03/28/2024
Last night we celebrated the career and retirement of Dr William T Carpenter, Jr.
As the founding director of the Maryland Psychiatric Research Center, a compassionate psychiatrist, a dedicated mentor, and truly great icon in the field of psychiatry, over 150 people gathered on the grounds of Spring Grove Hospital Center in Catonsville, MD where it all began, to say our goodbyes.
Dr Carpenter helped establish the field standards in informed consent and ethical conduct of studies with people who have severe mental illness, reshaped the schizophrenia chapter in DSM-5, tested new treatments, was part of a Presidential envoy to the then Soviet Union, and served as the expert defense for Hinkley, helping the world understand what schizophrenia was.
Publishing over 400 peer reviewed papers, establishing the joint Treatment Research Unit with Spring Grove Hospital and Maryland Department of Health , opening a state of the art neuroimaging center, receiving some of the highest awards in science and medicine, serving many of the most prominent psychiatric organizations, growing the Schizophrenia Bulletin, and doing all of this after turning down a 1958 spot on the Baltimore Colts football team -highlight Dr Carpenter’s legendary life!
His humility, warm smile and generous nature will especially be missed. Congratulations to one of University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) most Distinguished Professors!!
