News & Stories

Heidi Combs, MD, Elected to New UW School of Medicine Curriculum Committee

Department news | January 31, 2015

The University of Washington School of Medicine is undergoing a curriculum renewal, with overall goals of shortening the preclinical (Foundations) phase, creating more time for electives and career exploration after required clerkships, and introducing more interactive educational methods. The curriculum renewal, which will go into effect for first-year medical students in the fall of 2015, will be governed by a new Curriculum Committee. After a school-wide vote, Heidi Combs, Director of our Psychiatry Clerkship and Chair of our Undergraduate Education Steering Committee, was elected as one of four Seattle faculty from clinical departments who will be members of this committee.

Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH, MA to serve on National Advisory Council for the Center for Mental Health Services

Department News | November 30, 2014

Jürgen Unützer, MD, MPH, MA has accepted an invitation to serve a three-year term on the National Advisory Council for the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS), a branch of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA). The primary responsibility of the CMHS National Advisory Council is to advise, consult with, and make recommendations concerning programmatic and policy matters for the integration of behavioral health into the current structure of primary care.

Paul Phillips, PhD honored with the Waletzky Award

Department News | November 30, 2014

The Society for Neuroscience (SfN) presented Paul Phillips, PhD with the prestigious Jacob P. Waletzky Award. Established in 2003 and supported by the Waletzky family, the $25,000 award is given to a scientist who has conducted research or plans to conduct research in the area of substance abuse and the brain and nervous system. The prize was presented at Neuroscience 2014, SfN’s annual meeting and the world’s largest source of emerging news about brain science and health.

Jesse Fann, MD, MPH receives the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine Research

Department News | November 30, 2014

The APM Research Award honors an individual currently studying psychopathology in the medically ill and is intended to recognize exceptional research and clinical work in the field. Jesse Fann, MD, MPH, an expert in treating psychological and behavioral problems following traumatic brain injury and spinal cord injury, accepted the award at the Academy’s fall scientific meeting in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida in November. His Research Award Lecture described the evolution of research into the epidemiology, assessment, patient preferences, treatment, and health service delivery of persons with depression following TBI Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)and Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) and made the case for future research directions and greater involvement of Psychosomatic Medicine in TBI and SCI.

Anna Ratzliff, MD, PhD wins Outstanding Junior Clinician Teacher Faculty Award

Department News | November 30, 2014

Each year, our department gives an award to an outstanding clinician teacher faculty member at the Instructor or Assistant Professor level, based on excellence in teaching and supervision, scholarship, educational leadership, local and national recognition as an educator, and excellence as a clinical role model. Anna Ratzliff, MD, PhD is the 2014 recipient of this award which will be presented at Graduation in June, 2015.