Description
Texas A&M University Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine:
The College of Medicine, renamed in 2024 following a historic gift from Naresh K. Vashisht ’72, is dedicated to expanding access to care, advancing medical research, and training the next generation of physician leaders. It is the largest of the five health professions schools within Texas A&M Health, with major campuses in Bryan–College Station, Dallas, Houston, Round Rock, and San Antonio, plus additional clinical teaching sites across the state.
The College educates medical students and supports a broad range of sponsored and affiliated GME programs—including Family Medicine, Sports Medicine, Geriatrics, and Psychiatry—sending hundreds of Aggie physicians into Texas communities each year.
Mission: Improve the health and well being of people in Texas and beyond through excellence in education, research, and health care delivery.
Vision: Develop innovators and leaders who will transform American medicine in the 21st century.
Strategic priorities include strengthening research excellence, enhancing financial sustainability, promoting a diverse and inclusive culture, and expanding cross campus collaboration.
Research Enterprise
More than 300 faculty, trainees, and research staff conduct basic, translational, and clinical research supported by modern core facilities in Bryan–College Station and Houston.
Major areas of emphasis include:
Brain, Behavior, Psychiatric & Neurologic Disorders
Biomedical Engineering & Regenerative Medicine
Cancer, Cell & Developmental Biology
Cardiovascular, Lymphatic & Metabolic Disease
Genetic, Genomic & Network Biology
Infection, Immunity & Inflammation
The College houses several prominent research centers and institutes, including CAPRI, the Cardiovascular Research Institute, the Clinical Science & Translational Research Institute, and the Institute for Regenerative Medicine.
Clinical Affiliates:
With more than 40 clinical partners throughout Texas—from major health systems to community clinics—students gain experience with varied patient populations and leading faculty practitioners. An integrated interprofessional practice model aligns research, education, and clinical care across the College.
Military Medicine:
Texas A&M has a long standing commitment to military medicine and maintains strong relationships with military hospitals and veteran serving institutions. Students train at Brooke Army Medical Center, Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center, Central Texas Veterans Health Care System, and Wilford Hall Ambulatory Surgical Center, gaining unique experience caring for service members and their families.
Texas A&M University:
Texas A&M University is a top ranked public research institution with more than 73,000 students, a $13.5B endowment, and $1.13B in annual research expenditures. It is one of only 17 U.S. universities designated as a land , sea , and space grant institution.
Together, Texas A&M University, Texas A&M Health, and the College of Medicine drive statewide efforts to transform health care through innovative research, team based care, and world class medical education.
The Opportunity:
Associate Department Head for Education & Program Director, Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences
Texas A&M University College of Medicine’s Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences is conducting a national search for a new Associate Department Head for Education & Program Director. Reporting to Sanjay J. Mathew, MD, the new Department Head of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in the Naresh K. Vashisht College of Medicine, the incoming Associate Department Head will serve as the Program Director for the department.
With Dr. Mathew reorganizing portions of the department and building his leadership team, this role will be a central driver of the department’s educational success. In this combined position, the Associate Department Head for Education and Psychiatry Residency Program Director will foster a strong teaching culture by implementing consistent evaluation and feedback processes for faculty and learners. The incumbent will also lead the continued enhancement and expansion of the psychiatry residency program, guiding and supporting principal faculty, adjunct faculty, staff, and residents.
The position will be responsible for integrating the UME and GME curriculum, ensuring that students wishing to pursue psychiatry as a clinical profession have the foundation of knowledge necessary to seamlessly transition into graduate training. The incumbent will identify opportunities for curricular innovation, resolve identified curricular deficiencies and promote a system of continuous quality improvement and accreditation readiness within the department’s educational programs.
As a key leader within the College, the Associate Department Head will provide exemplary leadership to a department committed to excellence in clinical care, education, and research. In addition to the administrative responsibilities described, the incumbent will actively participate in sponsored research and/or the delivery of clinical care.
The Division:
The Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences at Texas A&M University College of Medicine was established in 2018 and has grown rapidly across its clinical, research, and education missions. Headquartered in Bryan–College Station, the department serves communities across the Texas A&M Health System and the state.
Sanjay J. Mathew, MD—an internationally recognized expert in treatment resistant mood and anxiety disorders—was appointed Department Head in 2025. His leadership brings deep expertise in clinical and translational research, including pioneering work in fast acting antidepressant therapies and biomarker discovery.
Research Programs:
The department supports a broad and innovative research portfolio, including ten basic, clinical, and translational laboratories funded by NIH, DoD, state agencies, foundations, and industry partners. Major areas of focus include:
Affective Neuroscience – Molecular, genetic, and cellular mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders.
Behavioral Neuroscience – Stress, trauma, neuroendocrinology, immunology, and animal model research.
Clinical Research – Telehealth, treatment resistant depression, PTSD, anxiety, and alcohol use disorders.
A notable initiative includes a multi university project led by Texas A&M to support mental health recovery for trauma survivors in Ukraine, funded by a $1.4M NIH Fogarty grant.
Education & Training:
The department provides interdisciplinary training across Medicine, Psychology, Nursing, and Social Work, supporting more than 70 learners each year.
Psychiatry Residency Program:
An ACGME accredited, four year program accepting four residents per year, with training in inpatient psychiatry, neurology, general medicine, psychosomatics, addiction, geriatrics, forensics, and child & adolescent psychiatry. Training occurs across multiple partner sites, including the VA, CHI St. Joseph, the Army’s Darnall Medical Center, and community mental health settings.
Post Graduate Clinical Social Work Fellowship:
A 1–2 year accredited fellowship focused on evidence based, client centered care and interdisciplinary practice.
Clinical Programs:
The department delivers comprehensive psychiatric services across the lifespan to communities in Bryan/College Station, the Brazos Valley, rural counties, and military populations. Services include diagnostic evaluations, psychotherapy, and medication management. Additional care is provided through the Family Care Clinic, where trainees gain primary care and integrated behavioral health experience.
The Region:
Bryan–College Station blends small town warmth with the energy of a major university hub. The area offers affordable living, a diverse and welcoming community, a vibrant historic downtown, local restaurants and breweries, arts and music venues, and strong public schools.
Home to Texas A&M University and multiple higher education campuses, the region attracts a highly educated, growing population and provides excellent quality of life for families and professionals.
Nominations are greatly appreciated and may be sent to:
Interested candidates should provide a curriculum vitae and a letter of interest that describes their interest in the role, including, but not limited to, relevant educational, teaching, and leadership background. All interactions will remain confidential, and no inquiries will be made without the consent of the applicant.
To ensure full consideration, inquiries, nominations, and applications should be submitted electronically in confidence to Molly Johnson at molly.johnson@amnhealthcare.com
Texas A&M University is an Equal Opportunity/Veterans/Disability Employer.
For additional information about the position or to provide recommendations, please contact:
Ellen Lockhart, MD
Principal
314.265.2206
Ellen.Lockhart@amnhealthcare.com
Molly Johnson
Consultant
858-350-3256
molly.johnson@amnhealthcare.com
Requirements
The Ideal Candidate:
The ideal candidate will be an accomplished academic psychiatrist with a strong commitment to educational innovation and leadership. They will bring proven experience in both Undergraduate and Graduate Medical Education, with the skill to integrate curricula, enhance training pathways, and maintain continuous accreditation readiness across programs. As both Associate Department Head for Education and Psychiatry Residency Program Director, this individual will cultivate a robust teaching culture, mentor faculty, and guide the ongoing development and expansion of the psychiatry residency program.
Required
MD, DO, or equivalent medical degree (e.g., MBBS or MBChB).
Current certification by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Minimum three years of administrative and/or educational experience.
Unrestricted Texas medical license or be eligible to obtain such
Preferred
Prior leadership experience in Graduate or Undergraduate Medical Education (UME course or clerkship director, residency director, or associate/assistant director)
Documented record of scholarship and/or research activity in the behavioral sciences and/or medical education.
Documented record of faculty mentorship; documented record of departmental or organizational leadership positions held.
