Dr. Frederick W. Hickling, Professor of Psychiatry, UWI, Mona has been elected to the status of Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA).  This election makes him the first Caribbean psychiatrist from among 38, 000 psychiatrists in the APA to be afforded this honour. Professor Hickling will be presented with the medallion of Distinguished Fellow on May 19, 2009 at the Convocation of Distinguished Fellows at the Moscone Convention Centre, during the Annual Meeting of the Association in San Francisco, upon the invitation of David Fassler, the Secretary-Treasurer of the American Psychiatric Association.

The American Psychiatric Association’s website identifies the Distinguished Fellowship as the highest membership honor the American Psychiatric Association bestows upon members. Distinguished Fellow is awarded to outstanding psychiatrists who have made significant contributions to the psychiatric profession in at least five of the following areas: administration, teaching, scientific and scholarly publications, volunteering in mental health and medical activities of social significance, community involvement, as well as for clinical excellence. "Excellence, not mere competence, is the hallmark of an APA Distinguished Fellow." (www.psych.org). The honour will allow Professor Hickling to add the designated DFAPA on his professional documentation.

Professor Hickling was instrumental in the establishment of a unique community psychiatric service and in pioneering cultural therapy in Jamaica in the 1970’s. In the 1980’s he established a private psychiatric research and clinical service in Kingston, and in the 1990’s he played a key role in helping to shape policy for African Caribbean Mental Health in the United Kingdom. With wide international experience in the Caribbean, North America, the UK and New Zealand, he was Head, Section of Psychiatry, UWI, Mona, from 2000 to 2006, and is presently Executive Director of the UWI Caribbean Institute of Mental health and Substance Abuse (CARIMENSA). His research interests are in African Caribbean mental health, schizophrenia, personality disorder, community psychiatry, psychotherapy, political psychology and cultural therapy.

Professor Hickling is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, Mona where he was educated in medicine and psychiatry and later received specialist training in anatomy at St. Thomas’ Hospital Medical School, University of London, and postgraduate training in psychiatry at the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, University of Edinburgh.