Hershey, Pa. -- Dr. James Hegarty has been named chair of the Department of Psychiatry, Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and Penn State College of Medicine.
Hegarty has served as interim chair since 2007 and is the founding medical director of the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Institute, a collaborative endeavor between Penn State Hershey Medical Center and PinnacleHealth System. Hegarty is internationally recognized for his work on the study of mental health outcomes and is the lead author of one of the most highly-cited schizophrenia outcome meta-analyses ever published. He is a distinguished fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, and he serves as treasurer for the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and as counselor for the Central chapter. He is board certified in general psychiatry, addiction psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine.
“We are particularly delighted to have one of our own College of Medicine alumni, and a south central Pennsylvania native, in this important role,” said Dr. Harold L. Paz, chief executive officer of the Medical Center, senior vice president for health affairs and dean of the College of Medicine. “Dr. Hegarty has already distinguished himself as an outstanding clinician, researcher, educator, and administrator. I look forward to seeing our Department of Psychiatry achieve new levels of success under his leadership.”
Hegarty holds a bachelor’s degree in biology/classics from Oberlin College, Ohio; a master of public health degree from Columbia University, N.Y.; an medical degree from Penn State College of Medicine and a master’s degree in psychiatric epidemiology from the Harvard School of Public Health. He pursued dual residency training in internal medicine at the Massachusetts General Hospital and then psychiatry at Harvard’s McLean Hospital. He served as chief resident in the Harvard Bipolar and Psychotic Disorders program.
Hegarty has won numerous awards, including the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH) Outstanding Resident Award, the American Psychiatric Association Resident Research Award, a Laughlin Fellowship from the American College of Psychiatrists and an NIMH National Service Award for his research in psychopharmacology and psychiatric health services.
Before coming to the Medical Center, Hegarty was an instructor in psychiatry at Harvard Medical School. From 1999-2005 he served as clinical professor of psychiatry at the Medical Center and College of Medicine became full professor and vice chair for clinical services in 2005. He is a native of Harrisburg, Pa. and a graduate of Bishop McDevitt High School.