Communications Bulletin

The Department of Psychiatry’s EDIA Committee is seeking expressions of interest for a new Graduate Student Representative.

The Department Awards & Recognition Committee extends a department-wide call for self-nominations or nominations of your fellow colleagues who are deserving of recognition in their respective fields.

The Department is currently recruiting for a faculty position for the Royal Columbian Hospital Professorship and a candidate has been shortlisted for the Assistant Professor Rank. The co-Chairs of the Search Committee invite faculty to attend the presentation and provide your input

As part of our action plan, to improve trust in reporting and to ensure awareness and accessibility of resources, we are offering a dedicated learner-focused Mistreatment Reporting Workshop on Thursday, December 11th.

Applications are now open for the UBC Institute of Mental Health (IMH) Marshall Fellows Program in Mental Health for 2026-2027. The Marshall Fellows Program in Mental Health was established in 2019 by the IMH to support the training of young investigators in translational research in order to create research capacity in mental health.

The Research Trainee program supports early career researchers and provides funding to postdoctoral and health professional researchers in training, enabling them to pursue high-quality, innovative research as they build their careers here in BC.

Directed by Tumpal Tampubolon, the film follows twenty-year-old Johan (Yusuf Mahardika) and his mother (Marissa Anita), living a peculiarly isolated life caring for a derelict crocodile park in the lush terrain of rural West Java.

The Division of Adult Psychiatry and Mental Health Services is seeking Clinical Faculty to join them in forming an Emergency Psychiatry Program.

UBC Cybersecurity is urgently raising awareness of a university payroll scam targeting UBC. These emails impersonate HR, Finance, or senior administrators, referencing pay, bonuses, or leave approvals.

All Department members across the province are invited to attend the UBC Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. The next session will be held Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 8:30 am on Zoom. The session, Management and Treatment of Severe Eating Disorders in Adults in General Psychiatric Practice, is presented by Dr. Kalam Sutandar, Assistant Professor…

The Department Awards & Recognition Committee extends a department-wide call for self-nominations or nominations of your fellow colleagues who are deserving of recognition in their respective fields.

Please complete the updated 2025 Employment Equity Census. It takes only 3 minutes and is confidential.

The NINET Laboratory and UBC Department of Psychiatry are pleased to announce a three-day accredited course providing psychiatrists with practical and theoretical training in repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

An external review of the UBC Department of Psychiatry will be conducted in January 2026. This review provides an opportunity for the unit to reflect on its programs and operations. Input from the unit’s faculty, staff, and learners is highly valued in this process. We invite you to participate in the review by providing your…

Dear Department Members, On behalf of the UBC Department of Psychiatry, Dr. Lakshmi N. Yatham cordially invites you to our year-end Festive Celebration on Tuesday, December 2nd! The event will take place at The Arbutus Club and includes an assortment of hot and cold hors d’oeuvres to enjoy. All Department members, including faculty, staff, fellows,…

Thank you to all those who continue to support the Pacific Psychopharmacology Conference year after year.

Fremont, California, known for having the largest Afghan diaspora in the US, is home to Donya (Anaita Wali Zada), a young woman and former translator for the U.S. Army. Every morning she commutes to San Francisco’s Chinatown where she works at a fortune cookie factory. Despite friendly coworkers and an unusually supportive boss, her discontent…

UBC Department of Psychiatry Clinical Assistant Professor, Dr. Carole Richford, has been recognized with a Canadian Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (CACLP) Distinguished Contribution to CL Psychiatry in Canada Award. The award is presented annually to a CACLP member who has made a distinguished contribution to the field of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry in Canada.

A warm welcome on the appointment of Dr. John-Jose Nunez to the UBC Department of Psychiatry at the rank of Assistant Professor (Partner). Dr. Nunez is a psychiatrist and clinical researcher whose work bridges psychiatry and computer science, with a focus on using computational approaches including artificial intelligence, machine learning and natural language processing to…

All Department members across the province are invited to attend the UBC Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. The next session will be held Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at 8:30 am on Zoom. The session, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder across the Lifespan: The Basics and Beyond in 2025, is presented by Dr. Evelyn Stewart, Professor with the UBC…

The BC Psychiatric Association’s (BCPA) annual conference will be taking place again this November. Don’t miss this year’s line-up of world-class speakers who will discuss topics including adult ADHD, PTSD, concurrent disorders and the Mental Health Act, Economics update, and more.

Substance Use Disorders—whether alone or alongside other mental health conditions—affect the majority of psychiatric patients. Yet, this group has historically received less attention in both treatment and research. Our aim is to build a strong network of professionals whose work intersects with substance use and concurrent disorders.

We are inviting Department members to attend our online mistreatment reporting workshops to help clarify the different reporting pathways available, as well as where, how, and to whom to report, so that everyone in our community feels informed and empowered.

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Jordan Cohen, Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. Dr. Cohen joined the Department in 2016, and in 2022 was appointed Associate Head PGE and CPD. He was a valued colleague, educator, and leader and will be remembered with…

The UBC Department of Psychiatry is delighted to welcome Ms. Aseil Eljallad who has joined the Administration Team as Senior Program Assistant. She will work with the Competence by Design (CBD) faculty lead to plan and organize CBD workshops, presentations and events for the Department PGME Programs.

Consider nominating your colleagues for the 2026 SSHRC Impact Awards. These awards recognize outstanding researchers and celebrate their research achievements, research training, knowledge mobilization and outreach activities.

Up to $50,000 in seed funding is available through the Ministry of Health Research Seed Grant program to researchers from UBC Vancouver and UBC Okanagan to address priority research questions identified by the Ministry of Health.

Dr. Rafizadeh, a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department, has received the award for his project, Addressing the Crisis: Developing Evidence-Based Treatment for Individuals with Co-Occurring Substance Use Disorders and Psychosis in BC.

CPA members with an interest in the creative side of psychiatry are invited to join the new approved CPA Section on Arts and Psychiatry

The Faculty of Medicine is launching an internal selection process to nominate two faculty members for the 2025 UBC Killam Accelerator Research Fellowship (KARF) competition. These annual fellowships are intended to support exceptional early career researchers across all disciplines who have the potential for significant impact in their field of scholarship and are ready to…

In preparation for the anticipated Innovation Fund 2027 competition, UBC has published their internal timeline for the 2027 Innovation Fund competition ahead of the CFI call for proposals.

Are you a clinician or researcher working with individuals with psychosis? Attend the monthly BC Psychosis and UBC Schizophrenia Program Educational Rounds, held the first Friday of the month. The rounds are a CPD accredited series focused on clinical issues and research findings.

The monthly BC Psychosis Program educational rounds are now the BC Psychosis Program and UBC Schizophrenia Program Educational Rounds’. Held the first Friday of the month, the rounds are April 4th are presented by Dr. Andrew Howard.

This month’s film, directed by Nathan Grossman documents ecological grief through the lens of seven climate scientists who sign up for a group therapy session. With humour, astute observation, and Socratic questioning, complicated feelings are unearthed as the group discloses their emotional selves.

All Department members across the province are invited to attend the UBC Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. The next session will be held Tuesday, September 9, 2025 at 8:30 am on Zoom.

It is with profound sadness that we share the news of the passing of Dr. Sylvie Argouarch, Clinical Instructor in the UBC Department of Psychiatry, on August 2, 2025, following a tragic accident in Victoria. She will be remembered as a thoughtful and inspirational colleague who provided care with empathy and determination while striving to…

We are starting to recruit examiners for our 2025-26 Mock OSCEs. The Mock OSCEs are an integral part of preparing our residents for their Royal College OSCE exams. We have finalized the dates for each of the mock exams and are asking faculty to submit their availability.

The International Medical Graduate BC (IMGBC) Program is inviting Clinical Faculty to apply as an Examiner for the 2025 IMG Clinical Assessment Program (CAP) Multiple Mini Interview (MMI).

Faculty are invited to teach the Year 2 Psychiatry Clinical Skills Sessions in MEDD 421 this fall.

Congratulations to UBC Department of Psychiatry members Dr. Cameron Anderson and Elsy Willis, who have won two of the three annual Canadian Organization of Undergraduate Psychiatric Educators (COUPE) awards. Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Cameron Anderson has been honoured with the 2025 COUPE Teacher Recognition Award. The award recognizes a non-academic track teacher who is actively…

The Department of Psychiatry EDIA Committee is seeking nominations for the Subspecialty Resident Representative position. To enrich the diversity of experience and perspectives on the committee, residents from the Child and Adolescent Subspecialty and the Geriatric Subspecialty Training Programs are especially encouraged to participate.

Join an informal Stimulus Grants Information Session, led by Dr. Sophia Frangou, on Monday, August 25, 2025, at 12:00 pm. The informal Zoom session will provide an overview of the application process, cover key steps and timelines and include an opportunity for questions in a non-recorded setting.

Register by Thursday, August 22! Held annually in September, the event is a wonderful opportunity to enjoy a complimentary lunch, live entertainment, information booths, and the camaraderie of your fellow UBC staff colleagues and faculty members. Event Details: Date: Wednesday, September 10, 2025 Time: Location: Flagpole Plaza, 6300 Crescent Road We look forward to seeing…

The Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) is pleased to announce the launch of the Reviewer in Training (RiT). The RiT program offers Early Career Researchers a learning opportunity to gain a better understanding of the elements of high-quality review and the peer review process through participation in the Project Grant competition.

The Online Clinical Faculty Annual Report Form for the period of July 1, 2024 to June 30, 2025 is now available. Please report your teaching activities for the period using the enclosed link

In 2023, the UBC Department of Psychiatry, in partnership with the UBC Institute of Mental Health (IMH), created a new academic faculty position in the area of Concurrent Disorders. Now that the search and selection process has been completed, we are delighted to announce that Dr. Pouya Azar is the successful candidate.

The Department of Psychiatry is calling for nominations/ self-nominations from clinical faculty members to fill vacancies within the Clinical Faculty Appointments, Reappointments, and Promotions Committee (CFARPC). Complete the nomination form by Friday, July 18, 2025.

The Department of Psychiatry celebrates the well-deserved recognition of our faculty members, Professor Dr. Lynn Raymond, recipient of an Overall Excellence — Senior Faculty award, and Associate Professor Dr. Daniel Vigo, recipient of the Service to the University and Community award.

Dr. Irfan Khanbhai will be stepping down as PGE Specialty Program Director. Over the last six years, Dr. Khanbhai has done a phenomenal job in this important role, and we will miss his outstanding leadership. He continues his ongoing appointments as Interim Associate Head, PGE & CPD and as a Clinical Associate Professor in the…

Faculty and staff subscribed to the Adobe Acrobat Pro tool, pleases be on the lookout for a renewal email and link.

The selection process for the IMH Marshall Fellows Program has completed and we are thrilled to congratulate the 2025/2026 awardees. Learn more about the fellows and their research…

The 2025 Faculty of Medicine Academic Gowns and Emeriti Recognition Ceremony was held on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, with eight Clinical Professor promotions and three Emeritus conferrals recognized from our department.

The Clinical Faculty Appointment, Reappointment, and Promotion Committee (CFARP) conducts two review cycles annually. Dr. Joseph Tham shares useful tips and eligibility and steps to apply.

Attn: A building power shutdown at the at the David Strangway Building and Michael Smith Laboratories for regulatory electrical maintenance work has been scheduled.

This summer, Room 2N A/B on the 2nd floor of Detwiller Pavilion will be upgraded to provide a new touch-down lounge and shared drop-in work area for Department members. Expected to be completed by the end of July, the space with offer new enhanced functionality and an informal gathering space.

This month’s film tells the story of a young woman named Cora who is straining to emotionally connect with those around her while experiencing debilitating and painful allergic reactions to food.

Department members across the province are invited to attend the UBC Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. The next session, Magnetic Seizure Therapy: a Novel Neuromodulation Treatment for Difficult to Treat Schizophrenia, is presented by Dr. Fidel Vila-Rodriguez, Associate Professor and Director of Non-Invasive Neurostimulation Therapies Laboratory.

Congratulations to Department of Psychiatry members named recipients of this year’s Translation Research into Clinical Excellence in Psychiatry Settings (TRICEPS) Award and Excellence in Teaching Awards.

Building on invaluable input received, the Department is working to enhance the teaching experience for clinical faculty members by modifying or increasing our clinical educational support processes and systems. 

The UBC Department of Psychiatry is delighted to welcome Mr. Mauricio Bernardino to the Psychiatry Education Team. Mauricio will step into the role of Senior Program Assistant beginning May 14.

Attn: A building power shutdown at the at the David Strangway Building and Michael Smith Laboratories for regulatory electrical maintenance work has been scheduled.

Last year’s launch of our new, provincial Year 3 Academic Half Days was a huge success – thank you to all who supported these sessions and provided feedback! We are currently recruiting faculty and residents to help lead these small group teaching sessions for the upcoming academic year.

Teaching faculty are invited to apply to be a FLEX Advisor in the Vancouver Fraser Medical Program. Flexible Enhanced Learning (FLEX) provides undergraduate students with dedicated curricular time to explore individual scholarly interests and enhanced learning opportunities.

Residents and faculty are invited to join the Class of 2025 Psychiatry graduates in celebration on Friday, June 6, 2025

This month’s film is Adam Elliot’s Academy Award nominated tragicomedy Memoirs of a Snail. The animated feature recounts the misfortunes of a misfit named Grace who becomes obsessed with snails. After she is separated from her twin brother Gilbert, traumatic events and failed relationships compound and lead to a myriad of mental health conditions including…

The Department congratulates PGE Program Director and Interim Associate Head Dr. Irfan Khanbhai on receiving the 2025 PGME Program Director Award! Each year, the Faculty of Medicine Postgraduate Medical Education (PGME) program recognizes faculty and staff for their outstanding contributions to residency education. This award highlights Dr. Khanbhai’s exceptional leadership, dedication to program development, and…

Clinical Faculty of the UBC Department of Psychiatry are invited to the Annual Clinical Faculty Dinner, to be held on Thursday June 5, 2025 . The dinner will be an opportunity to recognize and show appreciation to all our clinical faculty members and their many valuable contributions to the Department.

Faculty and trainees are invited to attend the monthly BC Psychosis Program and UBC Schizophrenia Program Educational Rounds. The rounds, held the first Friday of the month, are a CPD accredited series focused on clinical issues and research findings which will be of interest to clinicians and researchers working with individuals with psychosis.

We are pleased to share that the two remaining positions in the Prince George track have been matched with great candidates and we extend them a warm welcome to the program.

All Department members across the province are invited to attend the UBC Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. The next session, Management of Schizophrenia 2025, is presented by Dr. Christoph Correll, MD, Professor of Psychiatry and Molecular Medicine, Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine, and Professor of Psychiatric Neuroscience, Institute of Behavioral Science, Feinstein Institutes…

Inviting self-nominations for the Necia Laura May Elvin Memorial Prize in Schizophrenia Research. The award will be presented to the successful applicant at the Annual Departmental Research Day on June 5th, 2025. This annual award recognizes a Doctoral trainee or Postdoctoral Fellow who has published an outstanding peer-reviewed paper relevant to schizophrenia

In the next few months, there will be numerous opportunities for the Department to submit nominations for internal awards. As such, the Department Awards & Recognition Committee is extending a department-wide call inviting you to nominate yourself or your colleagues to recognize the many meritorious contributions.

Department members across the province are invited to attend the UBC Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. The next session, The BC Mental Health Act and its use for people with Substance Use Disorders, is presented by Dr. Daniel Vigo, Chief Scientific Advisor for Psychiatry, Toxic Drugs, and Concurrent Disorders, BC; and Associate Professor, Department of…

Presented by The Cinematheque and the Institute of Mental Health, UBC Department of Psychiatry, this month’s film turns a panoramic lens onto one of society’s greatest collective institutions. Decades before hospitals became a popular site of procedural and reality television, director Frederick Wiseman documented numerous emergency encounters of patients suffering from a range of medical…

Urgent! Two PGE Mock OSCE examiners are required for the afternoon session, 12:30 pm – 4:30 pm held Thursday, April 3, 2025.

Congratulations to UBC Department of Psychiatry Clinical Professors, Dr. Stacy Elliott, Dr. Ric Procyshyn and Dr. Biju Mathew, who have both been honoured with King Charles III Coronation Medals in recognition of their outstanding service to Canada and their communities.

Congratulations to Professor Dr. Adele Diamond, who will be awarded the Erikson Institute’s Honorary Doctorate later this spring. The honour recognizes her groundbreaking contributions to developmental cognitive neuroscience and unwavering dedication to advancing our understanding of how children learn and grow.

The Department is saddened to share the news that Dr. Roger Freeman passed away on March 13, 2025, at the age of 91. He was a Clinical Professor Emeritus and had been a member of the Department of Psychiatry for over 50 years. Before his retirement from clinical practice, Dr. Freeman taught regularly in the…

Department members across the province are invited to attend the UBC Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. The next session will be held Tuesday, April 1. The session, Canadian Network for Mood and Anxiety Treatments (CANMAT) guidelines for the management of patients with bipolar disorder: An update, is presented by Dr. Benicio Frey.

The Department of Psychiatry congratulates Professor Dr. Todd Woodward who has been awarded a UBC Killam Research Prize in recognition of outstanding research and scholarly contributions in the category of Applied Science, Medicine, and Sciences.

We are delighted to share that Mr. Ahsan Sahibzada has been promoted to the role of Postgraduate Program Manager in the UBC Department of Psychiatry, effective March 10, 2025. With Ahsan assuming his new role, we have initiated a recruitment process for the role of Senior Program Assistant, PGE.

PGME are committed to seeking ongoing feedback about the educational environment at all major teaching sites. In collaboration with Provincial Health Services Authority (PHSA) leadership, PGME are seeking faculty and postgraduate learner input on the work and learning environment via a short survey. 

Attn Faculty: We are currently looking for shadowing supervisors for the Department of Psychiatry’s 6th annual Psychiatry Summer Immersion Program, which will take place Monday, June 2 and Tuesday, June 3, 2025.

Today was the CaRMS Match Day for the incoming class in July 2025, and we are pleased to let you know that we have done well again this year. The caliber of residents that are coming to us are very high and we are excited to welcome them all!

Presented by The Cinematheque and the Institute of Mental Health, UBC Department of Psychiatry, in this month’s film, writer-director Elizabeth Sankey shares her deeply personal experience of postpartum depression. Sankey’s narration weaves her own story with astute pop-culture analysis of the cultural myths and symbolism surrounding witches, illustrating the terrifying and often misunderstood realities of…

Residents, Faculty, and Staff, save the date and join us on celebrating the Postgraduate Psychiatry Grad Gala 2025.

Department members across the province are invited to attend the UBC Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. The next session will be held Tuesday, March 4. The session, An update from the Chief Scientific Advisor for Psychiatry, Toxic Drugs, and Concurrent Disorders: the transformation of BC system of care for MHSU, is presented by Dr. Daniel…

UBC Department of Psychiatry Associate Professor Dr. Daniel Vigo has been named to Vancouver Magazine’s Power 50 list 2025, for taking action against an epidemic.

Congratulations to UBC Department of Psychiatry Professor and Associate Head, Dr. Sophia Frangou, who has been recognized with the Pascal-Boyle Prize for Outstanding Achievement by a Woman in Working to Improve Mental Health Care in Europe.

If you are a psychiatrist practicing or in training in British Columbia, we want your insight on how genetic testing for antidepressant prescription could be delivered to patients.

Hosted by the Mood and Anxiety Program, these rounds offer a collaborative space for clinicians and trainees to seek guidance on complex and challenging mood disorder cases.

The Department of Psychiatry EDIA Committee is seeking expressions of interest and nominations for a new Academic Faculty Representative

On behalf of Dr. Lakshmi Yatham, Head, UBC Department of Psychiatry, Department members are invited to a Retirement Tea Reception to be held in honour of Professor Dr. Kerry Jang. Please join us on Monday, March 31st in the DHCBH Lobby.

As we continue to work towards achieving our strategic goals, we are pleased to announce that ten specialized Programs have now been (re)established. These Programs represent organizational units where members share common interests and expertise, while fostering collaborative leadership across our distributed sites.

UPDATE: A UBC memorial fund has been established to honour Dr. Au’s unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care and his passion for mentoring the next generation of psychiatrists. Please consider donating to the fund today.

Deadline: Monday February 24, 2025 | The Faculty of Medicine has launched the 2025 Canada Research Chair (CRC) Competition for up to four (4) Tier 1 and up to three (3) Tier 2 Canada Research Chairs in any field of research aligned with the FoM strategic plan. We are inviting formal expressions of interest (EOIs)…

This is a reminder to submit your Psychotherapy and Research Supervision invoices and/or your Off-Service Clinical Teaching invoices for the 2024-25 fiscal year. The deadline for all invoice submissions is no later than Monday, March 31, 2025 at 11:59 pm.

UPDATE: Examiner found. UBC Psychiatry Postgraduate Education Team is urgently seeking a Mock OSCE examiner for our February 13th exam. 

It is with mixed feelings that we announce the departure of our dear colleague, Ms. Linda Chang, from her role as Postgraduate Program Manager for the Department of Psychiatry Department, as she has accepted a role in the UBC Faculty of Medicine Faculty Development Office as a Faculty Feedback Support Analyst. We would like to…

As the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) announced the results of its Fall 2024 project grant competition last week, we wish to congratulate our faculty member and principal investigator Dr. Brian MacVicar, along with his team, who was awarded grant funding to support his project.