Psychiatry@YaleHeader08192011

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Anna Fiskin, MD (left) with Frances Roberts (right).

Memorial fund supports training in social psychiatry

The Bertram H. Roberts Memorial Fund provides support for medical students and residents to complete projects in the field of social psychiatry. Dr. Roberts was well known for his contributions to the field of social psychiatry, which focuses on the interpersonal and cross-cultural context of mental illness and treatment modalities. Frances Roberts (above right), Dr. Roberts's widow, is photographed with Anna Fiskin, MD (above left), a second-year psychiatry resident whose work benefited from the fund. Read more 

Kathleen Carroll appointed the Kent Professor of Psychiatry

Kathleen M. Carroll, PhD, was recently named the Albert E. Kent Professor of Psychiatry. Dr. Carroll is director of the Psychotherapy Development Research Center at Yale and focuses her research on the development and evaluation of behavioral treatments and combinations of behavioral therapies and pharmacotherapies, with an emphasis on improving the quality and rigor of clinical efficacy research in addiction. Read more 

Yale scientists revisit biochemical basis for depression

Symptoms of depression and anxiety can be induced in mice by increasing levels of acetylcholine, suggesting that depression may have different biochemical roots than previously believed, Yale School of Medicine researchers report in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Marina Picciotto, PhD, the Charles B. G. Murphy Professor of Psychiatry and professor of neurobiology and of pharmacology, is senior author. Read more 

Recalling Martin Luther King: Obama's effect on memory

New data published in the American Journal of Psychiatry suggests that memory distortion related to the election of Barack Obama to President of the United States may have implications for understanding how social stereotypes and sociocultural change affect memory. After Obama's election, when asked "Who was Martin Luther King, Jr.?", more respondents answer "President." Peter Morgan, MD, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry, is author. Read the letter 

Sleight of hand, sleight of mind: Illusions, delusions and the immune system

We often make a distinction between brains and brawn, between the mind and the body. But this mind/body dualism does not actually exist. Instead, our bodies shape how our brains work, and vice versa. And the immune system could be an intersection between body and brain. Philip Corlett, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry, contributes a guest post to The Scicurious Brain, of the Scientific American blog network. Read the post 

Group promotes mentorship, networking for minority residents

Ayana Jordan, MD, PhD (pictured), a second-year resident in the Department of Psychiatry, and Opeyemi Lamikanra, MD, a third-year resident in the Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, are re-launching and co-chairing the Yale-New Haven Hospital Minority Housestaff Organization to help recruit and retain underrepresented minority residents. The organization's first meeting in November 2012 was attended by 26 residents from a majority of specialties. Read more 

Psychiatry resident leads wellness course for medical students

Robert Feeley, MD, a first-year psychiatry resident and member of the Yale Psychiatry Wellness Initiative, recently taught a four-day course to 19 Yale medical students, helping them learn how to de-stress through yoga, breathing, and meditation. The course, called Your Enlightened Side Plus, is popular across college and graduate school campuses. Read more 

Online CME: Cultural Sensitivity in the Patient-Clinician Relationship

Yale clinicians have created online coursework which meets the State of Connecticut requirement that licensed physicians and surgeons complete continuing medical education in cultural competency. The tutorial is available free of charge and its development was led by Esperanza Diaz, MD, associate professor of psychiatry, medical director of the Connecticut Mental Health Center's Hispanic Clinic, and an associate director of the Yale psychiatry residency. Take the cultural competency module for 1 CME Credit 

Joan Cook is appointed to American Psychological Association panel tasked with developing guideline for PTSD treatment

The American Psychological Association Board of Directors has named Joan M. Cook, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry, to its Clinical Treatment Guideline Development Panel for Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Dr. Cook is affiliated with the department's Psychology Section. Read more  

VIDEO: Yale OCD Research Clinic

Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry and director of the Yale OCD Research Clinic at the Connecticut Mental Health Center, talks about obsessive-compulsive disorder and the Clinic's newest treatment trial. The Clinic has a 25-year history of advances in the neurobiological understanding and treatment of OCD. Watch the video 

Seth Feuerstein is named a Healthcare Hero

Seth Feuerstein, MD, JD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry, was named a Healthcare Hero by Business New Haven for founding Little Wonder, a not-for-profit organization that aims to improve the experience of those undergoing cancer treatment. Little Wonder provides complimentary tickets for cultural and sporting events to patients at Yale-New Haven's Smilow Cancer Hospital. Read more 

Yale medical students take top prizes in essay contest

Three Yale medical students who wrote essays on mental health and addiction took home the top prizes in the 2012 Kaplan Essay Contest at the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine. Andrew Kobets, Jordan Sloshower, and Michelle T. Joy submitted essays on Tourette syndrome, mental health care in Peru, and heroin detoxification, respectively. Read more 

Andrew Solomon will be special guest at Neuroscience 2013

Andrew Solomon will be the featured speaker at this year's Neuroscience symposium. Solomon is winner of the National Book Award, and author of The Noonday Demon: An Atlas of Depression and Far From the Tree: Parents, Children, and the Search for Identity. He is also a special advisor on issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender mental health for Yale's Department of Psychiatry. Read more and register online 

Alumni Spotlight

SAVE THE DATE: Yale Psychiatry Alumni Reception at APA

The Yale Department of Psychiatry will host a reception for its alumni at the annual meeting of the American Psychiatric Association. This year's reception will be held Monday, May 20th at 6:00 pm in San Francisco, CA. Further details, as well as the recipient of this year's Distinguished Alumni Award, will be announced soon. We hope you will be able to join us! 

Alumni, please submit news and updates to [email protected].

In Memoriam

Louis J. Kaplan

Louis Jack Kaplan, MA, who served as associate dean for government and community affairs during a turbulent era in the history of Yale School of Medicine and played pivotal roles in the development of the institution, died on January 8 in Springfield, Va. He was 96. His work helped to establish the Connecticut Mental Health Center and the Yale Comprehensive Cancer Center. Read more 

Photo Album

Photo 1: Good Food, Good Friends, Good Cause: On Monday, January 28th, Miya's Sushi and the Yale Psychiatry Wellness Initiative hosted a dinner to benefit the Immanuel Baptist Shelter for homeless men. The event featured classic Miya's sushi as well as new creations by Common Ground high school students. Behind the counter are Bun Lai (right), chef and owner of Miya's Sushi; and David Ross, MD, PhD (right), assistant professor of psychiatry and an associate program director of the Yale psychiatry residency. In the front row (from left to right), third-year psychiatry resident Beth Grunschel, MD; Common Ground high school student C.J.; Meredith Siefert, Oberlin College student and Miya's Sushi intern; Common Ground high school students Jenny and Janet; second-year psychiatry resident Ayana Jordan, MD, PhD; and third-year psychiatry resident Yauss Safavi, MD.

Photo 2: Strides for Sandy Hook 5K: On Saturday, January 19th, a group of Yale Psychiatry runners showed their support for the victims of the Newtown tragedy by participating in the Strides for Sandy Hook 5K run. From left to right, Ilan Harpaz-Rotem, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry; Ismene Petrakis, MD, professor of psychiatry and chief of psychiatry at the VA; Kurt Shaffert, chaplan at the VA; Pascale Chrisphonte, MD, clinical fellow in the Child Study Center; Kirsten Wilkins, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry; Christian Connell, PhD, associate professor of psychiatry; Donna LaPaglia, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry; Yiara Blanco, PsyD, assistant clinical professor of psychiatry; and Wilson Igbrude, MD, fourth-year psychiatry resident.

Upcoming Psychiatry Grand Rounds

Friday, February 22, 2013; 10:15-11:45 am

Impact and Treatment of Depression in Patients with Cardiovascular Disease

Bruce L. Rollman, MD, MPH, Professor of Medicine, Psychiatry, Biomedical Informatics, & Clinical and Translational Science, University of Pittsburgh

CMHC Auditorium, 34 Park St

Details / Download to Your Calendar 

Friday, March 1, 2013; 10:15-11:45 am

Histamine Disruption in Tourette Syndrome: A Translational Story

Christopher Pittenger, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, in the Child Study Center and of Psychology, Yale University; Director, Yale OCD Research Clinic

CMHC Auditorium, 34 Park St

Details / Download to Your Calendar 

Friday, March 8, 2013; 10:15-11:45 am

Clinicians as People, Writing About Patients as People

John Strauss, MD, Professor Emeritus of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine

CMHC Auditorium, 34 Park St

Details / Download to Your Calendar 

Friday, March 15, 2013; 10:15-11:45 am

To Be Announced

Friday, March 22, 2013; 10:15-11:45 am

Prevention of Promotion of Substance Abuse and Problem Behavior in Community-Based Afterschool Settings

Emilie Phillips Smith, PhD, Professor of Human Development and Family Studies & Director of The Center for Family Research in Diverse Contexts, Pennsylvania State University

CMHC Auditorium, 34 Park St

Details / Download to Your Calendar 

Grand Rounds video archive

The department's website includes videos of past Grand Rounds presentations. Talks will be added as they are digitized.

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