While nearly 60 years have passed since Robert “Jim” Douglas, MD ’65, graduated from the MU School of Medicine, his connection with the school remains strong. For more than 10 years, Douglas and his wife, Betty, have generously donated to the School of Medicine, including direct benefits to the Department of Psychiatry and Department of Radiology.
In 2010, the Robert J. Douglas, MD, Endowed Lectureship in Radiology was established. Each year, new and prevalent medical topics are discussed amongst students, faculty and the MU Radiology community.
Four years later, the Douglases’ gave another endowed gift to the Department of Psychiatry to establish a Distinguished Faculty Scholar, which was later elevated to a Distinguished Professorship in 2017. Ultimately, the endowment was raised to Distinguished Chair in Psychiatry in 2020.
Currently, Laine Young Walker, MD, is the Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, and the Robert J. Douglas, MD, and Betty Douglas Distinguished Professor in Psychiatry. Her research emphasis on enhancing access to mental health treatment holds extra meaning to Douglas and his family.
“My motivation behind my commitment and pledge to the Department of Psychiatry is my own bipolar condition,” said Douglas. “I voluntarily entered MU’s inpatient program after many years on various antidepressants and therapy. During my hospitalization at MU, the initiation of a new antidepressant drug ultimately resulted in my complete remission for the past five years.”
Douglas and his wife also aid their daughter as she’s currently in her seventh year of managing early-onset Alzheimer’s disease. Effective psychiatric care has become vital to make everyone’s day-to-day life more comfortable and manageable.
With the department’s commitment to expanding mental health resources, including Young Walker’s outreach advocating for increased psychiatric and mental health programs for Missouri residents, Douglas has seen firsthand how powerful it can be and is proud to support MU and its initiatives.
“Each time I visit the university, I have seen firsthand the advances in technology and a look into the future of healthcare,” said Douglas. “I have also witnessed the next generation of School of Medicine graduates who will help put MU at the cutting edge of research in many important fields. My time at MU opened up several future opportunities to me and I will forever be grateful. I am proud to be an MU sponsor.”
