Number 78 April 2007 IAPA Announces 2007 Excellence Awards Neurology and Psychiatry with subspecialty Ashwin A. Patkar, MD Certification in Addiction Psychiatry and Chaitanya V Haldipur, MD Outstanding Academician American Society of Addiction Medicine Exemplary Public Sector Award (ASAM) Certification in Addiction Psychiatrist Medicine. Dr Patkar’s focus of research is translational research in addictions. He has been awarded NIH (NIDA) grants to investigate genetic and biological markers of substance abuse. He is the Co-Principal Investigator of the North Carolina Node of the NIDA supported Clinical Trials Network that aims to bring science based medicine into clinical practice and a Co-Investigator on a National Institute on Alcohol and Alcoholism grant to address rural underage drinking. Dr Patkar is involved in SAMHSA supported services and outcome research focusing on patients with co- Chaitanya V Haldipur, MD has served Dr Ashwin Patkar is currently an occurring disorders, and HIV/hepatitis C. his entire career in the public sector, first Associate Professor of Psychiatry and for 16 years at Hutchings Psychiatric Medical Director of Duke Addictions Dr Patkar has published over 80 peer Center- where he rose to be Medical director Program at Duke University Medical Center, reviewed articles and book chapters and has and now for 17 years at the VA, where he Durham, NC. Dr Patkar earned his medical given over 150 presentations and invited has been Chief for over a decade. He is degree from G S Medical College in Bombay, lectures at national and international recognized as an outstanding teacher, role- India, his MRCPsych from the Royal meetings. He has received the American model and clinician with the most challenging College of Psychiatrists, England and Academy of Addiction Psychiatry Research - and often disenfranchised- patients. He is Neuropharmacology degree from University Award, the Lilly Biological Psychiatry the kind of public sector psychiatrist who is of Nottingham, England. He completed his Fellowship Award and has served on NIH excited by the challenge, does a superb job, psychiatry residency at Thomas Jefferson review committee and Advisory Boards for brings credibility to the public sector, and University, Philadelphia and was the Director Industry. He is a member of the Addictions attracts fresh graduates to the public sector. of Biological Psychiatry and Clinical Trials Committee of the North Carolina His career in teaching in and about at Thomas Jefferson University. He is Board Psychiatric Association and active in the the public sector is as long and distinguished Certified with the American Board of Indian American Psychiatry Association. (continued on page 3) The Forum 1 IAPA Indo-American Psychiatric Association Indo-American Psychiatric Association www.myiapa.org President’s Message Asha Mishra, M.D. President (804) 768-7610 [email protected] Dear Folks, Surinder Nand, M.D. Today I sit down to pen my last column for the FORUM as your IAPA president. 2007 is an election President-Elect year for us and at the end of the May meeting in San Diego we will be electing our new office bearers. (708) 386-2588 [email protected] I will be moving on up to be a member of the Board of Trustees and Dr. Surinder Nand will become the next IAPA president. Shivkumar Hatti, M.D., M.B.A Secretary As I reflect on my years with the IAPA and my journey to this point in time, I feel a sense of pride in (610) 891-9024 ext. 104 [email protected] the organization that we have created, the accomplishments that we have made and pure joy from having been to the places that I have been, the people that I have met along the way and the opportunities that Rudra Prakash, M.D. you all have given me to grow and realize my dreams. We have indeed come a long way and I am proud Treasurer (615)902-7782 to be a sojourner on this road of many milestones. We now have membership certificates, a state of the [email protected] art web page, an excellent newsletter and most of all a very vibrant membership. We have folks that can be counted on to serve on committees and to rise to the challenges no matter when and where, the need Antony Fernandez, M.D. Newsletter Co-Editor arises, with enthusiasm to boot. (804) 301-5186 [email protected] With the help of all the members on our By Laws committee and our EC at the May meeting with your vote as the final step we will present you our final version of the By Laws and Constitution. Our EC Radhika Sriram, M.D. Newsletter Co-Editor now has a very dedicated second generation MIT who will continue to help us be in touch with the needs (804) 762-9681 of our IAPA from all angles of our professional lives. I am proud to report on our newest achievement [email protected] whereby we are connecting psychiatry residency programs in India with individuals who are willing to Sanjay Dubé, M.D. adopt them and ship them their journals so the residents there can benefit from our psychiatry journals. Immediate Past President (317) 433-2290 We presented 3 symposia par excellence at the ANCIPS 2007 meeting in collaboration with our [email protected] Canadian and British affiliates in Chennai. We were also proud to have Dr. Pedro Ruiz travel to ANCIPS Main Office: along with my chairman, Dr. Silverman. The host committee and IPS office bearers along with Dr. Shivkumar Hatti, M.D. Natarajan are to be commended for making our stay so pleasant. Now, I want you all to know that we Secretary have an excellent program lined up for you under the leadership of Drs Nand, Hatti, Rudra Prakash and 107 Chesley Drive, Unit # 4 Media, PA 19063 Dilip Jeste. Our team has been hard at work trying to make this program worth your while so please (610) 891-9024 ext. 104 hurry up and make your travel plans unless you have already done so. I end this note with a personal fax: (610) 891-9699 invitation to you to come to San Diego with your near and dear ones. [email protected] Board of Trustees With warm regards and thanks for what you all already do and what you plan to do for the IAPA in Manoj R. Shah, M.D. Chair the future, Sanjay Dubé, M.D. Nalini V. Juthani, M.D. Asha S. Mishra, M.D., D.F.A.P.A. Rekha Ranade-Kapur, M.D. Ashwin R. Pandya, M.D. J. Srinivasaraghavan, M.D. R. Viswanathan, M.D., D.Sc. The Forum 2 (continuation from page 1) the trustee, as well as the alternate delegate As a for Illinois in the House of Delegates of the Psychiatry as his clinical career in public psychiatry. He American Medical Association. He has been Resident, he has was awarded the national APA's Nancy a pivotal force in campaigning for rights of had an outstand- Roeske Award, the President's Award for international medical graduates. He ing clinical record. Excellence in teaching and has just been spearheaded an initiative that repealed an He is focused, nominated for the SUNY-wide Chancellor's onerous section of Illinois medical practice act energetic, and Award for Excellence in Teaching. discriminating against international graduates intelligent. Dr. Singh has been entering residency. He has kept a steady pace in writing committed towards and some of his work (with Glassner) has As the chair of AAPI-PAC, he worked cultivating his been seminal in the field. Relevant to IAPA, to ensure passage of the historic IMG anti- academic and he is an expert in the history of Psychiatry discrimination legislation in the U. S. research interests. Last year, Dr. Singh was in India. His papers titled "Psychiatric Congress. He was a member of the steering the recipient of a 'Best Paper' Award from the New Jersey Psychiatric Association, for a case nosology and Classification in Ancient India" committee that successfully campaigned for report on Internet Addiction which is being and "Madness in ancient India" are classics the creation of the IMG section of the AMA. In addition to his contributions to the considered for publication at this time. He and clearly challenge Fuller Torrey's assertion will be presenting a poster on "The Prevalence profession Dr. Swaminathan is also active in that schizophrenia is a relatively 'modern of Osteoporosis in Patients with Severe and the Indian community. He is the chairman disease', an argument he makes to support Persistent Mental Illness" as a young his viral hypothesis. Overall, Chetan is a of the India forum. He is advisor to many investigator at the 2007 APA convention in scholar and a gentleman who is as fine and community organizations which include Indo San Diego. He is also working on research accomplished an example of a public sector crisis line, Apna Ghar, and the Indo American involving "Teenage Coping Strategies in center. psychiatrist as you can find. Response to Stress of Conflict." Throughout his career he has received While he has been raised here, Dr. Shastri Swaminathan, MD numerous awards including, Dynamic Singh feels a deep connection to his roots. leadership award- International medical council He identifies his values as "Indian" and Outstanding Service and India Medical Association; Presidential chooses to lead a more traditional lifestyle, Award award for outstanding legislative activities and including a future 'joint-family' home-life. As liaison to organized medicine; Golden Apple a Sikh who maintains an untrimmed beard award for excellence in medical student teaching and wears a turban, he has always stood out at the University of Illinois and Metro 6 and has used this to his advantage to educate hospitals; and the APA Nancy Roeske award others about Indian and Sikh culture.