Our fall Faculty Development Retreat took place on October 16, 2024. This hybrid retreat included two learning sessions for our department’s researchers, clinicians, and educators. Session one was called Forensic Files and it focused on the forensic psychiatry people do daily. Led by Heidi Combs, MD, MS, participants reflected on what forensic psychiatry is and how they engage in this work in their clinical practice. There was also a breakout session for faculty primarily engaged in research. This breakout group, led by Mark Reger, PhD, specifically focused on suicide risk management. “The management of suicide risk in research is such a universal challenge. I hope attendees walked away with new ideas about how to manage risk in mental health research,” said Dr. Reger.

Session two focused on leadership with Anna Ratzliff, MD, PhD leading a workshop called You Don’t Need a Title to be a Leader. “We had a robust discussion of how knowledge of your leadership style can help improve your impact as a leader,” Dr. Ratzliff said. For participants who are primarily engaged in research, Mary Larimer, PhD facilitated a discussion on leadership in research settings and to conclude the afternoon, Ramanpreet Toor, MD gave a didactic on diversity in leadership including disparities based on race and gender in medicine, and the impacts of these disparities. Nearly 50 people were in attendance for this year’s retreat.