October 4, 2006

(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Edward J. Callahan, professor of family and community medicine, has been appointed associate dean for academic personnel at UC Davis Health System.

“Dr. Callahan offers an outstanding depth of knowledge in the merit and review processes for academic faculty and a strong ability to balance fairness with the rigorous standards of the UC system,” said Claire Pomeroy, vice chancellor, Human Health Sciences, and dean of the School of Medicine. “He will most certainly enhance our ongoing efforts to recognize and retain the best clinicians, researchers and educators at UC Davis.”

Callahan, a licensed psychologist, has served key roles on several academic committees, including co-chair of the faculty committee for the medical-school licensing team and a member of the UC Davis Committee on Academic Personnel and the Faculty Executive Committee. He was honored earlier this year with the School of Medicine's 2006 Excellence in Education award.

Callahan's new position reports to the senior associate dean for academic personnel, Frederick Meyers, who oversees all academic personnel issues, with a special focus on faculty recruitment, retention, mentoring and development.

“Dr. Callahan has developed a wealth of experience on faculty promotions that will serve him well in his new role,” Meyers said. “He also brings both a caring personality and, as a clinical psychologist, sharp skills in understanding and helping faculty through the inevitable challenges of academic life.”

In his new position, Callahan will oversee faculty performance evaluations, facilitate new recruitments and appointments and assist with advancements and promotions. He also will be responsible for counseling and advising faculty and department chairs and serving as a liaison on academic issues. He will oversee the school's Academic Senate on compensation advisory and faculty personnel committees.

Callahan will continue to oversee the behavioral medicine training for family practice residents, medical students and psychology interns. His professional interests are in health psychology, with special emphasis in physician-patient interaction and health outcomes, HIV prevention (both primary and secondary), human sexuality and identification and treatment of substance abuse.

Callahan received his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology from the University of Vermont in 1972. He undertook his first academic appointment that year as a research scientist at UCLA. He later joined the Department of Psychology at West Virginia University in 1976, where he initiated training for psychologists as clinical and research collaborators in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. He joined the Department of Family and Community Medicine at UC Davis in 1985 as director of Behavioral Science Education.