By Badr Ratnakaran, MBBS
PSV Immediate Past President
Carilion Clinic
Roanoke, VA
The Psychiatric Society of Virginia (PSV) hosted its 2025 Spring Meeting on March 14-15, 2025, at the Hotel Roanoke and Conference Center in Roanoke, Virginia. The central theme of the conference was “Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatry: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Future of Mental Health Care.” Carilion Clinic was also a sponsor of the meeting by supporting the program with an educational grant.
The keynote speaker, Dr. John Luo, Residency Program Director for the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California Irvine School of Medicine and an internationally recognized expert in behavioral health informatics, delivered an insightful presentation on “Artificial Intelligence in Psychiatric Practice” and “Maintaining the Privacy of Online Identity of Physicians.”
For the first time, the meeting hosted the “Resident Mind Games” competition for psychiatry residents in Virginia. Teams from Virginia Commonwealth University, Carilion Clinic, and Lewis Gale Salem Psychiatry Residency Program competed in a Jeopardy-style contest focusing on psychiatry-related topics. The Virginia Commonwealth University team emerged victorious, followed by the team from Carilion Clinic.
The conference featured multiple expert speakers from the Roanoke/Salem region:
- Dr. Delmar Short (Salem VA Medical Center) discussed the potential use of artificial intelligence for differential diagnosis in psychiatry.
- Dr. Brian Wood & Dr. Janie Lozovski (Lewis Gale Salem Psychiatry Residency Program) addressed concerns about AI-generated personal statements and letters of recommendation.
- Dr. Sachinder Vasudeva (Salem VA Medical Center) spoke about excessive digital media use and addiction.
- Dr. Gary Harpold (Carilion Clinic) presented on the interface of migraines and psychiatry.
- Dr. Peter Betz (Centra Health, Lynchburg) demonstrated the effectiveness of EmPATH units in addressing psychiatric needs in emergency rooms.
- Dr. Badr Ratnakaran concluded the session with a presentation on “Technostress and Well-being of Physicians.”
Dr. Karl Northwall (Catawba Hospital) assumed the role of President of the Psychiatric Society of Virginia. Dr. Janie Lozovski (Lewis Gale Hospital, Salem) was named President-Elect, and Dr. Felicity Vanke-Adams (Carilion Clinic) will serve as Member-at-Large for the Board of Directors.
The 2025 Fall Meeting of the Psychiatric Society of Virginia is scheduled for October 3-4, 2025, at the Delta Hotels Richmond Downtown in Richmond, Virginia. The theme of the meeting will focus on new interventions in psychiatry.
