Dr. Fava obtained his medical degree from the University of Padova School of Medicine where he also completed his residency training in endocrinology. He completed his residency training in psychiatry at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in 1988 and he has been Director of the MGH Depression Clinical and Research Program (DCRP) since 1990.

Under Dr. Fava's direction, the DCRP has become one of the most highly regarded depression programs in the world, conducting research projects in a variety of areas, including pharmacotherapy of resistant depression, neuroimaging, genetics, neurophysiology, neuroendocrinology, novel pharmacotherapies, alternative medicine, and psychotherapy. Dr. Fava has successfully obtained funding for his program, as principal or co-principal investigator, from the National Institute of Health and industry for a total of more than $50,000,000 in the past 22 years. Dr. Fava has authored or co-authored more than 500 original articles published in medical journals with international circulation. He has also edited eight books, and published more than 50 chapters and 500 abstracts. Dr. Fava is also a well-known national and international speaker, having given more than 200 presentations at national and international meetings.

He is currently Executive Vice Chair for the MGH Department of Psychiatry, Executive Director, MGH Clinical Trials Network and Institute, Director, MGH Depression Clinical and Research Program (DCRP) and Slater Family Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. Dr. Fava is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Massachusetts General Hospital's Mind, Mood & Memory newsletter.