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The reward of a thing well done is having done it.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson
As I entered the final month of my APA presidency, someone asked me how I would like this past year to be remembered. I responded that I wanted this time to be seen as “the year that APA got its mojo going.” This was the year that we confronted the need for change and didn’t shrink from the challenge. Instead, we addressed and embraced it with energy, creativity, and action, in ways that advanced psychiatry scientifically, socially, and politically and enabled it to better help patients and fulfill its mission.
When I was elected APA president, I believed my role was to set a clear vision, articulate expectations, engage talented colleagues in the work at hand—and then communicate with our members about what we were seeking to achieve and why. I wanted to use all of the power and influence of APA to speak out and stick up for our profession and our patients.
As I prepare to give up this important leadership role in American psychiatry, I want to thank APA members for giving me the opportunity to serve. I can reasonably hope that we have been at least partially successful in tackling the pressing issues that psychiatry faces and in making APA a better and more effective organization. I couldn’t have asked for a better or more dedicated team of individuals who helped me to move APA forward this past year.
The year began with the official launch of DSM-5. After experiencing a tumultuous gestation and overcoming numerous challenges, the fifth edition of APA’s diagnostic manual has proved a great success as reflected by favorable reviews, impressive sales, and gratifying clinical feedback.
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You can follow Dr. Lieberman on Twitter at @DrJlieberman.