The
Department of Psychiatry at the University of Florida was established
in 1958 as part of the newly developed College of Medicine. During that
first year outpatient and inpatient clinical psychiatry services were
initiated and a general psychiatry residency was established. In 1960,
the Division of Child Psychiatry was added, and the Child Psychiatry
Fellowship soon followed. In 1967 the Gainesville Veterans Administration
Hospital was completed as a Dean’s Committee hospital, and its
psychiatric service was completely integrated with the Department of
Psychiatry.
Our constant aim has been to provide a broad educational experience
in a multi-faceted program with its hub centered in a major academic
medical center. In the 1990’s, the department underwent tremendous
growth in its research infrastructure, moving to a position of national
recognition. Despite the challenges facing academic medicine –
psychiatry and the other cognitive specialties, in particular –
the last few years have been a period marked by growth and development
in the three central missions of clinical care, research, and education
of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Florida. Much of
the credit goes to the talented and dedicated faculty and staff who
share the vision of seeing the Department shine as a star in the southeast.
