Psychiatry Research EG

For much of the world, the term globalization captures a perceived acceleration in the development of social and economic interconnection and assimilation. These changes have also penetrated the daily life of academic medical centers, with increasing international collaboration in research, service provision, consultation and training. Growing attention, particularly in the past decade, to the crucial role of public mental health as a part of public health in both the developed world and the developing world has resulted in the increase of data suggesting that mental disease is one of the most prominent causes of disability (+1—+3). However, in order for such a broadened appreciation of the geography and relevance of mental health to be effective and constructive, it will need to be thoughtfully put into operation as U.S. academic centers seek to contribute their expertise and assistance. A globalization of psychiatry by academic departments of psychiatry reflect what we call bidirectional internationalism. As psychiatrists, our emerging roles as global clinicians and researchers should be channeled in ways that not only export to others what is familiar to us but should also enhance understanding of how our familiar set of research priorities and clinical paradigms may narrow our vision. We must be open to new perspectives from different parts of the globe in order to face the range of challenges at home, especially to underresourced and disadvantaged populations. Internationalism presents, as an issue, the role of psychiatry in society at large and the impact of culture and social experience on the trajectory of biologically mediated illness. From an internationalist perspective, there are four related but distinguishable challenges facing our profession and the dominant lines of investigation and patterns of capital and research investment that shape it: public health, biosocial pendulum, cultural competence, and evidence-based medicine.