The Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) School of Medicine announced
the appointment of Sarah Mallard Wakefield, M.D., as the new chair of the Department
of Psychiatry.
Wakefield’s work in recent years has revolved around relational psychiatry. She has
given presentations regarding children’s mental health, perinatal mental health and
juvenile justice. She is board certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
in General Psychiatry, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Forensic Psychiatry.
Since joining TTUHSC in 2014, she has served as director of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Services in the Department of Psychiatry and medical director of Medical Ethics at
University Medical Center.
“Dr. Wakefield supervises resident rotations in child and adolescent, forensic and
perinatal psychiatry and has primary clinical interests in the juvenile justice population
and treating mothers in the prenatal and postpartum period,” said Steven L. Berk,
M.D., TTUHSC executive vice president, provost and School of Medicine dean. “She has
successfully completed research regarding design and efficacy of juvenile mental health
courts and monitoring standards of psychotropic medications in both the psychiatric
and primary care setting.”
Wakefield will take over for Dr. Terry McMahon who has held the chair for nearly 10
years. Berk said Wakefield has big shoes to fill.
“Dr. Terry McMahon has a long and very distinguished service record with the School
of Medicine,” said Berk. “I am very appreciative of Dr. McMahon maintaining high standards
and achieving significant accomplishments in the psychiatry clerkship and residency
program, and for providing exceptional patient care to the people of the South Plains
over many decades.”