Aria Ruggiero is a licensed clinical psychologist with specialization in clinical health psychology. She received her doctoral degree (PhD) in clinical health psychology from UNC Charlotte. She completed a predoctoral internship at the Atlanta VA Medical Center, with rotations in health psychology, substance use, medical inpatient consultation/liaison, post-traumatic stress disorder clinics, and outpatient mental health. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Behavioral Medicine at MUSC with specialized focus in evaluation and treatment of patients pursuing solid organ transplant. Dr. Ruggiero has now joined MUSC faculty as a Clinical Assistant Professor to continue her clinical work within the Division of BioBehavioral Medicine. She works with patients who are experiencing various medical conditions, including end-stage organ disease and cancer, to conduct pre-surgical evaluations and provide evidence-based interventions to help improve their adjustment to chronic illness and quality of life.