Opening Remarks

F. Charles Brunicardi, MD, FACS
Senior Vice President and Dean, College of Medicine Professor of Surgery
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University

Camille A. Clare, MD, MPH, CPE, FACOG
Professor and Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Professor of Health Policy and Management, DHSU School of Public Health
SUNY Downstate Health Sciences University
Secretary, American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology

Introduction of the new American Psychiatric Association President,
20242025 Ramaswamy Viswanathan, MD, DrMedSc
Michael Myers, MD

History of Psychiatry at Downstate
Ramaswamy Viswanathan, MD, DrMedSc

Downstate Psychiatry Alumni Achievements
Scot McAfee, MD

Providing Outstanding Behavioral Health Services in a Challenging Environment
Renuka Ananthamoorthy, MD

Innovative Scientific Contributions of the Henri Begleiter Neurodynamics Lab and the Genomics
Jacquelyn Meyers, PhD

Advancing the Mental Health of the Elderly through Service, Education, and Research
Michael Reinhardt, MD

It is a historic moment for Downstate's Department of Psychiatry and
behavioral sciences, as one of its members has been elected president
of the American Psychiatric Association, the world's largest psychiatric
organization. It is a first in Brooklyn and the entire SUNY system. We use
this occasion is to celebrate our department's long history of nationally
the renowned educational system, clinical services, and cuttingedge
scientific research. This not only creates an outstanding intellectual
environment in which to train, but also offers unique opportunities for
medical students, residents, and fellows to advance their career goals.
This meeting will look back at Downstate Psychiatry's past contributions
and the lessons to be learned from that by the attendees to improve
their clinical care and research skills. These include pioneering
psychopharmacology, neurophysiologic and genetic research, and
psychotherapy education. Attendees will also learn of the current avant
garde research and clinical services done by our department and our
alumni in the areas of serving the indigent, the elderly, psychological
trauma, depression, substance use, OCD, autism spectrum disorder,
geneenvironment interactions, and pharmacologic treatment.
Attendees will also learn of the importance of professional organizations
to advance the health of communities and one's career development.