In his new role, Servis oversees the curriculum for undergraduate medical student training. He works with medical-education scholars from across UC Davis Health System to ensure that the School of Medicine's programs produce culturally competent, compassionate and socially responsible physicians who are prepared to work as members of interprofessional health-care teams to meet the needs of individuals, families and communities.
Servis' responsibilities include mobilizing the resources needed for a student-centered curriculum that blends stimulating teaching methods, uses innovative technologies that emphasize discovery and collaboration, and integrates content in the basic and clinical sciences across a broad range of disciplines throughout all years of training.
"Dr. Servis is an innovator, scholar and leader in medical education who is eminently qualified to foster a supportive and stimulating learning environment," said Claire Pomeroy, vice chancellor for human health sciences and dean of the School of Medicine. "His extensive knowledge of training approaches that develop strong critical thinking and diagnostic skills will further advance our competency-based undergraduate curriculum and lead our graduates to successful careers as future leaders and collaborative members of the health-care team."
A professor in the UC Davis Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Servis earned a national reputation for his approaches to integrating family and community with patient care. As an examiner with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and a member of the Residency Review Committee for Psychiatry of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, he works to ensure the high quality of medical school curricula nationwide. Servis also chairs the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination Step 2 Committee for Psychiatry, and he has served as both program chair and president of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training, the largest professional organization for educators in psychiatry.
"UC Davis School of Medicine is an outstanding institution of higher learning with many strengths," said Servis. "We have exceptional faculty dedicated to teaching, a diverse student body with a passion for patient advocacy, an incredible network of student-run clinics that reach underserved communities, and visionary leaders committed to advancing health education in our region and beyond. I look forward to expanding my responsibilities to work with such a talented team of medical-education scholars."
Servis joined the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences in 1989, where he currently holds the Roy T. Brophy Endowed Chair. He has served as the department's vice chair for education and director of the general psychiatry residency training program.
His research interests include medical and residency education, cognitive models for the development of diagnostic expertise, psychiatry and spirituality, teaching professionalism and ethics, consultation-liaison psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine, treating severe personality disorders and neuropsychiatry. An expert in integrating psychiatric care with primary-care settings, he has pioneered combined residency training programs in family medicine and psychiatry, and internal medicine and psychiatry.
Servis earned his medical degree from Yale University School of Medicine and completed his psychiatric residency at New York Hospital – Cornell Medical Center. He holds certifications from the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology and is a member of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training and the American Psychiatric Association.
Servis has published more than 25 articles on medical education and more than 40 articles and book chapters in psychiatry. For his commitment to teaching, mentoring and patient care, he has received many honors and awards. These include the American College of Psychiatrists Award for Creativity in Psychiatric Education, the John Templeton Spirituality and Medicine Award, and UC Davis School of Medicine's C. John Tupper Prize for Excellence in Teaching and Dean's Mentoring Award. UC Davis residents honored him five times with the Outstanding Faculty Award and, since 2002, he has ranked among the Best Doctors in America.
As associate dean for curriculum and competency development, Servis will receive an annual base salary of $160,400. Additional information about his compensation is available upon request.
The UC Davis School of Medicine is among the nation's leading medical schools, recognized for its specialty- and primary-care programs. The school offers fully accredited master's degree programs in public health and in informatics, and its combined M.D.-Ph.D. program is training the next generation of physician-scientists to conduct high-impact research and translate discoveries into better clinical care. Along with being a recognized leader in medical research, the school is committed to serving underserved communities and advancing rural health. For further information, visit the UC Davis School of Medicine Web site.