Our advocacy must extend beyond the doctor-patient relationship to broader issues of the public health.
Dr. Sharfstein was born in New York City, received his M.D. (1968) from Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1968), interned in Pediatrics at the Bronx Municipal Hospital Center (1968-69), followed by his psychiatric residency at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center (1969-72).
In 1973, Dr. Sharfstein entered the U.S. Public Health Service at the National Institute of Mental Health (1973-82) where he served as Associate Director for Behavioral Medicine. From 1983-86, Dr. Sharfstein served as Deputy Medical Director of the American Psychiatric Association and in 1986 he was appointed Executive Vice-President, Chief Operating Officer and Medical Director at the Sheppard and Enoch Pratt Professional Hospital and he has remained there to the present. He is now President and Chief Executive Officer. He is also a Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Maryland (1986-), Vice-Chairman of the Department of Psychiatry (1996-), and a Lecturer in Psychiatry at the Johns Hopkins University (1987-).
Dr. Sharfstein has served on the Institute of Medicine Board on Neuroscience and Behavioral Health (1993-), several Maryland Governor Committees on Mental Hygiene and Health Insurance, Maryland Hospital Association Executive Committee of Board (1996-), and the American College of Psychiatrists Board of Regents (1995). His services to the APA include the APA Commission on Standard, Third Party Payments (1976-82), Chairperson, Budget Committee, Chairperson, APA Resource Development Committee and the Budget Committee (1996-.) He was an Associate Editor of the Journal of Psychiatry (1993), on the Editorial Board of the American Journal of Mental Health Administration (1989), the Editorial Advisory Board, Community Mental Health Journal (1980), and Associate Editor of the Journal on Psychiatric Services (1983).
Dr. Sharfstein’s awards and accomplishments have included the APA Administrative Psychiatry Award (2001), Outstanding Service Award of the Washington Psychiatric Society (1989), and the Public Health Service Award for Meritorious Achievement (1980). He has published and co-authored twelve books, 45 book chapters, 49 book reviews, and 131 articles.
Dr. Sharfstein served as Secretary (1991-95) and Vice-President (2002-04) of the American Psychiatric Association and President from 2005-06.