In Parting Address, Levin Hails APA as Source of Mentorship and Community

“APA can be a source of lifelong community if you’re willing to step out and meet your colleagues,” said APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., in a parting address at the Opening Session of APA’s Annual Meeting today. Levin steps down this month as CEO and medical director after 13 years and will be succeeded by Marketa Wills, M.D., M.B.A.

Levin spoke especially to young members of APA — residents and early career psychiatrists — about his own experience of being mentored and how it nurtured his growth as a leader. “More than anything, my experience with mentorship put me on the path to leadership in this Association and really gave me a passion for our mission as psychiatrists,” he said. “I will never forget the guidance and learning I experienced from my mentors when I was a resident. It bound me to APA, my district branch, and to the profession and cemented my love for what we do every day. And whenever that love waned, working with a mentee was always a surefire way to reignite that passion.”

Levin recounted APA’s challenges and achievements during his tenure — the “rebranding” of the Association and adoption of a logo that reflects the field of psychiatry today; the move to a new headquarters in the nation’s capital; the development of PsychPRO, APA’s mental health registry; the growth of APA membership; and the changes wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Leading an organization of APA’s stature during a time of radical health care change — as we navigated issues like the Affordable Care Act, the emergence of telemedicine, and COVID — offered the greatest of challenges, but also provided a very rewarding experience,” he said. “And, in the pivot to telepsychiatry, it opened doors to help our patients more easily access the treatment they need.

“APA’s membership is growing, once again post-COVID, now numbering nearly 39,000 members, our highest in 25 years,” Levin said. “And it is becoming more reflective of our patients and of the deepening diversity of culture and identity in our nation. Today, international medical graduates [IMGs] make up around 30% of active psychiatrists in the U.S. and are a crucial component of American psychiatry. As an IMG myself, I know that while the transition to a new country and culture can be difficult, it can also be rewarding and beneficial for everyone, as you learn from your new colleagues and your patients and share your own unique knowledge and experience in turn.”

He added, “Thanks in part to the efforts of APA advocacy, 100 out of 200 new graduate medical education residency spots were allocated to psychiatry and psychiatry subspecialties, an unprecedented number. And while more are needed, our government leaders now understand that our country is facing a mental health crisis and that we will need as many new psychiatrists and physicians as possible to meet the demand for care. This understanding represents a seismic shift from just a decade ago.”

Levin also singled out the achievements of the APA Foundation, of which he has been chair of its board throughout his tenure, and especially the Foundation’s Mental Health Care Works campaign. After a short video presentation about the campaign, Levin said: “This campaign reinforces the messaging that there is nothing to be ashamed of when seeking mental health care and that mental disorders and substance use disorders are not a moral failing, but are illnesses just like hypertension, diabetes, and others. It also elevates APA’s and psychiatry’s role as a leader in mental health care to the public.”

Levin hailed the APA administration and leadership and closed his remarks by recognizing APA’s presidents — those he worked with during his tenure and those who preceded his time as CEO. And he remembered past APA presidents John Talbott, M.D., who died last year, and Herbert Pardes, M.D., who died just prior to the start of the Annual Meeting.

“As psychiatrists, we have a great legacy of leaders and leadership in our profession and Association. All of us stand on the shoulders of those who came before us, building on their great works and accomplishments,” Levin said. “To all those who have helped me along the way, whether they are here tonight or not, I offer my sincere thanks for your service and thought leadership and for our frank and honest conversations that have helped chart the best path forward for our association.”

He added, “APA has, and always will be, my professional home.”  ■