Steven Pflanz MD

Dr. Steven Pflanz is appointed as the new Syracuse Veterans Affairs Medical Center Chief of Staff. In this role, Dr. Pflanz will oversee all clinical operations at the medical center and its 11 satellite clinics serving veterans across a 13-county area of central New York.  He recently served as Deputy Chief of Staff in 2023-2024 and worked as an inpatient psychiatrist for the previous three years. Dr. Pflanz grew up in Upstate New York, graduating from Cornell University and the University of Rochester School of Medicine. He retired from the Air Force in the rank of Colonel after a distinguished military care.  

Dr. Pflanz is a Veteran of Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan and has over two decades of experience leading a variety of healthcare organizations. He is a board-certified psychiatrist and an Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Upstate Medical University. Dr. Pflanz was the recipient of the University’s “Exceptional Moments in Teaching” award in 2021 and “Psychiatry Preceptor of the Year” award in 2022.  His research publications focus on suicide prevention and work stress. Dr. Pflanz has presented widely on the subjects of occupational psychiatry, suicide prevention, and psychiatry in film.