‘An expert among experts’: Dr. Brad Smith, new chief medical officer, earns prestigious distinction in psychiatry

03/15/24 12:30:pm

Dr. Brad Smith, MD, DFAPA takes on the new title of new chief medical officer for the Rogers system with a new distinction following his name.

Joining an elite group of psychiatrists, Dr. Smith has been named a Distinguished Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) – an accolade given to those in the field who have made a substantial impact.

“I am very honored by this distinction from the American Psychiatric Association,” Dr. Smith says. “It is a privilege to provide care for individuals in need, and I try to honor their choice to include me in their treatment and care by giving them the best of my efforts.”

Joining Rogers in 2011, Dr. Smith most recently served as medical director for Rogers’ Oconomowoc campus as well as the medical director of Eating Disorder Recovery, before becoming Rogers’ chief medical officer in early March.

“There is a small percentage of psychiatrists who will be awarded the DFAPA distinction,” says Dr. Jerry Halverson, MD, FACPsych, DFAPA, senior physician executive, psychiatrist. “It’s a big honor for Dr. Smith, but I’m not surprised, as he has been a great physician and leader for us in Oconomowoc for many years. He’s helped us to build our eating disorder program into the nationally recognized program that it is.”

According to the APA, the Distinguished Fellowship is the highest membership honor it bestows upon members, 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 clinical excellence.”

“Being an excellent clinician isn’t enough,” Dr. Halverson says. “You have to bring patient care to the next level and be a leader in the field. All psychiatrists are specialists and experts in behavioral health disorders, but he is now nationally recognized as an expert among experts.”

Halverson is also recognized as an APA Distinguished Fellow, a status that less than 5% of all practicing psychiatrists in the United States attain.

Requirements for nomination include three letters of support from current Distinguished Fellows or Distinguished Life Fellows.

“I want to thank my Rogers colleagues who encouraged me to apply and who supported me with letters of recommendation,” Dr. Smith says. “I also am very grateful for the many skilled and passionate clinicians and team members that I work alongside here at Rogers. Finally, I am grateful for my wife and daughters for their ongoing support and for making room in our lives for the work that I do.”

“It reflects well upon Dr. Smith and upon Rogers,” Dr. Halverson says. “We’re proud to have the best of the best here.”

Dr. Smith’s background in the field

In addition to his work at Rogers, Dr. Smith also serves as voluntary assistant clinical professor in the Medical College of Wisconsin’s psychiatry and behavioral medicine department, where he teaches residents and fellows. He received his medical degree at the University of Wisconsin and graduated from Washington University in St. Louis. He completed his psychiatry residency at the University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics, where he was chief resident during his final year, followed by a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at the Medical College of Wisconsin.

As well as being an APA Distinguished Fellow, Dr. Smith is a member of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, the Wisconsin Psychiatric Association, and the Wisconsin Medical Society. He has lectured to professional and community audiences around the nation on eating disorders and a wide range of mental health topics, including peer-selected presentations for the National Eating Disorders Association (NEDA) annual meetings.