Yale Psychiatry Grand Rounds: "Chair's State of the Department Address"

April 26, 2024

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April 26, 2024

"Chair's State of the Department Address"

John H. Krystal, MD, Robert L. McNeil, Jr. Professor of Translational Research and Professor of Psychiatry, of Neuroscience, and of Psychology; Chair, Yale Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine

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00:00Good morning and welcome to the 2024
00:03State of the Department address.
00:05Before we get started,
00:06I just wanted to to let you know of some
00:09upcoming activities and things like
00:12that at 1:00 today in Brady Auditorium,
00:16which is that way, Steve *****
00:21is talking about the genetics of
00:25psychiatric and and neurologic disorders.
00:30Steve, as many of you know,
00:31is the director of the Stanley
00:33Center at the Broad Institute.
00:35He is before that was Provost,
00:39the Provost of Harvard University
00:41and before that the director of the
00:43National Institute of Mental Health.
00:47I'm, I'm getting.
00:49So I wish I should people. OK.
00:54I think it'll be great talk.
00:55And it's 1:00 in Brady Auditorium Next
01:00week virtually is the wonderful Yale
01:05Women's Mental Health Conference.
01:08This has been, this is now I
01:11think it's 4th or 5th year.
01:13It's coordinated organized
01:14by Yale medical students.
01:16It's been a great conference and this
01:19conference will be no exception.
01:21I just want to remind folks that on May 6th,
01:24the Monday of the APA meeting,
01:27the Yale reception will be taking place
01:31at the at the Yale Club in New York.
01:35It's right across the street
01:37from Grand Central Station.
01:38It will start at 6:00 PM.
01:40We're going to give alumni distinguished
01:43alumni awards to three people.
01:46Dennis Charney,
01:47that now the Dean at Icahn School
01:50of Medicine, Robert J Lifton,
01:53who has really been a major figure
01:56in psychiatry dealing with the
01:58horrors of that humanity has wrought
02:02over the last 60708090 years.
02:05He's written about the aftermath of
02:08the atomic bomb, the Nazi doctors,
02:10the doctors who were in the in
02:12the concentration camps and many,
02:14many other issues.
02:16And then Beverly Stout who's had an
02:20enormous impact on psychoanalysis
02:23through her work on race and racism
02:25and her Co leadership of the of the
02:28homes committee and their report
02:30which is is rippling through the field.
02:33So three wonderful people to honor
02:35at that time.
02:36I also just wanted to remind
02:38people about the FDAQ,
02:42the Faculty Development Annual Questionnaire.
02:46Thank you.
02:48And so,
02:51so I often hear from people that they feel,
02:55particularly junior faculty,
02:56that they feel a little bit
02:59disconnected from the department.
03:00They don't really sort of know
03:01where they stand in the overall
03:03mission of the department.
03:04And they're looking for ways
03:06to get career feedback.
03:08And the FDAQ is designed exactly to
03:11respond to those kinds of needs,
03:14not just for junior faculty,
03:15but throughout throughout one's
03:17career here in the department.
03:19It's a great way to get a fact,
03:21a feedback from the leadership
03:24of the department about about
03:26your career development,
03:27about what you're happy about,
03:28what you're concerned about,
03:30what your,
03:31what your aspirations are here at Yale.
03:34And so I really want to
03:38encourage everybody to take part in that.
03:41And I can tell you the everyone's
03:44doing it up to the executive
03:45committee of the department.
03:46So I hope you take advantage
03:51of that opportunity. All right.
03:53So as I've done for the last number of years,
03:57I've asked a number of people to reflect
04:00on what the last year has meant to them
04:03and they have reported some brief comments
04:06and and and we'll we'll hear from them.
04:10So this is always a special part
04:13of the presentation.
04:14So I'm going to begin the presentation,
04:23and now it's a silent movie.
04:25Now I should turn up
04:26transition from Yale to Los Angeles
04:29this summer to take a new position.
04:31In light of that, Doctor Crystal asked
04:34me to reflect on my time here at Yale.
04:37I came to the department in 1999 as
04:40a fellow in the doctoral internship
04:42in Clinical and community psychology,
04:45and I can't believe that 25 years has passed.
04:49I thought I'd be here for one year.
04:51My career goal at the time was to work
04:54on Capitol Hill to address social
04:57determinants of health upstream.
04:59You know, those macro level factors,
05:01such as structures and laws that
05:04impact health and well-being.
05:06But within six months,
05:08I knew that this is the place
05:10where I wanted to spend my career.
05:13I want to share something with you
05:15that I have taped to my computer
05:18monitor for probably 2 decades.
05:20It's a quote from Zora Neale Hurston,
05:23and it comes from her autobiography,
05:25Dust Tracks on a Road and it goes like this.
05:29Mama exhorted her children at every
05:32opportunity to jump at the sun.
05:35We might not land on the sun,
05:37but at least we would get off the ground.
05:40Obviously,
05:40the quote has historical meaning in
05:43the context of racial segregation
05:45and gender oppression in our country
05:48during Zora's time.
05:50But Zora's mother was not only
05:52talking to her,
05:52but really anyone on the margins
05:55of our society.
05:56Her mother was speaking to me.
05:59The message is not unlike the
06:01messages my own mother gave to me.
06:04Namely,
06:04you have to try to accomplish your
06:07goals and go places that were
06:10not necessarily designed for you,
06:12even if you haven't seen the place before,
06:14and even if there aren't models
06:17when you get there.
06:19Zora's quote has inspired me as I
06:21have shaped a career that I could
06:23only dream of with the help of
06:26many people in the department and
06:28the School of Medicine.
06:30I've not only gotten off the ground,
06:32I landed on the sun.
06:35There isn't any way I could have landed on
06:38the sun without people who are in my corner.
06:42There are people like Joy Kaufman.
06:44Hopefully you're out there,
06:46and Nadia Ward,
06:47who made space for me,
06:49who spoke up on my behalf when I wasn't
06:52in the room and even when they were
06:55junior and could have had something to lose.
06:58There was Jack Teebs who
07:00gave me two pieces of advice,
07:03one when I was up for, I don't know,
07:06one promotion associate or full.
07:07And he said there will always
07:09be someone with more pubs,
07:11more books,
07:12more whatever than you just
07:14be the best you can be.
07:17And the other piece of advice was
07:19when my daughter was born and he said
07:21everyone will give you parenting advice,
07:24but no one knows your child better than you.
07:27And boy, was that so spot on.
07:29And helpful.
07:30There was this mini Petrarchus who
07:32recommended me for my first DEI role
07:35in the department eight years ago.
07:38And there's John Crystal,
07:39who's taught me so much about
07:41leadership. And his best piece of
07:43advice to me when I haven't quite
07:45hit the mark in Something is the
07:48merry go round always comes back
07:50around and you have another chance.
07:54We know that this sponsorship,
07:56mentorship and advocacy that I
07:59received is essential to anyone's
08:01progression in this system,
08:03and particularly for underrepresented groups.
08:07Now that we know what it takes,
08:09we have to do better to support others.
08:13I couldn't have landed on the Sun
08:15without my peer colleagues who have
08:18been nothing short of amazing and
08:21completely collegial for over 20 years,
08:23and as the young people say,
08:25100% Derek Gordon,
08:28Christian Connell, Tammy Sullivan,
08:30Nate Hansen and so many others.
08:33My colleagues at the minority organization
08:37for retention and expansion have
08:40also been nothing short of amazing.
08:43I've had many first here,
08:45and the opportunity to start a
08:47faculty group for racial ethnic
08:49minority faculty alongside them,
08:52certainly a highlight.
08:53I got to deliver a commencement speech
08:56in the psychology training program,
08:58and that was a defining moment for me,
09:01as it's always been something I wanted to do.
09:04Certainly there's the Anti Racism Task Force,
09:08and I was the first black woman in our
09:11department to come become full professor
09:16in closing the department.
09:18And the School of Madison has been
09:21so much more than a workplace to me.
09:23With the help of everyone I
09:25mentioned and so many more,
09:27I somehow created a space where I felt
09:30belonging and where I had a voice.
09:35I can only hope that the work we've
09:38done together makes a difference in
09:40someone else's experience. Here.
09:43Steve Gentile, this tie and
09:45this jacket are for you.
09:47I knew that if I didn't
09:49wear a tie and jacket,
09:50I'd never hear the end of it.
09:52So I hope you're happy with this.
09:55When John approached me and
09:58asked if I would share some of
10:01my reflections about retirement,
10:06I gently reminded him that I've decided to,
10:11to borrow Mike Cernak's words, unretire,
10:13at least for the for the time being,
10:17and stay stay the course with my
10:21position at the Connecticut Mental
10:23Health Center in Yale Psychiatry.
10:26So John's response was, well, OK,
10:29why don't you talk about turning 70?
10:32And I thought,
10:33I don't really feel like talking about
10:36that big fuss surprise party for for me,
10:42where I found out that my dear colleagues
10:45and friends at work are a lot sneakier
10:48and more devious than I ever thought.
10:51But in any event,
10:53notwithstanding all that,
10:54I don't really feel like talking about
10:57or reflecting on turning 70 other than
10:59to say that it doesn't feel a whole
11:02lot different than 65 or 68 or 69.
11:06I feel fine,
11:07thank you very much.
11:08So that leaves me with maybe
11:11not talking about retirement,
11:13but but perhaps reflecting on my 36
11:18years so far working for Yale psychiatry
11:22at the Connecticut Mental Health Center.
11:25And I'm reminded that when I was
11:28approached in the fall of 1987 by
11:33colleagues who at at the time were
11:37in the substance abuse section
11:39of psychiatry and CMHC to ask
11:41me if I was going to, quote,
11:44come down here to New Haven,
11:46I was living in the Hartford area,
11:49to quote, take this job, UN quote.
11:54My response.
11:55First was what job?
11:57Because I had no idea that there
11:59was a search going on for what was
12:02then called Administrator of CMHC.
12:04So I had to learn about that.
12:06And the secondly,
12:07my response after learning what job it was,
12:11was no thank you.
12:13That's about the last place
12:15I would ever want to work.
12:18I was in the market for a different
12:22kind of a job after I'd been
12:24working for 10 years for the
12:26state in a reasonably high
12:28level administrative capacity.
12:30But my answer to the question are
12:33you coming down here to New Haven,
12:35to quote take this job,
12:37was predicated on a set of
12:40assumptions that that I held,
12:42which were not unusual for for someone in
12:46a administrative role in state government.
12:49And that was this.
12:50That the Connecticut Mental Health
12:53Center is a spider web of intrigue was
12:57far too complicated and was probably
13:00a good place to stay away from.
13:03And so that was my initial answer.
13:06After I reflected on it for a few weeks,
13:10I thought,
13:11why did I say that?
13:13I actually am quite attracted
13:16to organizational complexity and
13:18I always found the Connecticut
13:20Mental Health Center particularly
13:23fascinating because of the unique
13:26partnership between the university
13:28and the and the state and because
13:31of its tripartite mission of
13:33research, training and and patient care.
13:36And so I thought, Bob, why did you say that?
13:39You'd actually probably
13:41be very interested in it.
13:43So Long story short, I wound up applying
13:47for the job and lo and behold, got it.
13:50And when I walked in the door
13:53in February of 88, I was about 5
13:57weeks away from my 34th birthday.
13:59And here I am now, 36 years later,
14:02at the ripe old age of 70.
14:05And when I run into George Henniger,
14:07he's he always asks me the same
14:11question which is are you still here?
14:14And my answer is yes George,
14:16I'm I'm still here and.
14:18And why is that?
14:21I I think the short answer is because I find
14:26the work to be rewarding and gratifying,
14:30if not always glamorous.
14:34Even though I have a pretty fancy
14:38job title Chief Operating Officer,
14:40which used to be administrator
14:43and it sounds glamorous.
14:45There are many aspects of the
14:47job that are kind of gritty and
14:52required is really get into the
14:56get into the part of things,
15:01and dig in areas that
15:03are less than glamorous.
15:05But I find the work fascinating not only
15:08because of the organizational complexity,
15:11but also because of the mission,
15:14which is something that I believe
15:16strongly and with all of my heart,
15:19and because it's such an honor
15:21and a privilege to work with truly
15:23amazing people every, every day.
15:27They're people who I admire
15:31and respect greatly,
15:33and my admiration and respect has
15:37been returned many fold over all the
15:39years that I've had the privilege of
15:42of working at the mental Health Center.
15:44When people ask me as I was about to
15:48begin my career at psychiatry at CMHC,
15:51how did I feel about it?
15:53I my answer was that I was
15:56mostly looking forward to it,
15:58but was a little bit apprehensive
16:01that the highfalutin Yale faculty
16:04might not treat me with respect
16:08because I was a veteran after 10
16:12years state bureaucrat and they
16:15probably wouldn't have a whole lot
16:18of time for me or respect for me.
16:21I was quickly disabused of that and
16:23I have found practically without
16:26exception that people have treated me
16:29with the utmost kindness and and respect.
16:32So the good doctor Crystal admonished
16:36all of us who are recording these
16:38videos to please keep it brief.
16:41So I would end with this that it's
16:48still a privilege to to do what I
16:51do and and work with the amazing
16:54people I I I work with.
16:56And also add that the necktie I'm
17:02wearing is part of a an extensive
17:05collection of neck ties that have
17:07been purchased by my other half.
17:10Who despite the fact that I tell
17:12him constantly that I have way too
17:14many ties and I could probably
17:16open a store and sell them.
17:18And despite the fact that I'm
17:20getting closer to the end of my
17:22career than the beginning and so
17:24I don't really need more ties,
17:26he none the less at every possible
17:29occasion buys me more and more neck ties.
17:32Which is a not so subtle way of
17:35his telling me Bob keep working.
17:37And I'm not sure if that's because
17:39he knows how much I enjoy what I
17:41do and how much it means to me and
17:44how much of it is that he's afraid
17:46that when I retire that I'll just be
17:49under foot a little too much at home.
17:51So in any event, thank you for this
17:54opportunity and I wish you all well.
17:58Good day my fellow colleagues in the
18:00Department of Psychiatry at Yale.
18:02I am Derek Gordon,
18:03an associate professor of Psychiatry
18:05in the psychology section.
18:07As I reflect on this year,
18:09I projected an experience that has had
18:12significant highs and significant lows.
18:14Nowhere is this more evident than in the
18:17communities and population that we serve.
18:20We at Yale, known for being on the
18:22forefront of research and clinical care,
18:25have a responsibility to leverage
18:27that important and forward thinking
18:29science for the benefit of the
18:31communities that are the subject of
18:33that inquiry and our academic success.
18:36We acknowledge the fact that our science
18:39is supported by faces known and unknown,
18:43and we are called to leverage our science
18:47thinking technologies developed in time
18:49to promote the well-being of others.
18:52I have always said that my most impactful
18:55teachers are those whose hearts and
18:57minds call me to consider what I can do
19:00for the least of us and make it happen.
19:03As I reflect on this fact,
19:06I revisit last year's reflections.
19:10I hear Doctor Crouch's reminder that the
19:13land we occupy is out of Native peoples
19:16whose voices continue to echo Doctor
19:19Alsop's reflections on the challenges
19:21that have and continue to impact us,
19:24our families and our communities.
19:26Dr.
19:27Rogois's summary of his research
19:29on molecular factors associated
19:32with neuropsychiatric diseases.
19:34Dr.
19:34Maltalvos or thesis reminder that
19:37we are returning to normal even with
19:41challenges as she studies genomics and
19:44epigenomics or psychiatric disorders,
19:46psychiatric disorders,
19:46with collaborators and partners
19:48from across the world.
19:49And finally,
19:50Doctor Singhal's reflections on
19:52the exciting things happening
19:54in the psychology sections.
19:56These reflections demonstrated Yale
19:58University and the Department's
20:00ongoing commitment to finding,
20:02valuing, supporting,
20:05working and inspiring community,
20:09and mentoring the next generation
20:11of scientists.
20:11All with careful consideration
20:13for representation and the ways
20:16that it strengthens our science.
20:18As an associate professor whose
20:20research has and continues to center
20:23community and community voices,
20:25I'm inspired by all of our
20:27collectively great work.
20:29I want us to be challenged.
20:32To continue to use our science to
20:35lift the voices of the voiceless
20:38through advocacy and add to the Canon
20:41of scientific inquiry by including
20:43those voices in our research.
20:45And make our observation relevant
20:47by finding ways to leverage our
20:49discoveries to better the lives of all,
20:52especially those outside of the
20:54academic community or deemed
20:56less valuable in other contexts.
20:59We are uniquely perched amongst
21:01the academic elite.
21:03Let us not forget that this privilege
21:05comes with significant responsibility to
21:08use a position to make meaningful change,
21:11change,
21:11something that is that time
21:14scary but necessary.
21:16I end with the immortal words
21:18of Robert Nestor Marley.
21:20Open your eyes and look within.
21:22Are you satisfied with the
21:24life you are living?
21:25And I would add,
21:27are you satisfied with your contribution
21:29to the lives of those around you,
21:31especially those who do not
21:33have the access that you do?
21:35Thank you
21:36a day. Hello, my name is Maria
21:39Crouch and my deck name is Togo.
21:41I'm from the Decaton and Quali Tekken
21:44nations, originally from Alaska,
21:45and I'm currently a third year
21:47postdoctoral fellow in the department.
21:49I journeyed to Yell in 2020,
21:51right in the middle of the pandemic,
21:53with my partner, my then two year old son,
21:55and several animals in tow.
21:57I felt both wildly unwieldy
22:01and unrestrainedly optimistic.
22:03And so much has happened
22:04over these past years,
22:06and when I reflect on my time at Yale,
22:08I feel very emotional and deeply moved.
22:12My mother died the first year I was here,
22:14among the loss of other family
22:16members over the following years,
22:18and so many of you did like the
22:21Musk ox and encircled about me,
22:24protecting and attending to
22:25me as a fellow human being.
22:28I've had the privilege of
22:29making lasting friendships,
22:31to conduct research that's an
22:32extension of my heart and passion
22:34and in service to Native peoples,
22:37to contribute to the department
22:39in wholly indigenous ways,
22:40to be mentored by people who
22:43are equally as brilliant as
22:44they are compassionate and real,
22:46and to learn from and serve
22:49the local community.
22:50Neither of my parents graduated
22:52from high school,
22:53and I'm the first person in the history of
22:55my family to receive a doctoral degree.
22:57And out of all the Alaska Native people
22:59that have ever received a PhD or an Ed D,
23:03I'm #117.
23:04To say that I feel fortunate
23:06is an understatement.
23:08And something else that cannot be
23:10understated is the knowledge that
23:12every place and every space I go,
23:14I carry my ancestors with me.
23:16In fact,
23:17ancestral mathematics dictates that to
23:20Incarnate we must have two parents,
23:224 grandparents,
23:238 great grandparents and so on.
23:26There are 4096 ancestors and 12
23:29generations in the last 400 years
23:32alone that brought us into this world,
23:34thousands upon thousands who have survived,
23:38persevered,
23:38and hoped and dreamed us into being.
23:40And the love,
23:42the incredible and fierce love
23:45that transcends space and time,
23:47echoes among and across all the
23:49numbers that make us who we are.
23:52By no mistake,
23:53rather by sheer force of will
23:55and determination,
23:56we be because as the elders teach,
23:59there are no mistakes in the great mystery.
24:03Education, university life,
24:04and my experiences at Yale have
24:07all been a means to engage in the
24:10world in the way I was meant to,
24:12born to in the good way.
24:15I've developed kinships, connections,
24:17and knowledge from everyone I've encountered,
24:20whether negative or positive.
24:21All have been teachers to me.
24:24Each one of you brings with you your
24:27ancestors, thousands upon thousands,
24:29your stories and your abilities.
24:32I hope that you, too,
24:33can find yourself in an embrace here,
24:37or at least embrace yourselves
24:39while you're here.
24:40In fact,
24:41the first exercise I did at Yale
24:43was when Doctor Amber Charles asked
24:45us to write out some permission
24:47slips for ourselves.
24:48Mine were one, it's OK to be Alaska Native,
24:52and two, it's OK to speak
24:54what's on your heart?
24:56Don't worry about being too much of anything,
24:59because those who mind don't matter,
25:01and those who matter don't mind.
25:03So even in the wildly unwieldy
25:07and the captivatingly beautiful,
25:09I have found a stability,
25:11consistency, and support that
25:13is beyond words of gratitude,
25:15A support that is solely composed of
25:18people who make up this department.
25:21In Degnak,
25:23we say with Schlig Akhachleishmann,
25:27look for an anchor dogadin.
25:30Thank you for the many who have anchored me.
25:33Good morning.
25:34My name is Steve Gentile.
25:36I am the Deputy Chair of Finance
25:39Administration for the Department of
25:40Psychiatry and the Senior Director
25:42of Finance and Administration for
25:44the integrated business operation.
25:47I have been with Yale University
25:49for almost 32 years and have worked
25:51in similar positions in various
25:53departments throughout the Med school.
25:55It was seven years ago in 2017,
25:57when I interviewed with Doctor Crystal
25:59and 12 faculty leaders of the Executive
26:02Committee to consider working in psychiatry.
26:05Once I finished meeting with everyone
26:07I knew the Department of Psychiatry
26:09was the right department for me.
26:11I could tell there was something
26:12special about this department.
26:14The Department of Psychiatry's Mission,
26:17Vision and Value Statement focuses
26:19on the dedication of the faculty,
26:21staff and trainees to enhance the well-being,
26:24facilitate recovery and reduce
26:26the oppression and suffering
26:28associated with mental illness.
26:30In my role,
26:31I have witnessed and experienced
26:32this dedication and commitment
26:34first hand every day.
26:35Psychiatry is at the top of the national
26:38rankings in all key areas of clinical
26:41research and education missions.
26:42The Department's operating budget
26:44has grown from almost 125 million
26:47in 2017 to 170 million today.
26:51All of this, of course,
26:53is due to the amazing talent of psychiatry,
26:55faculty, staff and trainees.
26:58However,
26:58this amazing work would not be possible
27:01without the dedication and talent
27:03of all the staff in the integrated
27:05business operations and administrative
27:07support that I have had the privilege
27:09of leading over these past seven years.
27:12These support areas include faculty affairs,
27:15administration, staffing,
27:16administration,
27:17research administration,
27:19clinical administration,
27:21medical education administration,
27:23communication support,
27:24human resources support,
27:26information technology support,
27:28and overall general administrative support.
27:31The staff that work in each one
27:33of these areas are the unsung
27:34heroes of the department.
27:36They are some of the most devoted,
27:38honest and hard working individuals.
27:40I have had the pleasure
27:42of working with a Yale
27:43and they are the backbone of the department
27:46that keep it running optimally every day.
27:49In addition to supporting the
27:50academic and mission work,
27:51psychiatry takes very seriously the
27:53culture and climate of the department.
27:56I have been fortunate to sponsor a department
27:59wide initiative called Project Synapse.
28:01Project Synapse is a committee led
28:03and organized by staff whose mission
28:05is to seek ways for all members
28:07of the Department of Psychiatry
28:09to be connected with information,
28:11innovation and recognition.
28:13The Project Synapse team has continued
28:15to find ways to address staff morale,
28:18teamwork, and
28:19stress, just to name a few.
28:21Project Synapse has also made tremendous
28:23success in connecting staff to the
28:26department and they have ensured that
28:28staff voices are heard and included
28:30in all department endeavors.
28:32Ernest Hemingway once said When you
28:34love you wish to do things for you wish
28:37to sacrifice for you wish to serve.
28:41One of the most rewarding
28:42aspects of my career has
28:43been serving faculty, staff,
28:45and trainees to help meet their
28:47programmatic needs and career goals.
28:49I have always tried to utilize my
28:52department finance administration
28:53leadership role to help address issues,
28:55find solutions to problems,
28:56and hopefully make everyone's experience
28:58in the department a little better.
29:00I believe our purpose is trying to find
29:02a way every day to make the department a
29:05little better place than when we found it.
29:07In June, I will be leaving the
29:09Department of I to take out a
29:11position at Yale University,
29:13Co leading the One Finance
29:15strategic initiative.
29:16One Finance is a university wide
29:18initiative where part of its mission
29:20is to simplify and standardize
29:22financial services to make life
29:24easier for everyone at the university.
29:26I'm looking forward to bringing
29:27all the lessons I've learned
29:28from the Department of Psychiatry
29:30into this new position. Thank you.
29:33In reflecting on the past year,
29:36I was struck by how many people I know who
29:40have undergone a major life transition.
29:44Some had an addition or a loss of
29:47a loved one, or a career pivot,
29:52or many other changes.
29:55Some of these changes were the direct
29:57result of reshuffling priorities during
30:00the pandemic or becoming more aware of
30:03inequities or problems in our society.
30:08And through it all,
30:09I felt very grateful to be part of
30:12this Yale psychiatry community.
30:14There were many opportunities to find
30:18support in virtual or in person groups,
30:21or informal gatherings,
30:25or finding examples of individuals
30:27in our department who had persevered
30:30through just about any kind of
30:33personal or professional challenge
30:35that someone might face in their life.
30:40I also viewed the past year through the
30:43lens of connection and collaboration.
30:46People seem very eager coming out of
30:48the pandemic to share what they had
30:51learned about themselves and the world,
30:53and I especially enjoyed unexpected moments
30:55in which I got to meet someone in person who
30:59I had previously only met on a Zoom meeting.
31:02I would turn around and see someone
31:05in a hospital cafeteria line,
31:07or recognize someone in an elevator, or in
31:10a grocery store or restaurant or bookstore,
31:13because I still like to read paper books.
31:17And it made me realize that Yale
31:20psychiatry is a large department and
31:23we have a large residency program.
31:26But it still feels like a tightly knit
31:29community because we all live or work
31:32or dine or shop in close proximity
31:35to each other here in Connecticut.
31:38People are accessible and there are
31:41a lot of opportunities to connect and
31:44collaborate and run into each other.
31:47I was very grateful for faculty
31:50colleagues who generously volunteered
31:53to mentor and teach resident physicians,
31:57no matter how busy they were.
31:59I was also impressed by our resident
32:02physicians who are innovative problem
32:04solvers and who came up with fun
32:07and unique ways of creating a sense
32:10of community here.
32:12And I was acutely aware of how hard
32:15our program office works to resolve
32:18any administrative complexities in
32:20order to support the training and
32:23education of our resident physicians.
32:26All of this has made me feel very
32:29optimistic about the future of our
32:32residency program and our departments.
32:35And on a personal note,
32:37this was the year that I finally
32:40accepted that I'm middle-aged and
32:42it's been a fun year.
32:43I've learned a lot,
32:45met a lot of new people and
32:47strengthened bonds that I already had.
32:50So thank you for letting me share
32:53my reflections on this year and I am
32:55looking forward to talking and meeting
32:57with many of you in the year to come.
33:00We are YJ and Jeremy,
33:02this year's Psychiatry Resident
33:04Association's Co Presidents.
33:06It has remained a difficult time for
33:09our program as we continue to feel
33:11the weight of the loss of core
33:12parts of our community and the
33:14ongoing transition and leadership.
33:17We want to express how
33:18grateful we are to everyone.
33:20Administrators, building service workers
33:22who are always much more than that.
33:24Occupational and recreational therapists,
33:26chaplains, nursing milieu,
33:28counsellors, psychologists,
33:30APRNS, social workers,
33:32faculty members, site directors,
33:34program directors,
33:35all who have contributed so
33:36much to our education and also
33:38to sustaining and building our
33:40broader Yale psychiatry community.
33:42We are especially proud of
33:43all who have made exciting
33:45new Community events
33:45happen this year, such as our
33:47first annual Rices of the World,
33:49a decolonizing Thanksgiving event,
33:51and our faculty resident
33:52celebration of the Lunar New Year.
33:55We have loved the opportunity to be curious
33:57about and celebrate our differences,
33:59and the food has been amazing to be
34:01on the lookout for more to come.
34:03In that regard,
34:04we do want to name folks who have taken
34:06on new responsibilities, including
34:08members of the Residency Recruitment team,
34:11our Program Director, search Committee,
34:13our Chiefs for all they're doing
34:15behind the scenes,
34:16all of those putting in efforts to bring
34:19new educational programming and all
34:20of our program administrative staff.
34:22We also want to share our gratitude for our
34:25outstanding and inspiring resident peers. We
34:28are so appreciative of our peers,
34:31faculty mentors and program directors
34:33who have foregrounded kindness,
34:35generosity, curiosity,
34:37openness and humility in the
34:40service of our patients and in
34:41the service of mutual support,
34:43healing and justice.
34:44Thank you. Thank you,
35:05Set.
35:08How about a round of applause for those,
35:17you know, one thing that that
35:19these videos I I find first,
35:21I find them extraordinary and they're
35:25educational and they're inspiring,
35:28but they're also a reminder that the
35:31person sitting next to you today,
35:33if you're here in person and perhaps
35:36sitting next to you wherever you
35:38are participating in this event,
35:40are extraordinary.
35:43And they have so much to offer you.
35:46And so that the more that we reach
35:48out and connect to each other,
35:50the more that we're going to reap
35:53the benefits of being part of
35:55this special community every year.
35:58Hopefully we'll continue to do this so
36:01that you hear more perspectives and
36:04reflections on on our community because
36:08it's we're an amazing group of people.
36:11You're fantastic in prep,
36:14in preparing the talk today,
36:16of course.
36:16I want to thank our speakers,
36:18Cindy Crusto, Bob Cole,
36:20Derek Gordon, Maria Crouch,
36:22Steve Gentile and then our
36:24PAPRA Co Co Presidents.
36:26Why YJ and Jeremy again thanks
36:29so much for doing that and Chris
36:31Gardner for helping to coordinate
36:33this and Noah Golden for creating
36:35that video that you saw
36:39this year. We face globally continue
36:42to face global turmoil and national
36:45turmoil and and it it flows through our
36:50community and I it particularly in light
36:53of the of the videos that we just heard.
36:57I'm reminded of lessons that we
36:59have gleaned from our town halls.
37:02First, that no matter what's going
37:04on outside of the department,
37:06within the department,
37:07we are linked by more than what divides us.
37:11Our common humanity, our mission,
37:14our commitment to each other and
37:16colleagues and the work that we do.
37:18And we build our community when we listen,
37:21when we check in with those who
37:24we suspect might be affected
37:26by what's going on around,
37:28and when we offer support,
37:31and we when we learn from those who
37:34have different perspectives than we have
37:37about how they're viewing what's going on.
37:41This has been a remarkable
37:43year in so many ways.
37:46One inspiring moment was when
37:48our own Carolyn, Missouri,
37:50long standing faculty
37:51member in our department,
37:56took a role in the Biden White
37:59House as a leader of Jill Biden's
38:03Women's Health Initiative,
38:04which culminated not very long
38:07ago in an executive order signed
38:09by President Biden committing $12
38:12billion to Women's Health research.
38:14It's a remarkable step,
38:16the first time an initiative like
38:18this ever came out of the White House.
38:20And we're so proud that Carolyn
38:23played such a central role
38:25in this important initiative.
38:29As others in the video mentioned,
38:32we're grounded by our mission,
38:35vision and values.
38:36And I want to again thanks so much
38:40the group of people that contributed
38:43to this mission vision and value
38:46statement and and they're listed
38:48at the at the bottom of the slide,
38:50but it's worthwhile reading
38:52it as a grounding point for
38:55the rest of the presentation.
38:57Today, the Yale Department of Psychiatry is
39:01dedicated to enhancing holistic well-being,
39:04facilitating recovery,
39:05and reducing the suffering oppression
39:08associated with mental illness.
39:11We do this through the education
39:13of transformative leaders,
39:15excellence in research practice and policy,
39:18and restorative and reciprocal
39:21community engagement.
39:22We embrace multiple approaches to learning,
39:25levels of analysis,
39:26and ways of knowing.
39:28Throughout this work,
39:29we strive to nurture a diverse
39:32community of trainees, staff,
39:34faculty and partnerships
39:36characterized by compassion,
39:38inclusivity,
39:39humility,
39:40dignity and justice.
39:46There's so much to
39:48celebrate in our department.
39:50This year, we were rated the number one
39:54medical school for psychiatry training.
39:57You're rated the number one Citation
40:00Impact Department of Psychiatry.
40:02You're #2 in NIH funding.
40:05Number two to three depending
40:07on how you look at it.
40:09In the terms of the rating ranking
40:12of our psychiatry residents,
40:13we had about 1400 applicants
40:16and very extraordinary group of
40:18people who matched to Yale and
40:21psychiatry and 13 Yale medical
40:24students who went into psychiatry,
40:26making it second only to internal medicine.
40:30Together the psychiatry and psychology
40:33programs at Yale are rated #4 in the
40:36world with number six ranking for
40:39our Psychiat psychology program,
40:42which is rated in jointly with
40:45the Department of Psychology.
40:47And we're the number 8 psych psychiatric
40:50hospital in terms of our ranking
40:54and the top 30 psychology internships.
40:57So in the day-to-day gritty,
41:00to borrow from Bob Cole,
41:02gritty world that we live in,
41:05it can be so hard to lose
41:07sight of how good we are,
41:11how what a remarkable
41:13impact that we have on our patients,
41:15on our community, on our country,
41:18on the problems of mental health globally.
41:20It's worthwhile to to remember we
41:25had some nice moments this year.
41:28A donor wanted to celebrate
41:31the legacy of Steve Southwick,
41:34a long standing faculty member
41:37in our department, and created an
41:40endowed professorship in his memory.
41:43And Mark Betenza,
41:44who collaborated with Doctor Southwick is
41:47the inaugural Steve Southwick Professor,
41:50which is a wonderful thing
41:54yesterday. Or maybe it's no, no,
41:58two days ago. I'm losing track of time
42:02we got. We received notice that
42:06Vikram Sodhi who's a an alumnus of
42:09Yale and who has been an advocate
42:14for the research on cannabis and
42:18cannabinoids conducted by Cyril
42:20D'souza endowed a professorship for
42:23Doctor D'souza which he received
42:26notice of yesterday or the day before.
42:31One other new endowed professorship
42:34was which was approved again yesterday
42:37or the day before is Chris Van ****.
42:41So Chris Van **** has LED our our
42:47Alzheimer's desert created really
42:50the the clinical research program in
42:53Alzheimer's disease research and has LED
42:57Co led the Alzheimer's Desert Disease
43:00Research Center and established the
43:04Alzheimer's Disease Research Unit and
43:06built it into a remarkable initiative.
43:11You probably know that last
43:13year Doctor Van **** led the
43:18definitive trial on Lecanimab,
43:20which is an antibody that binds
43:26amyloid protein in the brain.
43:29And this medication,
43:31which his study led to the FDA approval,
43:35is the first treatment that we have
43:37for Alzheimer's disease that slows
43:39the progression of the illness.
43:41So in recognition of this remarkable
43:46legacy 30 years or more leading
43:50Alzheimer's disease research and this
43:53capstone accomplishment to his career,
43:56he is now not the Elizabeth but the
44:00Elizabeth Mirrors in house Jameson Professor.
44:04So that's a wonderful honor for him.
44:09I'm, I'm not going to acknowledge all
44:11the new grants in the department.
44:13I just want to touch on a few.
44:14And so if I don't mention your grant,
44:16please do not feel that
44:18it's not equally important,
44:21but want to celebrate the renewal of the
44:24tobacco Center of Regulatory science,
44:26which is an enormous impact on
44:30issues from flavored tobacco,
44:32which you know, let the FDA has
44:38made illegal, to vaping and
44:42other aspects of tobacco use.
44:45Suchitra Krishman Sarin and
44:47Stephanie O'Malley here.
44:49Congratulations to you.
44:52A new program from the Milken
44:55Foundation which is a a whole large
44:58team of research led by Hilary
45:02Blumberg and which should help
45:05us to understand the metabolic,
45:09cellular metabolic abnormalities
45:11underlying bipolar disorder and
45:13may lead to new biomarkers that
45:17help to speed diagnosis and
45:20enhance effective treatment.
45:24This year a a major grant was awarded to
45:28Sam Wilkinson and Jerry Sanacora which
45:32is comparing ketamine and S ketamine.
45:35Ketamine is not approved by the
45:37FDA for the treatment of treatment
45:40resistant depression. S ketamine is,
45:42and this study may help to move,
45:45make ketamine more available
45:47for the treatment of treatment
45:49resistant of depression.
45:53Tammy Sullivan was awarded a major
45:57grant studying intimate partner
45:59violence and such an important problem
46:02in our society, so understudied.
46:04We're really thrilled to to
46:07see this project move forward.
46:11John Pachenkos, who has a secondary
46:14appointment in psychiatry and who spoke
46:17at our community conference this year,
46:20received a large grant advancing gender
46:23affirming cognitive behavioral therapy
46:26of such an important topic at this time.
46:29And then while we don't have the money yet
46:31and we haven't gotten the notice of word,
46:33I usually don't go out on a limb like this.
46:35But I figure what the hell.
46:40Scott Woods, who has been
46:44leading the pro Net initiative,
46:46which up to this time was the largest
46:49grant we'd ever received in the department,
46:52which has been characterizing
46:54the at risk period as people
46:57evolve into schizophrenia,
47:00sometimes called the prodromal period.
47:02He's now been awarded or it will
47:05probably highly might be awarded
47:11this grant, the propane grant,
47:13which certainly will be the largest
47:15grant that we've ever seen.
47:17So it appears to be about a
47:19$70 million grant, which will
47:21start to study interventions,
47:24which is extremely important.
47:27As I mentioned, we have 3 distinguished
47:29alumni of the department who
47:31we're going to honor in New York.
47:33You don't have to go to the APA
47:35meeting to go to the party,
47:36but you certainly can.
47:40And this year, we gave the Yale
47:43Mental Health Research Advocacy
47:45Award to Lawrence Hartman,
47:47who's a very important psychiatrist
47:50from Boston, the Boston area.
47:52But he received this award in recognition
47:56of his leadership in the early 70s.
47:59He was president of the APA
48:01and he removed homosexuality
48:03as a psychiatric diagnosis,
48:06depathologizing choices that
48:08people made in their lives which
48:12are so critically important.
48:16Thought I would give you some
48:18deep data about the department.
48:21We remain the second largest
48:23department in the in the university,
48:25not just in the medical school
48:28with 275 ladder faculty.
48:32We are 65.8% Caucasian,
48:3754.55. That rounds up to 55% female.
48:43We are about half MD or MDPHD and half PhD.
48:50In this way we are a very atypical,
48:55large clinical department.
48:56We're very much in some ways like a
48:59small department like genetics which
49:02is so highly just interdisciplinary.
49:06Our tracks, our largest tracks
49:07are the academic clinician
49:09and the clinician educator.
49:11Scholars track which account for about
49:1460 / a little over 60% and the research
49:17track account for the remainder.
49:23As you can see we have we are at at
49:29the junior ranks we have a predominance
49:33of female faculty members over male.
49:36It's somewhat balanced at the
49:39Associate professor level,
49:41although what's happening is
49:44in 2022 we were 50502023 as you
49:49can see we became slightly more
49:52female Associate Professor 2024.
49:55That progression continues,
49:58and gradually the professorial
50:01ranks are becoming balanced.
50:04Not quite there yet.
50:07We have a long way to go with regard
50:09to the racial and ethnic diversity
50:12of our department of Faculty.
50:14We recognize that we are making small gains,
50:19but we're also experiencing some losses
50:21as well as some of the most accomplished
50:27black faculty members of our department
50:30have become targets for recruitment.
50:32And and I'll talk about that in a little bit
50:37as a department, this is our department
50:40budget and what it's made of.
50:42Steve Gentile told you the the bottom
50:45line which is that the excluding the
50:49CMHC budget and excluding the VA dollars,
50:52our department budget's about 170,
50:56few $1,000,000.
50:57So that's a fair amount of
50:59money in some in a strange way,
51:02one way of thinking about our department
51:04is that we're a business because
51:07we have to be responsible stewards
51:09of the resources of the department
51:12in in supporting our missions.
51:14We're about 50 per 7% of the money that
51:18we spend is derived from research grants,
51:22about 38% from clinical sources and
51:27our education budgets about 10% and
51:33administration a very small part.
51:36This is a time of change in our community.
51:39We have new leaders of Yale
51:42New Haven Hospital Health,
51:44Yale New Haven Hospital and
51:46Yale New Haven Health System.
51:47So I hope some of these faces are
51:53familiar to you, but I doubt that all
51:55of these faces are familiar to you.
51:57So Chris O'Connor is the person who
52:00succeeded Marna Borgstrom as the head
52:02of the Yale New Haven Health System.
52:07Kate Heilpern, who just is transitioning into
52:10a role as chief of Yale New Haven Hospital,
52:15is the person who succeeded Keith Churchwell.
52:18Pam Sutton Wallace, who has been the
52:22interim leader of Yale New Haven Hospital,
52:24is now the chief operating officer
52:26for the whole health system.
52:28And in a really, really, really,
52:32really important move, Peg McGovern,
52:36who's been the deputy Dean for clinical
52:40affairs for the medical school is
52:43now also executive vice president and
52:46chief physician for the hospital.
52:49This is the first time in the 400.
52:53No, I don't know, it's Yale,
52:56Yale Hospital.
52:56I think it was started at Yale
52:59New Haven Hospital in 18 O four.
53:01And this is the first time in all
53:04that history that a medical school
53:07faculty member has been leading the
53:10clinical enterprise in the hospital.
53:12So that is a remarkable remarkable
53:15step and speaking what it speaks
53:17to is this effort that both the
53:21hospital and the medical school feel
53:23that the survival of each depends
53:26on the health of the partner.
53:29And this unity is is really a new a
53:36new culture for the hospital in the
53:39medical school and it's it has many
53:42consequences that are complicated but
53:44but in the end I think everybody feels
53:48that this is a critical step for the
53:51vitality if not survival of our enterprise.
53:54One of the complicated steps
53:56has to do with funds flow,
53:58which is how does the department
54:00get money from the hospital.
54:02And this is a complicated process
54:04in evolving.
54:05One,
54:05we've been reassured,
54:07reassured many times that it's
54:09going to be OK and we certainly
54:12hope that that is the case.
54:16It it it's really important to
54:20understand that this how critical this
54:23is because the revenue that we get
54:26from the hospital is used to support
54:29our administrative infrastructure.
54:31It supports our educational mission.
54:34It supports our our ability
54:36to recruit people and support
54:38research activities and support our
54:41climate initiatives in the ARTF.
54:43So it's really, this is really critical,
54:47but but it's important.
54:51As we talk about administration,
54:53it's important to acknowledge Steve Gentile,
54:56who's just been a remarkable
54:58leader of our department staff.
55:01He's leaving to lead a central campus
55:05initiative that will have benefits for
55:08us in the department called 1 Yale.
55:10He's leaving behind an amazing team that
55:13he has built and nurtured over the year.
55:16He we are now as you know our there's
55:20something called an IBO inter department
55:24business operation and so we are
55:27combined with the child study center
55:30and Pediatrics and we're the largest
55:33business enterprise in the medical school.
55:35So he has ably made all of us feel
55:39personally supported by the administrative
55:42infrastructure of our department and
55:46he is also transformed the culture.
55:49You notice that staff are now so visibly
55:53a part of everything that we do and
55:56Project Synapse has been a wonderful
56:00initiative that emerged under his leadership.
56:04We are pleased to welcome
56:07in June Melissa Dettmer.
56:09Melissa is currently Associate Vice
56:12Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives
56:14at the University of Pittsburgh and
56:17she has had a variety of other high
56:19level administrative responsibilities
56:20in the Office of Budget and Management
56:23in the State Department,
56:25Homeland Security etcetera.
56:26So she is a a very thoughtful,
56:30capable person and we look forward
56:34to her stepping into this role,
56:38leadership, IBO,
56:39leadership role.
56:42How are we doing grant wise,
56:47we are holding our own,
56:49we are holding our own.
56:50It's a very competitive environment.
56:52We've had a number of departures we've had,
56:56we've lost through untimely death
56:59the number of our some of our
57:02most heavily funded faculty.
57:05So in some ways we are rebuilding
57:10and yet we are able to retain a
57:14very strong research portfolio
57:17and we we will, we will pass
57:25not maybe not next year,
57:27their line continues to go up,
57:29but but we'll get there,
57:31we'll get there. Again,
57:34I just want to acknowledge
57:36our incredible leadership
57:40when when Bob Roebrau stepped
57:44down as Residency Director,
57:46Richard agreed to cover that brief
57:49period before the next residency
57:52Director stepped in and it's turned
57:55out to be a longer longer haul 3
57:59hour tour if you know the reference
58:03and and and the residency associate
58:06program Director team has been fabulous
58:10in in stepping up and sustaining
58:13the community over this time.
58:15The program director search is
58:18underway and progressing and this
58:21team is not sitting on its hands,
58:24but rather working actively to
58:27continue to address the issues that
58:30we know are relevant to the program.
58:37ARTFARTF continues to be a a a remarkable
58:40journey for our department is the
58:43largest and most sustained initiative
58:45in the history of our department.
58:47It was started with over 90 people.
58:49I have no idea what the actual number is now.
58:52Probably well over 100.
58:55We received the reports from each
58:58subcommittees and the recommendations
59:01from the subcommittees were consolidated.
59:04And we have now transitions to
59:07implementation and we have 5
59:09implementation teams and I don't have.
59:12I'm not going to go through all the
59:14people on all the implementation teams,
59:16but I will introduce you to the leaders
59:18of the five implementation teams.
59:20Domain one is DEI and Anti Racism
59:23Professional Development which is a focus
59:26on training and career development.
59:28Matt Goldenberg, Angela Haney,
59:29Britt Lewis and Kirsten Wilkins are
59:32leading this with Marina Pichardo serving
59:35as the Executive Committee liaison.
59:37Domain two is Engagement,
59:39Continuous Improvement and
59:40accountability which is about assessing,
59:43assessing and monitoring our progress
59:45as a department towards our anti
59:48racism goals and that a committee
59:50is led by Maria Crouch,
59:52Ronnie Hoff and Sandy Resnick and Stephanie
59:56O'Malley is the Executive committee liaison.
01:00:00The third committee,
01:00:01the third domain,
01:00:02excuse me, is retention,
01:00:04recruitment and career advancement of staff,
01:00:07faculty and learner learner trainees
01:00:10of color and Eudelin Carmio and
01:00:13Manny Paris and Mohini Ranga Nathan.
01:00:16Are leading that committee,
01:00:18and Sambal is the executive
01:00:21Committee liaison.
01:00:23Domain 4 is about inclusive,
01:00:26equitable, welcoming environment,
01:00:28addressing harmful behaviors,
01:00:30welcoming,
01:00:31creating a welcoming environment and
01:00:34creating of new positions and work groups.
01:00:38And Yung San Cho,
01:00:39Suchitra,
01:00:40Krishnan Sarin and Kyle Peterson
01:00:43are leading this and liaison is
01:00:46exactly as an is meaning is,
01:00:49meaning Petracus Domain 5 Racial
01:00:52Equity Mission Integration is
01:00:54applying an equity or racial justice
01:00:57lens to the mission and processes
01:01:00in our clinical community education
01:01:02and research missions.
01:01:04Madeline Baranowski, Sherelle Bellamy,
01:01:07Ashley Clayton and Robin Masheb are leading
01:01:11that and Mike Serniak is the exec liaison.
01:01:14As you see this,
01:01:16one of the things that probably has
01:01:19struck you is that each of these
01:01:23missions is led by faculty and staff
01:01:27and sometimes trainees and and and
01:01:33this is how we are going to move
01:01:36forward together as as a whole department.
01:01:44Hard to say goodbye very, very hard.
01:01:47Cindy has been the heart and
01:01:50soul of our of our ARTF effort.
01:01:54But really, in so many ways that
01:01:58many of you will will not have seen,
01:02:02has stepped in and been a resource
01:02:07in to every part of the department.
01:02:12It's been just an absolute pleasure to
01:02:15watch her emerge as a a leader first
01:02:21in the from the DI committee then
01:02:25as assistant chair then deputy chair
01:02:31and to watch her emerge as the first
01:02:36tenured black female professor and
01:02:41and now she's moving on and we know
01:02:45it's good for you and we know it's
01:02:48good for your family and we know a
01:02:50a new challenge always stimulates
01:02:52further growth and development.
01:02:55But we will miss you and we wish you all
01:03:00the best at in your new role as senior
01:03:03Associate Dean for program development
01:03:05effectiveness and evaluation at USC.
01:03:08So congratulations.
01:03:20We are fortunate that Ruby Lucua is
01:03:24going to step in and help us in the
01:03:28transition until we recruit a new
01:03:32Deputy chair for DEI and and help
01:03:37us to maintain continuity there.
01:03:39Ruby, thank you so much for doing that.
01:03:43Some transitions, two notable departures.
01:03:46Carmen Black, who's been a very
01:03:50active member of our department
01:03:52and in terms of anti racism
01:03:54and social justice activities,
01:03:56leader of the social justice curriculum
01:03:59of the residency has been recruited
01:04:01to be now Vice Chief of Psychiatry for
01:04:05Education in IOL and Hartford Hospital.
01:04:07It's a wonderful opportunity for her.
01:04:10Hedy Kober, faculty member in
01:04:12our department recruited,
01:04:14I mean here we go,
01:04:18recruited recruited to University
01:04:20of California, Berkeley
01:04:25with with a wonderful
01:04:26opportunity there as well.
01:04:27These are very talented people
01:04:29and we're sad to see them and go.
01:04:32Alec Buchanan, Hard to believe.
01:04:34Alec, you're retiring.
01:04:38It's been Alec is one of the most
01:04:41scholarly people that you'll ever meet.
01:04:43A true academic who's brought so much
01:04:46to our department in so many ways,
01:04:48both the division of law
01:04:49and psychiatry in the VA.
01:04:51You'll be absolutely very missed.
01:04:52We hope you'll stay connected.
01:04:55A person who's not retiring
01:05:09is is Howard's and Anna
01:05:14my my goal is that we have a non retirement
01:05:17for party for Howard every six months.
01:05:21Just to update, just to
01:05:22update us on the process.
01:05:24Howard Howard, you have created forensic
01:05:28psychiatry Law and psychiatry Academic.
01:05:31Forensic Psychiatry have been one
01:05:33of the cornerstones in the field,
01:05:36leading our professional organizations,
01:05:39informing our governments,
01:05:41writing the legislation,
01:05:43training the leaders.
01:05:45We can't say enough about your contribution
01:05:47to the department into the field,
01:05:50and we are eternally in your debt.
01:05:52Thank you so much.
01:05:55Georgia Gajanian passed away this year.
01:05:58George was the foundation's fund
01:06:01professor emeritus of psychiatry,
01:06:03and I could spend the whole
01:06:06hour talking about what he did,
01:06:08but I'm just going to touch on something.
01:06:11He was maybe one of the two or three
01:06:14most important scientists discovering how
01:06:17psychedelic drugs worked in the brain.
01:06:20He was the scientific leader of the
01:06:25discovery of the first medication
01:06:27through translational neuroscience.
01:06:29In other words, the first time
01:06:30that the biology was worked out,
01:06:32a drug affected the biology in in
01:06:34animals and then that translated to
01:06:36a treatment in people and that was
01:06:39Clonidine for opiate withdrawal.
01:06:44And when I think about that,
01:06:46I think of also Herb Kleiber,
01:06:47who was passed away a number of years ago,
01:06:50who really created the substance abuse
01:06:53research mission of our department.
01:06:57He, with Steve Bunny, his trainee,
01:07:03recorded from dopamine neurons and taught
01:07:06us about antipsychotics in his lab.
01:07:09He focused on antidepressants
01:07:11and later with Ron Duman,
01:07:13about how ketamine produced its
01:07:16distinctive rapid antidepressant effects.
01:07:18He was forever young, forever fit.
01:07:22It's amazing to me to to think of him being
01:07:27gone, such a mentor and teacher and leader,
01:07:31so someone we miss.
01:07:33Another person we miss is Maria Oliva,
01:07:37who's been the head of social work at CMHC,
01:07:39who died, who is so important to the work
01:07:43at the Connecticut Mental Health Center,
01:07:45and whose loss is felt very strongly.
01:07:49Yerji Hennish was really one of the leaders
01:07:54of inpatient psychiatry at CMHC for many,
01:07:57many years, mentor to many, many
01:08:00generations of Yale psychiatry residents.
01:08:04Patrick Skosnick,
01:08:06a young man who was in the full bloom
01:08:12of his life and career and who,
01:08:15as a result of a freak accident,
01:08:18died suddenly and unexpectedly.
01:08:21Very sad.
01:08:23And then Mirage Desai,
01:08:25who also died suddenly and unexpectedly.
01:08:29Sadly,
01:08:30Mirage was a really creative thinker
01:08:35about the problems of structural racism,
01:08:37racism more broadly,
01:08:39and was fully engaged in everything
01:08:42that we did in our department,
01:08:45in that domain,
01:08:46in the Anti Racism Task Force
01:08:48and in the drafting of the
01:08:51Mission Vision Value statement.
01:08:53We are very sad for this loss.
01:08:58So in concluding,
01:09:02we this is a this is a complicated world.
01:09:06It's a complicated context,
01:09:08a complicated and challenging
01:09:11time to be a community.
01:09:14And yet, there's so much to celebrate,
01:09:17so much to learn from each other,
01:09:20so many ways we can support and
01:09:23be supported by our colleagues.
01:09:26And I hope we take that opportunity
01:09:29because this is a very special place.
01:09:33You're all very special people,
01:09:35and it is an honor and pleasure
01:09:38to work with you every day.
01:09:40Thank you.