NEW! Check the Standard Operating Procedures section on SharePoint regularly

Be sure to check the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) section of the Psychiatry Department SharePoint regularly for the latest updates on department procedures. Some of the SOPs added recently include the process and requirements for obtaining signatures from the Department Chair, Vice Chair, or Department Administrator, shift differential compensation for work in the Parkland Emergency Services, and guidelines for placing plant/flower orders, among others. The SharePoint page also has SOPs on a variety of other important subjects that you may find useful.

International Travel Questionnaire is required for UTSW trips out of the country

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. 

Sign up to mentor residents

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. 

• 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.
• 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.

NEW! Accessibility is a must when sharing PowerPoint slides

Do you create PowerPoint slides for your role at UT Southwestern? If so, chances are good that you share them digitally with others in addition to giving presentations. Creating accessible files is an essential step in ensuring that everyone who uses them receives the message as intended. For instance, did you know that the screen reading order on a page can be affected by the order in which elements were added? What about videos embedded in your slides? A transcript can be very helpful for individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Learn more quick tips on how to make your PowerPoint docs more useful with this UTSW accessibility page or take a deep dive into PowerPoint accessibility with best practices and specific advice for multiple operating systems.

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.

NEW! Dr. Amanda LeBel, Ph.D., joins UT Southwestern's Department of Psychiatry as a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Anila D'Mello's lab, where she will investigate semantic and linguistic processing in autistic individuals using fMRI. Dr. LeBel earned her doctorate in Neuroscience at the University of California, Berkeley, studying the role of the cerebellum in semantic processing using fMRI and naturalistic stimuli. Prior to that, she worked as a research assistant at The University of Texas at Austin.

NEW! Dr. Jing Jin, Ph.D., joins the Psychiatry Department as a postdoctoral researcher in Dr. Hamed Ekhtiari’s lab. Her current work focuses on conducting clinical trials for fMRI-informed individualized transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) interventions in addiction and related conditions, while investigating the underlying neural mechanisms driving these therapeutic effects. She earned her Ph.D. in Psychiatry from Capital Medical University, China, where her research centered on neuroimaging analysis and the application of individualized TMS for depression.

NEW! Latasha "Tasha" Davis joins the Psychiatry Department as a Medical Assistant. She has worked at UTSW for seven years after starting in the call center as a CSA I&II. She worked there for three years and later transferred to the float pool as a Float Medical Assistant. As time permits, she works as a travel agent and loves to travel. She also enjoys arts and crafts. 

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.

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 Assistant for Support Services, followed by a year as a Senior Administrative Assistant 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.

NEW! Dr. Meitra Doty, M.D., was recently profiled for a departmental article about a growing interest among residents in women's mental health training. Read the article here.

NEW! Dr. Jane Foster, Ph.D., was recently interviewed for an article in The Economist, titled "Faecal transplants - a treatment for bipolar disorder?" Read the story here (may be subject to a paywall).

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. Robert Greene, M.D., Ph.D., was recently profiled in Center Times Plus on the occasion of being named a Professor Emeritus. 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.

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).

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.

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).

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).

Dr. Molin Shi, Ph.D., and the Adolescent and Young Adult (AYA) Psycho-Oncology Research Team have received a grant award of $66,000 from the Rutledge Cancer Foundation for the AYA Care Plan. 

NEW! Several faculty and residents presented at the American Neuropsychiatric Association (ANPA) 36th Annual Meeting in March. Pictures from the meeting include (clockwise from top left): Dr. Victoria Ragland, M.D., presented "Role of Habenula-Striatum Circuit in Anticipatory versus Consummatory Anhedonia"; Dr. Victor Liaw, M.D., presented "Cognitive Impairment in Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome"; Dr. Kathy Niu, M.D., pictured with Dr. Jaclyn Hozumi, M.D., presented "Post Stroke Psychosis Following L ACA Medial Frontal Lobe and L MCA Cortical Infarcts"; and Dr. Moez Bashir, M.D., pictured with co-author Dr. Chadrick Lane, M.D., and Dr. Niu, presented "A Feasibility Analysis of Using Quantitative Pupillometry in Evaluating Functional Neurological Disorder."

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."  

NEW! Learn more about brain stimulation for treatment resistant depression and earn CME credits

Attend a discussion of the rapidly evolving field of brain stimulation for treatment resistant depression (TRD), Wednesday, March 25, at 6 p.m. in the Education Center at Clements University Hospital (CUH2.138). The session will include a brief update and a case-based discussion of when to consider established or emerging brain stimulation therapies. Featured speakers include Dr. Andre Russowsky Brunoni, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A., Dr. Kala Bailey, M.D., M.B.A., Dr. Josh Hubregsen, M.D., and Dr. Nader Pouratian, M.D., Ph.D.

Topics to be covered include transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), and deep brain stimulation (DBS), including the ongoing TRANSCEND trial. The event will be followed by a brief reception. 

The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas designates this continuing education activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits™. Each physician should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

NEW! NAMIWalks North Texas is set for May 16

Join the UT Southwestern team at NAMIWalks North Texas, a community event dedicated to raising awareness and support for mental health from 8 a.m.-Noon on Saturday, May 16 at Grandscape in The Colony.

Ways to get involved:

• Walk with our team
• Volunteer on walk day

A kickoff party is planned from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 22 at Heritage Pizza and Taproom, 3750 Plano Pkwy., in Plano. Come enjoy pizza, conversation, and Walk Day poster decorating as the group prepares for the 2026 walk.

NEW! OBI Physician-Scientist Trainee Symposium set

Medical students from UT Southwestern and institutions around the U.S. will present their neuroscience research at the updated OBI Physician-Scientist Trainee Symposium, from 8:30 a.m.-3:45 p.m., July 17, in the T. Boone Pickens Auditorium (NG 3.112). Join us to hear about their exciting original work and network with our clinician/scientist community. Breakfast and lunch will be provided.

Full talk titles are included in the calendar invitation, which will be sent to individuals who complete the RSVP link below. Have questions? Contact Mary-Colette at Mary.Lybrand@utsouthwestern.edu. 

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.

NEW! What to do when contacted by news media

Faculty, researchers, and other employees who have been approached by the news media for an interview should contact UT Southwestern Media Relations to ensure that all communication policies are being followed correctly. The Media Relations team can assist in scheduling, interview prep, and obtaining appropriate permissions prior to the interview.