Dear colleagues,
After over a decade of visionary leadership since establishing the Center for Depression Research and Clinical Care (CDRC) in 2015, Dr. Madhukar Trivedi, M.D., has decided to step down from his role as Director. Under Dr. Trivedi’s guidance, the CDRC has pioneered personalized medicine approaches to depression, advancing biomarkers for treatment response, innovative therapies like ketamine and TMS, and evidence-based programs that double remission rates through Measurement-Based Care.
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The center has also launched the Mood Disorders Network to train community physicians in screening and treating depression, and the Risk and Resilience Network partnering with schools to build youth mental health resilience and reduce stigma around suicide prevention – efforts that will transform care for adolescents, adults, and families nationwide. Dr. Trivedi’s landmark work, including the STAR*D study and Texas Medication Algorithm Project (TMAP), has set global benchmarks for mood disorder treatment.
While this is a significant change, it is a moment to celebrate Dr. Trivedi’s enduring legacy of scientific innovation and community impact. In the coming weeks, we will launch the search for the next director. Meanwhile, Dr. Trivedi will continue to serve as interim director until a new leader assumes the role.
Please join me in expressing deepest gratitude to Dr. Trivedi for his transformative contributions. We look forward to his continued research activities and involvement to advancing the CDRC’s mission of eliminating the burden of depression.
Cheers,
Tarek K. Rajji, M.D.
Professor and Chair
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Announcements - Ensuring Accessibility - Welcome New Faculty and Staff
In the Media - Kudos - Presentations - Save the Date
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NEW IN THIS ISSUE
- UTSW introduces streamlined international travel review process
- Sign up to be a mentor to residents
- A few tips can improve Excel document accessibility
- Amity Whitfield joins the Psychiatry Chair's Office
- APP Fellowship Program earns Accreditation with Distinction
- Dr. Lia Thomas, M.D., completes her term as AADPRT recruitment chair
- Davon Breedlove has been appointed to APA Division 40 EJI committee
- Faculty and residents present at AADPRT
- Mark your calendar for the next In-Person Psychiatry Grand Rounds
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NEW! International Travel Questionnaire is required for UTSW trips out of the country
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UT Southwestern is launching a streamlined process to review international travel for compliance with institutional policy, State of Texas requirements, federal funding agency requirements, and U.S. Department of State advisories.
All faculty, staff, trainees, students, and affiliates traveling to any international destination for UTSW business (including conferences, research, education, service, and global health programs) must complete the International Travel Questionnaire at least 30 days before finalizing travel plans. The questionnaire is also required for employees planning personal travel to countries designated as foreign adversaries.
A new international travel website (VPN or on-campus connection required) lists all the resources available to support anyone traveling internationally for business purposes or to high-risk destinations for personal reasons. You will find the questionnaire and how to track its approval status, as well as the most up-to-date list of restricted destinations and information on the process to request loaner devices.
Collaboration across institutions is intrinsic academic medicine, and this new effort is designed to facilitate UTSW’s continuous presence in international forums while maintaining compliance with all applicable regulations. If you have questions, contact the Research Security team.
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NEW! Sign up to mentor residents
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Would you like to be a mentor? As a mentor, you can provide guidance, direction, and support at all stages of a mentee's development, while also benefiting from your own professional development.
The Psychiatry residency program has run a Resident Mentoring Program for several years now, under the purview of the Psychiatry Residency Organization (PRO). Dr. Lia Thomas, M.D., Associate Program Director for the General Residency, is seeking faculty who are interested in serving as a mentor to one or more residents. If you are considering mentoring, please take a moment to fill out the form linked below with your academic interests, your clinical work, and your availability. The form will close on April 10.
| | | Voting is open for the U.S. News & World Report 'Best Hospitals' survey | |
U.S. News & World Report has begun its process to rank the best hospitals in the country for 2026-27. This includes a survey, which is now open to board-certified physicians in Psychiatry, requesting their input. If you are eligible, you have the opportunity to participate and influence our rankings this year.
The U.S. News survey is open from now through late March. You will need a Doximity profile to access it.
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If you have a profile, watch for an email from Doximity about the survey. If you don’t receive a message, log on to your profile through doximity.com or the Doximity app. You will see an icon or button allowing you to link to the survey.
- If you don’t have a Doximity profile, you can still register and participate.
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For questions about the survey, please email usnwrvotingquestions@utsouthwestern.edu.
Also, please keep in mind, voting for only one hospital for Psychiatry in the survey is important. Because of the methodology U.S. News applies to evaluate physician feedback, choosing more than one will dilute the impact of your selection.
| | | Two Addiction Medicine Fellows approved for 2027-2028 | Two Addiction Medicine Fellow positions have been approved to begin in the 2027-2028 Academic Year. The new fellows will join five Addiction Psychiatry Fellows in UT Southwestern's Psychiatry Department. | | | Connect with UTSW Psychiatry on LinkedIn | Are you active on LinkedIn? The UT Southwestern Psychiatry Department recently launched its own page. Follow UT Southwestern Department of Psychiatry now to be part of the conversation. This new social media channel joins the department's X (Twitter) account, which has been part of the department's outreach efforts since 2022. Be sure to tag us when you have good news to share. We love amplifying your good work. | | | Nominations are now open for UTSW Pinnacle Awards | |
Nominations for the 2026 UT Southwestern Pinnacle Awards are now open. The Pinnacle Awards recognize full-time or part-time Classified or Administrative and Professional employees who embody excellence, innovation, teamwork, and compassion – qualities that elevate our mission in education, research, and clinical care.
The awards will be presented in the following six categories:
• Distinguished Service Award
• Spirit of UT Southwestern Award
• Pinnacle Award for Excellence
• Pinnacle Award for Innovation
• Pinnacle Award for Teamwork (recognizes a team or cross-functional group of individuals)
• Pinnacle Award for Compassion
To learn more about each award and submit nominations, visit the UT Southwestern Pinnacle Awards website. Nominations will be accepted through March 22.
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NEW! Improve Excel document accessibility with these tips
| Excel documents are challenging for people using screen readers. Knowing how screen readers behave with Excel documents will help you improve the accessibility of the document. This webpage offers several tips on how to ensure everyone gets the most out of your Excel documents, including color usage, labeling conventions, and the best way to create tables. Like Microsoft Word, Excel offers real-time advice for making your documents accessible by selecting Check Accessibility under the Tools menu. | | | Microsoft Word offers real-time suggestions | Word includes a tool for checking accessibility in your document. It will indicate if there are any issues and the kinds of issue they are. Access the tool through the Word menu: Tools > Check Accessibility. It will open in the side panel for you to use. Keep it running and visible while you work for real-time suggestions on how to make your document more accessible.
Learn more about this tool and more on this webpage. | | | Welcome New Faculty and Staff | | |
NEW! Amity Whitfield has joined the Chair's Office as a Program Coordinator working with the Faculty Affairs team. She graduated from The University of Texas at Arlington in 2021 with a Bachelor’s degree in English. After graduation, she taught middle school English for several years before joining UTSW as an Administrative Associate in 2025. In her free time, she enjoys reading, going to concerts, and spending time with friends and family.
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Jarvia Johnson joins the Chair's Office as an Administrative Associate. She is a graduate of Louisiana State University with a bachelor’s degree in Clinical Psychology and comes to the department with three years of experience at UT Southwestern. She started as a Senior Administrative Associate for Support Services, followed by a year as a Senior Administrative Associate II for the Department of Pediatrics Critical Care Division. She loves to travel and engage in outdoor activities such as riding her 4-wheeler, fishing, hiking, hunting, and exercising, as well as reading self-improvement literature and spending time with her family.
| | | Dr. Kipp Pietrantonio, Ph.D., Dr. John Dykema, M.D., and Madeleine N. Fuselier, a graduate student researcher in Clinical Psychology (pictured left to right), recently contributed a MedBlog titled, "Understanding illness anxiety disorder and the risks of Dr. ChatGPT." Read the article here. | | | |
Dr. John Sadler, M.D., was interviewed on Get Psyched, a PsychSIGN Podcast in February. PsychSIGN is the Psychiatry Student Interest Group Network, sponsored by the American Psychiatric Association. Dr. Sadler's interview focuses on the intersection of psychiatry, ethics, and philosophy. Listen to the episode here or search for it on Apple Podcasts.
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Dr. Nicholas Westers, Psy.D., was interviewed for a Fort Worth Star-Telegram story titled, "In digital age, Texas experts stress content over time limits on kids’ screens." Read the story here (may be subject to a paywall).
| | | NEW! UT Southwestern’s APP Fellowship Program, including Adult Psychiatry, has earned APPFA Accreditation with Distinction, the highest honor granted by the Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship Association. This accreditation reflects a rigorous external review of our curriculum, outcomes, and learner experience, and affirms UTSW as a leading destination for advanced practice training. For more information about the APP Fellowship Program or collaboration opportunities, contact Amanda Ben Simon, PA-C. | | | |
NEW! Dr. Lia Thomas, M.D., has completed her three-year term as chair of the Recruitment committee at the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training (AADPRT).
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NEW! Davon Breedlove, a doctoral student in the Clinical Psychology Graduate Program, was appointed to serve as the Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (EJI) Representative on the Programs Committee for the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (APA Division 40).
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February's Golden Heart award for clinical excellence goes to Dr. Daniela Vela, Ph.D.
| | | NEW! Several faculty and residents presented at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training (AADPRT). Dr. Lia Thomas, M.D. (right side, top left photo), presented twice at the annual meeting – "Are We Playing on the Same Team? Navigating the Boundaries and Allegiances in Advising and Recruiting" and "The Reviews Are In! Learning the Art and Science of Peer Review." Dr. Bernice Yau, M.D. (second from left, top left photo), presented "No Publications, No Problem!: A Case-Based Guide to Publishing (for You and Your Trainees)." Dr. Will Burton, M.D., and Dr. Rachel Beck, M.D., both residents, and Dr. Josh Hubregsen, M.D. (pictured from left in the top right photo) presented during the Innovation Showcase. Dr. Burton presented "Introduction to Templates: The No-Stress Scheduling Success." Dr. Beck and Dr. Hubregsen co-presented "Concentrating on Interventional Psychiatry." Dr. Joseph Guillory, M.D. (bottom right photo, left side), presented "Meaningfully Engaged: IGNITE Community Partnerships in Training Programs" at the meeting. Dr. Kathlene Trello-Rishel, M.D. (second from right, bottom right photo), presented "This QI Project Is Fire! Inspiring GenZ Residents' Enthusiasm for Quality Improvement and Patient Safety." | | | UT Southwestern volunteers participated in the Black Men in White Coats Youth Summit on Feb. 21. The mentorship event exposed about 2,000 students from elementary school through college to careers in the medical field and taught them about the connection between emotions and the brain and how to practice mindfulness. The UTSW group included (above from left to right) faculty members Dr. Cate Orsak, M.D., and Dr. Emily Kahl, M.D., and residents Dr. Tanisha Adams, M.D., M.P.H. (front), Dr. Victoria Okuneye, M.D., Dr. Jennifer Oruebor, M.D., M.M.S. (front), Dr. Ayo Ifidon, M.D., Dr. Gameli Anthonio, M.D., and Dr. Nicholas Champagne-Aves, M.D. | | | Several UTSW students, staff, and faculty participated in the Texas Alzheimer's Research and Care Consortium (TARCC) Symposium as presenters, volunteers, and leadership, including Psychology Vice Chair Dr. Munro Cullum, Ph.D., and Psychology Division Chief Dr. Laura Lacritz, Ph.D. Dr. Cullum also serves as the Scientific Director of the conference. Next year's TARCC Symposium is planned for Jan. 14, 2027, in Austin. | | |
UPDATE! In-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds continue
Dr. Benoit Mulsant, M.D., M.S., FRCPC, DLFAPA, from the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Toronto, will present "Can we predict the future of psychiatry?" at an in-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds from Noon-1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 25. The presentation will be held in NG3.112 with a reception and food in NG3.108.
This is the latest in-person Psychiatry Grand Rounds. Don't miss your opportunity to learn from visiting physicians and educators when they come to UT Southwestern. In-person attendance reflects well on the Psychiatry Department and offers you the opportunity to interact directly with the visiting speaker. Other upcoming in-person grand rounds are listed below.
May 13
Dr. Alan F. Schatzberg, M.D., Stanford University, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
Presenting "Understanding the opioid effects of ketamine: implications for treatment development"
May 22
Dr. Frederick Nucifora Ph.D., D.O., M.H.S., Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine
Presenting "Schizophrenia, subtyping and treatment resistance"
Please watch for more information about all Grand Rounds via calendar invitations or by checking the UT Southwestern Events Calendar.
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