A message from Laura Roberts, MD, MA, Katharine Dexter McCormick and Stanley McCormick Memorial Professor and Department Chairman

The new vision for the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University School of Medicine places importance on advancing science and integrating this foremost mission with those of:

- Clinical innovation
- Educational excellence
- Community engagement & commitment
- Professionalism & leadership development

This approach, in my view, will allow us to change future understanding and practices in our fields of science, the health professions, and society at large. It is an approach that stretches the traditional boundaries of an academic department and acknowledges the interdependent nature of the five missions with which we are entrusted. For us, the vision affirms the diverse activities, past successes, and distinct career paths of our multidisciplinary faculty. It establishes a mindset that will help draw our people together to collaborate and combine efforts that are necessary in moving forward this full academic portfolio. Finally, it is a vision that provides an authentic rationale for growth in a number of critical areas arising in fields from basic science to public policy.

Leadership in Academic Psychiatry: The Vision, the 'Givens,' and the Nature of Leaders " from Academic Psychiatry 2009; 33(2):85-88. (PDF)