The AACP established its Clinical Research Award in 1979, which is presented to the author of the best original research paper published in Annals of Clinical Psychiatry during the previous calendar year. The Award is presented at the AACP annual meeting and includes a cash prize, engraved award, complimentary one-year membership to the AACP, plus travel and accommodations to attend the annual meeting. The AACP’s Research Award Committee is responsible for making the selection.
2019 George Winokur Clinical Research Award
Gus Zhang, MD
Somatization disorder and somatoform symptoms in systematically studies survivors of 10 disasters
The American Academy of Clinical Psychiatrists 2019 George Winokur Research Award has been awarded to Gus Zhang, MD, for research which was published in 2017 in the Annals of Clinical Psychiatry August issue. Dr. Zhang will be presented the award at the AACP Annual Conference (Psychiatry Update 2019) in Chicago, Friday, March 22, 2019. (for further information go to www.CPAACP-CME.com)
Dr. Zhang’s research article is titled “Somatization disorder and somatoform symptoms in systematically studies survivors of 10 disasters”, Annals of Clinical Psychiatry/Vol. 29, No. 3/August 2017.
METHOD: Pre-disaster and post-disaster psychiatric disorders, somatization disorder, and the individual somatoform (medically unexplained) symptoms were assessed with structured diagnostic interviews in 811 directly exposed survivors of 10 disasters.
RESULTS: Only 1 individual met criteria for post-disaster somatization disorder; there were no incident cases. Only 21% of all somatic symptoms reported were somatoform symptoms. Although 29% of the sample had >1 post-disaster somatoform symptoms, only 13% of the sample had any incident somatoform symptoms, and only 1.5% of the sample had >1.
CONCLUSIONS: Somatization disorder is not an observed outcome of disaster. Incident of individual somatoform symptoms is relatively uncommon and represents a construct that is distinct from somatization disorder. Such symptoms appear to represent nonspecific distress or endemic symptoms in the population and are not necessarily causally related to the disaster. The only studies that have identified somatization symptoms in relation to disaster have used non-diagnostic symptoms checklists. As illustrated by the findings from this study, non-diagnostic symptom checklists do not adequately substitute for structured diagnostic instruments in assessment of somatoform psychopathology.
Dr. Zhang earned his BS in Biology from the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) in 2007. He went on to earn his MD at UT Southwestern Medical Center in 2012, and stayed at UT Southwestern Medical Center for residency in psychiatry. In 2016, Dr. Zhang joined the faculty as a member of the consult-liaison service at Clements University Hospital. He is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas.
George Winokur Research Award Committee Chair
Carol S. North, MD, MPE
The Altshuler Ctr. for Education & Research Metrocare
(214) 743-1200
e-mail: carol.north@utsouthwestern.edu
George Winokur Award Committee:
Carol S. North, MD
Ricahrd Balon, MD, Wayne State University
James Wilcox, MD, Tucson VAMC
Barbara Rohland, MD, Mayo Clinic
Please contact Beverly Davidson, Executive Director, AACP, for further information at ClinicalPsychiatrists@gmail.com, or call (920) 395-2330.
George Winokur Clinical Research Award Winners
|
Winners |
Runners-up |
Committee Chair |
| 1979 David Kupfer, MD |
Mark Gold, MD | Charles L. Rich, MD |
| 1980 Larry E. Tune, MD |
James R. Morrison, MD Robert E. Smith, MD |
Louis Hafken, MD |
| 1981 Hagop S. Akiskal, MD |
Henry A. Nasrallah, MD | Louis Hafken, MD |
| 1982 Sheldon H. Preskorn, MD |
Larry Kirstein, MD | Louis Hafken, MD |
| 1983 Ming T. Tsuang, MD, PhD |
Gary Tollefson, MD, PhD | Louis Hafken, MD |
| 1984 Elizabeth B. Weller, MD |
Hector C. Fabelli, MD, PhD | Louis Hafken, MD |
| 1985 Natraj Sitaram, MD |
Matig Mavissakalian, MD | Louis Hafken, MD |
| 1986 Dennis S. Charney, MD |
Arnold L. Lieber, MD | Louis Hafken, MD |
| 1987 Michael Liebowitz, MD |
Harry E. Gwirtsman, MD | Louis Hafken, MD |
| 1988 Ronald A. Weller, MD |
Joyce G. Small, MD | Charles L. Rich, MD |
| 1989 Conrad M. Swartz, MD |
Timothy D. Brewerton, MD | Valerie F. Holmes, MD |
| 1990 Conrad M. Swartz, MD |
Valerie F. Holmes, MD | |
| 1991 Douglas Finestone, MD |
Ira Glick, MD | Valerie F. Holmes, MD |
| 1992 Roy T. Mathew, MD |
Stephen C. Olsen, MD | Valerie F. Holmes, MD |
| 1993 Elizabeth M. Smith, PhD |
Valerie F. Holmes, MD | |
| 1994 Joesph Magliozzi, MD (co-winner) John Lauer, MD (co-winner) |
Paul M. Packman, MD | |
| 1995 Laura Sanchez, MD |
Paul M. Packman, MD | |
| 1996 Mary Fristad, PhD |
Paul M. Packman, MD | |
| 1997 Danielle S. Schneider, MD |
Donald W. Black, MD | |
| 1998 Donald W. Black, MD |
Donald W. Black, MD | |
| 1999 Sidney Zisook, MD |
Donald W. Black, MD | |
| 2000 Eric Lenze |
Donald W. Black, MD | |
| 2001 Liviu Ichim MD |
Donald W. Black, MD | |
| 2002 Paul J. Perry PhD |
Donald W. Black, MD | |
| 2003 Betty Pfefferbaum, MD |
Donald W. Black, MD | |
| 2004 (No Award Presented) |
||
| 2005 Matig Massavikalian, MD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2006 Pinhas Nedim Dannon, MD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2007 Keith E. Isenberg, MD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2008 Ahsan Y. Khan, MD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2009 George I. Papakostas, MD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2010 Susan K. Schultz, MD |
||
| 2011 Doreen Granpeesheh, PhD, BCBA-D |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2012 Alina Suris, PhD, ABPP |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2013 Donald Black, MD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2014 Boaz Levy, PhD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2015 Alina Suris |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2016 Mark Zimmerman |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2017 William Lawson, MD, PhD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
| 2018 Keith E. Isenberg, MD |
Carol S. North, MD | |
|
2019 Gus Zhang, MD |
Carol S. North, MD |