PSS has the opportunity to meet Dr. M Lynn Crismon recently. He was in town for the HMDP programme to share his expertise in the area of psychiatric pharmacy.

Dr. Crismon is the Behrens Inc. Centennial Professor in Pharmacy and Associate Dean for Clinical Programs at The University of Texas College of Pharmacy.  He also serves as Director of Psychiatric Pharmacy Programs, with faculty appointments in the Divisions of Pharmacy Practice, Pharmacy Administration, Pharmacotherapy, and the Center for Pharmacoeconomic Studies. He serves as a Clinical Psychopharmacologist with the Texas Department of State Health Services.  He is a member of the faculty and coordinates the clinical psychopharmacology course for the Psychiatry Residency Program, Austin Medical Education Programs, Seton Health Network.Professor, College of Pharmacy, The University of Texas at Austin.

He has served as a member of the Board of Regents for the American College of Clinical Pharmacy, and he is an ACCP fellow.  A past chair of the ASHP Specialty Practice Group on Psychopharmacy and the task force to recognize psychiatric pharmacy as a specialty by the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties (BPS), he was also the first chair of the BPS Specialty Council on Psychiatric Pharmacy Practice. 

Dr. Crismon developed and coordinates a nationally recognized training program in psychiatric pharmacotherapy and mental health outcomes. To date, he has supervised over 35 post Pharm.D. psychiatric pharmacy or research trainees.  He has served as preceptor for the ASHP Foundation Psychiatric Drug Therapy Research Fellowship (twice), the ACCP Psychopharmacy Research Fellowship, U.S. Pharmacopoeia Fellowship, and the NIMH F 32 post professional doctorate research training award.  Six of his research trainees have been awarded New Investigator Awards by the NIMH at the New Clinical Drug Evaluation Unit Meeting.

PSS President, Ng Cheng Tiang; PSS Council Member, See Yen Theng and IMH pharmacist, Ng Yeow Foo were with him for a lunch meeting to share some thoughts about the healthcare issues, more specifically on in the area of psychiatric and geriatric services at ambulatory and community level. Dr. Crismon also shared his unique experience in smoking cessation programme for the Hispanic and Afro-American populations in Texas.

This has been the 1st trip for Dr. Crismon to Asia. After completing his busy mission here in Singapore, he will be spending some time holidaying in Thailand before returning to Texas.

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