Beth Smith Named Chair of Department of Psychiatry

It is with great pleasure that I announce the appointment of Beth A. Smith, MD '00, as the permanent chair of the Department of Psychiatry at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo and president of UBMD Psychiatry, the school’s practice plan, effective March 1. After a rigorous national search, Dr. Smith, a highly accomplished clinician-scientist with proven leadership, was chosen to lead the department, building upon her successful tenure as interim chair since July 2023.

She also serves as chief of service, psychiatry and behavioral medicine for Kaleida Health and as medical director for the Children's Psychiatry Clinic of Oishei Children's Hospital. Additionally, Dr. Smith serves as Psychiatry Program Development and Liaison at Erie County Medical Center’s emergency, inpatient and outpatient psychiatric services. 

An internationally recognized expert in cystic fibrosis (CF) mental health, Dr. Smith has co-authored global guidelines on depression and anxiety in CF and led their worldwide implementation. As the founding chair of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Mental Health Advisory Committee, she has significantly advanced mental well-being for individuals with CF and their families. Her extensive research, supported by substantial funding, including a $3 million grant from the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, focuses on psychiatric comorbidities, including depression and anxiety, in patients with CF.  This work has earned her the prestigious Carolyn and C. Richard Mattingly Leadership in Mental Health Care Award.

Dr. Smith began her academic journey with a bachelor’s degree in biology and chemistry from Skidmore College. She then graduated from the Jacobs School, where she completed her psychiatric residency and fellowship training in child and adolescent psychiatry. This solid foundation set the stage for her remarkable career.

Dr. Smith is board-certified in both psychiatry and child psychiatry by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. She also completed the SUNY Institute for Academic and Innovative Leadership (SAIL) for mid-career physicians in 2022.

Since joining the Jacobs School faculty in 2005, Dr. Smith has steadily advanced, initially as a faculty member in the Department of Psychiatry’s Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and expanding her role to the Department of Pediatrics in 2006. 

A highly respected physician and educator, Dr. Smith has received numerous awards, including the Award for Outstanding Achievement in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Education and the Award for Excellence in Clinical Supervision. She was inducted into the Emeritus Faculty Chapter of the Gold Humanism Honor Society in 2019. Her service to the Jacobs School includes chairing the Committee for Appointment and Promotion to Clinical Ranks and serving on the Faculty Steering Council Committee

Dr. Smith is active in numerous professional organizations, including the Western New York Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Association of Women Psychiatrists. She has contributed extensively to psychiatric literature, publishing numerous peer-reviewed manuscripts and book chapters, and is a sought-after speaker on depression, anxiety and cystic fibrosis.

In a time of unprecedented demand for mental health services, Dr. Smith's expertise and dedication are more crucial than ever. Her leadership will be instrumental in expanding access to quality care and fostering a healthier community, as she is deeply committed to advancing the Jacobs School's vision by enhancing clinical initiatives, advancing psychiatric education, supporting research and fostering new investigations.

Finally, I would like to extend special thanks to the search committee, and especially to its chair, Brian M. Murray, MD, vice chair of clinical affairs and associate professor of medicine, for their diligence and commitment in identifying our new chair.