Mimi Israël MD, FRCPC, Psychiatrist-in-chief at the Douglas, has been named as the interim Chair of the Department of Psychiatry at McGill University. This appointment, which pays tribute to her academic proficiency; her keen sense of ethics and organization; and her compassionate approach to clinical practice, will take effect on June 1, 2007.

“I congratulate Dr. Israël on her appointment,” says Vice-Principal (Health Affairs) of McGill University and Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Richard I. Levin. “She is a highly experienced administrator, clinician and teacher and as such brings a varied skill set to the position."

Israël will continue to serve as the Douglas’ psychiatrist-in-chief in addition to maintaining her clinical, research and teaching activities at the Institute’s specialized Eating Disorders Programs.

Her openness, commitment to interdisciplinarity, and formidable capacity to analyze and synthesize, have made her a leader at the Douglas. She has reorganized clinical services, improved the lives of patients, and involved herself in projects designed to integrate research and teaching into clinical practice. As president of the Association of Chiefs of the Departments of Psychiatry of Montreal, she plays a key role in developing the future of mental health services in addition to participating in the McGill Réseau universitaire intégré de santé (known as McGill RUIS), and taking part in the implementation of the new provincial Mental Health Action Plan. In acknowledgement of her tireless efforts, Israël was awarded the Collège des médecins du Québec 2006 Grand Prix.

After more than 20 years of practice, Dr Israël is determined to elevate psychiatry beyond its current limits. Adhering to the belief that, there comes a moment in a professional career where “our talents must impact the greatest number possible”, she is devoting herself to promoting mental health in our society; implementing service delivery systems that improve accessibility and quality of care; and reaffirming the psychiatrist’s role within the clinical interdisciplinary team.

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