The American Association of Chairs of Departments of Psychiatry (AACDP) has selected Peter Buckley, MD, chancellor of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, as the recipient of its 2023 Leadership Award.
The award honors one person each year for outstanding leadership, mentorship, and guidance to the field of psychiatry. As the award recipient, Dr. Buckley will be recognized and give a presentation at the AACDP’s meeting September 20 in Washington, D.C.
“It is a pleasure and a great privilege to receive this recognition from this departmental chairs leadership, which includes several present friends, especially as I was a prior leader in this organization,” Dr. Buckley said.
The association represents the leaders of departments of psychiatry in medical schools in the United States and Canada. AACDP is committed to promoting excellence in psychiatric education, research, and clinical care. It provides for its members leadership training, networking opportunities, and professional development.
Prior to becoming a medical school dean at two institutions and then UTHSC’s chancellor, Dr. Buckley served 10 years as the chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Health Behavior at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University. As a new chair in 2000, he received mentorship through AACDP. He went on to serve in administrative roles in the association, including as its president.
In addition to collaborative research on schizophrenia, Dr. Buckley has authored multiple papers on leadership in academic medicine in publications including Academic Medicine, American Journal of Psychiatry, Academic Psychiatry, Psychiatric Times, and Psychiatric Bulletin. His presentation at the AACDP meeting will focus on retention of chairs of departments of psychiatry and other academic medicine departments. He will also share tips based on his experience as a servant leader at multiple higher education institutions as well as national and international organizations.