Psychiatrists Among M.D.s Honored as Future Leaders

Three psychiatrists are among only 30 physicians who were singled out this year to receive the 2011 AMA Foundation Leadership Award.

The psychiatrists are Jacob Behrens, M.D., a resident at the University of Wisconsin Hospital and Clinics; Jonathan Joel Shepherd, M.D., a fellow at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine; and Ray Chih-Jui Hsiao, M.D., co-director of the Adolescent Substance Abuse Program at Seattle Children's Hospital.

The AMA Foundation presents the award to medical students, residents/fellows, and early career physicians from around the country who have demonstrated outstanding nonclinical leadership skills in advocacy, community service, and education. The award, given in association with Pfizer Inc., includes special training to develop their skills as future leaders in organized medicine and community affairs.

This year's winners were honored at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in February.

"As our nation continues to struggle with issues of access, disease prevention, and disparities in care, encouraging the next generation of leaders is critical," said AMA Foundation President Barney Maynard, M.D., in a press statement. "We need individuals like these award recipients who are taking the initiative to tackle health care's most difficult challenges."

Behrens is pursuing a career using technological advances that provide new treatment modalities and improved geographic access to quality psychiatric care within Wisconsin and perhaps beyond. He was recently selected to join the Clinical Educator Track at the University of Wisconsin and hopes to continue to be involved with the education and mentorship of fellow colleagues and students and with public education. Behrens, who is active within APA and the county, state, and national chapters of the AMA, works with Savory Sunday, a mission in Madison, Wis., that provides hot meals and transportation services to those in need.

Hsiao is an assistant professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He serves on the Executive Committee of the Washington State Medical Association as the assistant secretary-treasurer and is a past president of the Washington State Psychiatric Association (WSPA). For his outstanding contributions to WSPA, Hsiao was honored with APA's William Sorum Award for members-in-training in 2008. He is also one of APA's delegates to the Young Physicians Section of the AMA. In addition to his advocacy efforts through organized medicine, Hsiao is working closely with state and local government agencies, health service providers, and community organizations to transform prevention and treatment services for adolescents with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders in Washington state. His leadership in advancing the field of adolescent addiction treatment and education has led to international recognition; he was recently named a Presidential International Consultant for National Chung Cheng University in Taiwan.

Shepherd, who is a second-year child and adolescent psychiatry fellow at Johns Hopkins, has been selected for the inaugural edition of Who's Who in Black Baltimore: Celebrating African-American Achievements for his dedication to launching programs that address the social ills of youth. He is trying to provide national leadership in the advocacy of quality mental health services for all children. His professional leadership activities include service as co-chair of the Community Relations Committee for the historic Monumental City Medical Society in Baltimore. His civic involvement includes community-based projects through the Office of Culture and Diversity Competence at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and consultation for the Mario Do Right Foundation, a nonprofit serving the needs of children with substance-addicted parents. Shepherd is an ordained minister in the Church of God in Christ Inc., and he serves in many leadership capacities at his local church.

The AMA Foundation, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt foundation, is the philanthropic arm of the AMA. According to the foundation, it is committed to improving the health of Americans through support of quality programs in public health and medical education. Programs include grants for free clinics and healthy-lifestyle projects, medical student scholarships, and health literacy initiatives.