PaPS Selects Dr. Ahmad Hameed as the 2025 Presidential Award
Recipient
Each year, PaPS selects a member to receive the Presidential Award,
the highest award presented by the Society. Chapters and general members
are able to submit candidates for consideration, with the PaPS
District Branch (DB) Awards Committee tasked with reviewing, vetting,
scoring, and finally selecting the award recipient.
The award is open to all active members, not just those active at
the DB or Chapter leadership levels, and must include a letter of
nomination for one who has made outstanding contributions to the
profession of psychiatry. Contributions to the profession are not
limited to organized psychiatry.
This year, four highly qualified candidates were nominated by their
colleagues and peers for consideration. After careful consideration and
using a scoring rubric similar to APA’s Distinguished Fellow process,
the Awards Committee recommended Dr. Ahmad Hameed as the 2025
recipient.
Dr. Hameed has been an active member of PaPS and the Central Chapter
since 2007, holding multiple positions that have advanced psychiatry
both regionally and at the DB level. He currently serves as Vice Chair
of Education and an Associate Professor of Psychiatry at Penn State
University, College of Medicine. Dr Hameed is a Distinguished Fellow of
the American Psychiatric Association, and a Fellow of the American
Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology. He is a Diplomate of the
American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. Dr Hameed is Past President,
Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society.
Dr. Hameed was nominated by Dr. Kathleen Dougherty. To quote from her
letter of recommendation, Dr. Hameed ”has been a respected teacher and
administrator who has consistently increased the quality of the
residency program (100% fill rate, 100% board pass rate)…his example
has recruited many of our graduates to remain in the region. He has
received numerous teaching awards, most recently the Outstanding
Contributions to Medical Education Award from Penn State College of
Medicine’s Dept. of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health. Training our
future psychiatrists remains his passion.”
In addition, Dr. Hameed has authored numerous publications, held
numerous leadership positions, and has been active in organized
psychiatry throughout his career, serving as president at both chapter
and DB levels; while in the latter position, it was Dr. Hameed who
pushed hard for fiscal stability amidst a changing landscape. Dr. Hameed
is former co-chair of the Govt. Relations Committee, current chair of
Program Directors Special Interest Group, Psychiatry Trustee to PAMED,
as well as Councilor, PaPS Central Chapter. He also serves as co-chair
of PaPS PAC Board.
The formal awards presentation took place, virtually, during the
November 8th Patient Safety & Risk Management
Conference. PaPS President Dr. Fischer presented the Presidential Award
to Dr. Hameed who was characteristically humble and gracious in his
acceptance.
The PaPS leadership and membership offer hearty congratulations to
Dr. Ahmad Hameed on this well-deserved recognition.
About Dr. Ahmad Hameed
Ahmad Hameed, MD, DFAPA Bio
Dr. Hameed is the Vice Chair of Education and an Associate Professor
of Psychiatry at Penn State University, College of Medicine. He is a
Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and the
Past President of Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society. In addition, he is a
Fellow of American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology and a diplomat
of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology.
Dr. Hameed received his early education in Pakistan and
graduated from AIMC in Pakistan in 1991. After completing his required
training, he moved to Ireland to start his professional career in
psychiatry. From there he moved to the United State and started his
residency in psychiatry in 1997 at Upstate Medical University in
Syracuse New York, where he also served as the chief resident from
1999-2001.
Since his graduation from Upstate Medical University, Dr. Hameed has
been involved with all domains of an academic medicine. He has been with
Penn State College of Medicine since 2008. His clinical responsibilities
have included serving as the interim Medical Director and then Associate
Medical Director of Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute in Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania. At present he serves as the Director of Adult Partial
Hospital Program at Penn State Hershey Medical Center. In addition to
being the Vice Chair of Education, he is also the Program Director of
the Psychiatry Residency Program. He has developed numerous educational
modules, some using technology.
In 2020 he was awarded the American Psychiatric Association’s Irma
Bland Award for Excellence in Teaching Residents. In 2012 and 2018 he
was awarded the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Teaching at Penn State.
In addition, he has also received teaching awards from residents and
medical students at Penn State. He is the recipient of the 2018 Dean’s
Faculty Research Recognition Award. He is a reviewer of numerous
clinical journals. His area of interest and research has been suicide
and education, and he has published on these topics. He served on the
Governor’s panel for suicide prevention in college students. At present
he is a Co PI on one funded project. He has numerous media appearances
on these topics. He has given talks and presented data on suicide and
professionalism at national and regional conferences.
Dr. Hameed serves as the Co-Chair of the PaPS Program Directors
Special Interest Group, is the PaPS-appointed Psychiatry Trustee to the
Pennsylvania Medical Society and is a member of the Government Relations
Committee. He also serves as a Councilor for the Central Chapter.