July 19, 2023
With this issue of our newsletter, we have a chance to welcome our new psychiatry residency class. We are pleased to see you all. You are here to set your careers on a new trajectory in psychiatry. You will have a chance to learn, grow, and experience the growth of our hospitals and our field during these next four (possibly more) years. We hope to make this a deep learning experience, helping you grow with peers and learn from individuals you care for, as well as your teachers. Psychiatry is very broad and its specialties distinctive, giving you a lot to become skilled at, and the field is growing in its brain sciences. We are proud that you have chosen to be a learner here at UT Southwestern Psychiatry. You have many teachers and mentors here for your journey. Welcome!
--Carol A. Tamminga, M.D.
Department Chair
The Psychiatry Residents Organization celebrated the new academic year on July 1; pictured: many of the residents and faculty who attended.
15th in USA!
Our Doximity Residency Reputation Ranking for 2023-2024 continues at #15 in the USA!
Training Director Adam Brenner, M.D., with new residents on first day of orientation
Also in This Issue
An Update on DEI Initiatives -- Synergy Grants Nominations -- Welcome New Faculty and Staff -- Awards and Accomplishments -- Upcoming Events -- Postdoctoral Association Works in Progress -- OBI News
Did You Know?
UT Southwestern has released an update on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives, the ramifications of Texas Senate Bill 17, and the Supreme Court ruling regarding the use of race in college admissions across higher educational institutions. To learn more, read the update and review the current FAQ (institutional log-in required).
Call for Nominations: Synergy Grants
Nominations are now open for the 2023 Synergy Grants for Collaborative Research. The Synergy Grants program seeks to stimulate scientific partnerships between clinicians and basic scientists at UT Southwestern. New projects involving a collaboration between a practicing physician and a basic scientist in any area of research will be considered. Up to seven Synergy Grant awards will be made with funding of $100,000 for one to two years of research support beginning in the Spring of 2024. Applications are due August 1. Find more information and details of submission here.
Welcome New Faculty and Staff!
Faculty
  • Maria Velasco Gaitan, M.D., Assistant Professor, Parkland Outpatient Psychiatry Clinic
  • Adrian Mejia, M.D., Assistant Professor, Community Psychiatry Workforce Expansion, Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium
  • Michael Preston, M.D., Assistant Professor, Children's Health Outpatient Clinic

Staff
  • Virgilio Garza, Clinical Research Assistant II, Mood Disorders
Faculty Openings
We have many opportunities!
Awards and Accomplishments
American Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry 2023
The ADMSEP Annual Meeting took place in San Diego in June. Our department was well represented in the various workshops, presentations, and networking opportunities throughout the conference, and Lia Thomas, M.D., became the organization's President.

(Pictured left to right: Sarah Baker, Chad Lane, Lia Thomas, Adriane dela Cruz, Ann Tennier)
Sarah Baker, M.D., and Chad Lane, M.D. (pictured in the middle), presented the workshop Today, You are You! Shaping Strong Personal Statements.
Drs. Baker and Lane also presented the workshop Oh the Places You'll Go! Elements of Program Implementation, Advising, and Selecting Students for Visiting Rotations.
Dr. Baker and newly graduated resident Kwame Nuako, M.D., presented the poster Enhancing Psychiatry Education Through a Psychiatry and Pop Culture Elective Course for Medical Students.
Timothy Wolff, M.D., co-led an online open forum for new training directors sponsored by the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training.
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The Geriatric and Neuropsychiatry Program at the
UT Southwestern Medical Center – Multispecialty Psychiatry Clinic has been recognized as an Age-Friendly Health System Participant. This designation is based on implementation of structured practices to support the "4 M's" for geriatric care (Mentation, Medication, Mobility, and What Matters).
2023 PACT Awards
The PACT (Problem Solving, Ability, Attitude, and Accountability, Communications and Compassion, and Teamwork) Program at UT Southwestern recognizes those who exhibit exceptional behaviors that achieve the goal of excellence in patient care and customer service. Congratulations to the recipients!
Jim Norcross, M.D., presenting Katherine Bellone Mount, Ph.D., with her PACT award.
Daniel White presenting Taylor Conerly, Senior Administrative Assistant II, with her PACT award.
Jessica Helphrey, M.S., fourth-year Clinical Psychology doctoral candidate, spoke at Edgemere Senior Living in North Dallas to educate the community about promoting brain health during aging. After the talk, she and Christian LoBue, Ph.D., her dissertation chair, answered questions and shared more information about ongoing studies in the Brain Lab at UTSW, which include studying non-invasive brain stimulation as a treatment for cognitive impairment.
Mustafa Husain, M.D., was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Association of Physicians of Pakistani Descent (APPNA).
Upcoming Events
Shaping Careers in Science:
The LGBTQIA+ Perspective
Thursday, July 20, 12:00 p.m., NL3.120
Panel members, including Shawn McClintock, Ph.D., M.S.C.S., will unveil specific journeys encountered by professionals in their scientific advancement.
Lunch will be provided on a first come, first served basis.
Minority Mental Health Awareness Month
July marks Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, an opportunity for health care workers and patients to understand the unique struggles racial and ethnic minorities face with regard to mental illness. Click the links below for details on each session, registration information, or to add the events to your calendar:
 
Olufunke Awosogba, Ph.D., presented Breaking the Cycle: A Call to Action for Emotional, Mental, and Physical Wellness as a part of Minority Mental Health Awareness Month on July 13. Recordings of the session will be available on the Faculty Wellness website.
Recovery Workshop: ROCC Stars Unite
Sunday, July 23, 2023; 1:00 to 3:30 p.m. (online)

Join peer support specialists who will teach key concepts on mental health recovery through an engaging presentation and group discussion. This workshop is for the entire community: those with and without personal mental health experiences, health professionals, community leaders, and more. Register to attend.
Didactic Session: Negotiating for Success
Tuesday, July 25, 2023; 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (online)

Join this month's session on successful project development and the grant application process as part of the Clinical Research Catalyst, a career development program for clinical researchers. Register to attend.
Get Well, Be Well, Stay Well: Understanding Wellness Becomes Healing - A Family Affair
Thursday, July 27, 2023; 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (hybrid)

Harold C. Simmons Cancer Center at UT Southwestern
3rd floor Thompson Family Conference Center (NM3.930)

Discover the critical role families play in promoting mental health within minority communities. Gain insights, personal experiences, and practical strategies to foster resilience, open communication, and embrace cultural strengths for healing and well-being. Register to attend.
Psychiatry Department Town Hall
Wednesday, August 2, 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. via Zoom. Calendar invitations with Zoom meeting links were emailed from "Psych Chair Scheduling" on January 4, 2023.  
If you need to receive the link or if you have any questions or topics to suggest for discussion during the meeting, please email Robbin Peck or submit via Form
PeriPAN Grand Rounds
Tuesday, August 15, 2023; 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (online)

Substance Use in the Perinatal and Postpartum Periods

While there is no fee to attend, participants must register. Register to attend virtually. Upon registration, participants will receive the Zoom event ID and link to join the webinar. For additional information, click here.
SUCCESS Fall Workshops
Part I: Tuesday, September 19, 2023; 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.(online)
Part II: Tuesday, September 26, 2023; 12:30 to 5:00 p.m. (online)

The Starting University Clinical Careers Effectively, Scholarly, and Successfully (SUCCESS) programs help clinician-educators thrive at UT Southwestern by providing training in the four domains of excellence required for academic promotion: Clinicians, Educators, Scholars, and Institutional Citizens. Register today for Part I and Part II.
The O'Donnell Brain Institute Events and Funding email is sent to OBI members or affiliates typically on each Monday and provides information about upcoming seminars, grand rounds, symposia, and other collaborative and educational opportunities, along with details on available research funding opportunities from internal and external sources. If you would like to receive these OBI communications, please complete the OBI email sign-up form. 
You are receiving this newsletter as a member or affiliate of the psychiatry department. The newsletter is typically sent the third Wednesday of the month.
If you would like to submit an item, the deadline is the second Wednesday of the month. Please email psychiatry.communications@utsouthwestern.edu.