Psychiatrist trained in Mumbai elected dean of UK college

Subodh Dave, who gained primary medical qualifications from the University of Bombay in 1992 (University of Mumbai since 1996) and moved to the United Kingdom (UK) for further psychiatric training, has been elected dean of the Royal College of Psychiatrists for a five-year term.

The college, with a history of nearly two centuries, is the professional body responsible for supporting psychiatrists throughout their careers from training through retirement and in setting and raising standards of psychiatry in the UK.

“The college is pleased to announce that the next college dean will be Professor Subodh Dave who received 43% of the votes in the first round, finishing with 57% of the votes in the third round (after votes had been re-cast),” the college said in a statement.

There were four candidates for the dean’s election including Dave and Nandini Chakraborty of the University of Leicester.

Dave, who promised to use his experience to develop a world-class training programme integrating neurosciences and social psychiatry, said that growing up in a working-class Mumbai neighbourhood provided early lessons in social adversity but also in the power of community.

He, in a campaign statement, said: “On moving to the UK for further psychiatric training; deprivation and its impact on people’s mental and physical health struck me afresh, consolidating my values of social justice, equity and a humane, person-centred approach in psychiatric practice and training.”

“My molecular genetics research background complements my understanding of the evidence of the role of social determinants, namely adverse childhood experiences, poverty and gender/race inequalities on physical and mental health outcomes,” he added.