psychiatry and Psychology, Mayo Clinic in Arizona, 2020-2023.
• Director, Addiction Services, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, 2003-2013.