Department news | May 31, 2019

Barbara Juarez was honored this month with a 2019 Undergraduate Research Mentor Award at the Undergraduate Research Symposium after being nominated by her students. The Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium is a chance for undergraduates to present what they have learned through their research experiences to a larger audience. The Symposium also provides a forum for students, faculty, and the community to discuss cutting edge research topics and to examine the connection between research and education. "One of my goals as an academic scientist is to ensure undergraduates receive an enriched training environment in the laboratory by providing tailored mentoring plans to each individual based on their goals,” says Juarez. “I am extremely honored to receive this award."

Department news | May 31, 2019

Raymond Vath, MD, a retired clinical faculty member, recently received the 2019 MEDEX Pioneer Award. After attending medical school at the UW and graduating from our psychiatry residency program In 1969, he was hired on as faculty at the newly formed MEDEX Northwest program by founder Dr. Richard Smith. He worked with the team for two years before returning to his private practice in 1971. During his career he developed a treatment for anorexia nervosa and helped create the international aid organization Mercy Corps International (now Mercy Corps), where he served on the Board of Directors from 1979-2000. In 2005 Dr. Vath was named Humanitarian of the Year by the UW Medical School Association and received an Honorary Doctor of Humanities from Providence University Great Falls, MT. This 10-minute film documents Dr. Vath’s invaluable contributions.

Department news | April 30, 2019

Statistical information plays an important role in informing actions and policies to improve the health of individuals and communities. With this guiding principle, the National Center for Health Statistics and AcademyHealth developed the NCHS/AcademyHealth Health Policy Scholars Program. This year, Andrew Carlo, MD, a senior fellow / acting instructor in our department has been appointed as the 2019 NCHS/AcademyHealth Health Policy Scholar, an award which provides gives him unique access to restricted data file(s) (free-of-charge) through the NCHS Research Data Center (RDC), and potentially other Federal Statistical Research Data Centers (FSRDC), to enhance and improve his research. Dr. Carlo is currently a second-year fellow in the Geriatric Mental Health Services Research Fellowship Program and practices consult psychiatry in primary care, telehealth and emergency medicine settings. His primary research interests include behavioral health integration models in the primary care setting, and health policy relevant to the intersection between psychiatry and population health. Dr. Carlo trained in psychiatry at Harvard-Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital where he served as the Chief Resident in Public and Community Psychiatry. Congratulations!

Department news | April 30, 2019

Shaune DeMers, MD, has received UW Medicine’s PRAISE (Patient Reported Assessment In Satisfaction and Excellence) Award that recognizes excellent listening and communication skills among clinicians. Effective communication between physicians and patients contributes to higher-quality and more cost-effective care as well as better patient adherence to prescribed regimens. DeMers’ patients rated her among the top doctors in the nation for her listening and communication skills, making her a role model for UW Medicine’s Patients Are First Initiative. Thank you to Dr. DeMers for the wonderful care she provides to our patients and their families.

Department news | April 30, 2019

Kali Hobson, MD, a first year fellow (PGY-4) in the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program, is the recipient of the APA SAMHSA-funded Minority Fellowship Program. Dr. Hobson, a first year fellow (PGY-4) in the Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship Program, is the recipient of the APA SAMHSA-funded Minority Fellowship Program. This award provides her with funding for her research where she will be developing, implementing, and evaluating a bias reduction and racial disparities curricula for psychiatry and pediatric trainees. She will also be developing, with Roberto Montenegro, MD, PhD, a Bias Reduction in Curricula Content (BRICC) software program for the UW School of Medicine.

Department news | April 30, 2019

Anna Ratzliff, MD, PhD, has received the Distinguished Contributions to Lifelong Learning Award, the highest recognition for UW faculty who make significant contributions to lifelong learning at the UW. The annual UW Lifelong Learning Award honors full- and part-time University of Washington faculty who have designed and/or taught courses, seminars or workshops aimed at non-matriculated working adults and other nontraditional students, and who have received excellent teaching evaluations for that work.

Dr. Ratzliff is a professor in our department, the new director of our Psychiatry Residency Program, and a highly experienced and dedicated educator. She has been instrumental in starting and leading a state-funded Integrated Care Training Program, a year-long Community-Based Integrated Care Fellowship for psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners s seeking additional training in integrated care, the UW Psychiatry and Addictions Case Conference (UW PACC) series that connects community providers with UW Medicine psychiatrists and addictions experts, and All Patients Safe, a practical and engaging suicide prevention training for healthcare professionals.

"In classroom and individual interactions, she brings a lightness, excitement and authentic energy that are delightful to experience,” says a former student in the Community-Based Integrated Care Fellowship. “She shares generously of herself, both through undivided one-on-one attention and through her dynamic teaching presence. Her desire to spark change is energizing and inspiring-she has given me new direction for my personal practice and new hope for improvement in mental health care locally and nationally."

Department news | January 31, 2019

We are delighted to announce that Ty Lostutter, PhD, is this year's recipient of the Outstanding Clinician Teacher Junior Faculty Award. This award is given to an outstanding clinician teacher faculty member at the Assistant Professor level for excellence in teaching, curriculum development, educational scholarship, and/or educational administration. Dr. Lostutter is a stellar clinician, teacher, and supervisor; is Director of our Psychology Internship; has won the Outstanding Supervisor Award from the Adult Track Psychology residents; and has a track record of nationally-recognized scholarly work in addictions, particularly gambling. Congratulations, Ty! Dr. Lostutter will receive his award at our annual department Graduation Ceremony on June 21, 2019. Past recipients include Suzanne Murray, MD; Heidi Combs, MD; Ray Hsiao, MD; Anna Ratzliff, MD, PhD; Ian Kodish, MD, PhD; Will French, MD; Jesse Markman, MD; Jennifer Piel, MD, JD; and Jonathan Buchholz, MD.

Department news | January 31, 2019

Congratulations to child psychiatry resident Nana-Aba Nduom, MD, for receiving a UW Medicine 2019 Golden Eddy award! Each year, the Golden Eddy Awards recognize UW Medicine team members who demonstrate excellence in patient and family education. Dr. Nduom is being recognized for developing patient educational materials on the use of antidepressants in pregnancy. She developed this material as part of her involvement in the Perinatal Psychiatry Pathway led by Deb Cowley, MD, and Amritha Bhat, MD. The overall goal of this pathway is to develop the knowledge base and clinical skills of psychiatry residents in assessment and treatment of psychiatric symptoms during pregnancy, postpartum, and in women wishing to conceive.

Department news | November 30, 2018

Debra Kaysen, PhD, ABPP, is the new President-Elect of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS), the leading scientific professional organization on traumatic stress. ISTSS is run by a committed group of elected and unelected volunteers from the various trauma-related disciplines around the world, and its members come from a variety of clinical and non-clinical settings including public and private health facilities, private practice, universities and non-university research foundations. Dr. Kaysen’s research is situated at the interface of PTSD and addictions and includes both etiologic and prevention/treatment-oriented studies. She directs the UW Trauma Recovery Innovations program and is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences with adjunct positions in the Departments of Psychology and of Global Health. Dr. Kaysen will serve as President for a one year term.