Dear Friends of the UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute,
“All good things must come to an end” to paraphrase Chaucer1 or if you are of my generation, “they say all good things must end someday.”2 So, this is the time for me to say goodbye as a faculty member/leader at the Psychiatric Research Institute as I transition to retirement. What a wonderful, delightful, and meaningful time it has been!
You, the friends of the Psychiatric Research Institute, have shared in most of these times that I remember. I hope you will take a moment to treasure these experiences and so many others we have had together:
Do you remember our designing the building four different times and having it “moved” to four different locations across campus? Fortunately, having it land in the present location exactly at the site of the former “state asylum.”
And, my naiveté at thinking the hard part was raising the money and building the building, not operating and growing the programs.
And, being able to start so many wonderful programs together such as the Helen L. Porter and James T. Dyke Brain Imaging Research Center; the Women’s Mental Health Program, the Couples Center and the Center for Trauma Prevention, Research, and Innovation.
And, our joy in joining forces with so many advocates, donors, patients, family members and clinicians in helping make this dream a reality.
And, the trust we have felt from so many patients and family members that we have had the honor of treating and participating in their healing.
And, the gratitude of having so many faculty and staff members (one came to work here in 1985!) join in this grand effort we now call the Psychiatric Research Institute and entrusting their careers to us, even when it appeared to be only a dream.
And, the pride of watching students matriculate to UAMS, finish their training here or elsewhere, join us as the Psychiatric Research Institute team members and then surpass anything we could ever have expected to accomplish.
And, finally, being thankful for how your efforts have contributed to thousands of patients who will never be personally known to us in the past and the tens of thousands of patients in the future getting the thoughtful, kind, and expert care they need to heal and/or treat their mental illness or substance abuse.
Thank you to each of you for being such a wonderful part of my life and the life and work of the Psychiatric Research Institute.
G. Richard Smith, M.D.
- Geoffrey Chaucer, Troilus and Criseyde, circa 1380
- Chad and Jeremy, A Summer Song, 1964