Outstanding Achievement and Service Award: Ismene Petrakis, MD-Outstanding Achievement and Service Award: Ismene Petrakis, MD

Video Transcription

Video Summary

The keynote session opened with an award presentation to Dr. Esmini Petrakis for her exceptional work in psychiatry, particularly in addiction. With over 25 years of experience, Dr. Petrakis, a Yale University professor and VA leader in Connecticut, has significantly impacted addiction treatment and education. Her career spans research, education, and clinical administration, notably focusing on the neurobiology and treatment of alcohol use disorders and comorbidities. Her efforts in education include directing a prominent fellowship program that has produced many leaders in the field. Dr. Petrakis discussed her journey into addiction psychiatry, emphasizing the importance of mentorship and seizing opportunities despite initially unintended career paths. She acknowledged existing challenges, such as integrating mental health and addiction treatment and the evolving role of psychiatry alongside fields like addiction medicine. The session also explored the importance of maintaining professional identity within addiction psychiatry and the role of organizations like AAAP in supporting this. Dr. Petrakis encouraged aspiring professionals to take advantage of mentorship and opportunities, emphasizing that a broad and adaptable skill set is valuable for fostering advancement in addiction psychiatry.

Keywords

Dr. Esmini Petrakis

Outstanding Achievement and Service Award

psychiatry

addiction disorders

Yale University

mentorship

addiction psychiatry education

American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry

addiction medicine

psychiatric residency programs

addiction treatment

neurobiology

alcohol use disorders

AAAP

professional identity

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