[June 1996; Vol. 23 No. 2]
Neil Warres, M.D. recently began his one-year term as the 48th President of the Maryland Psychiatric Society. He previously served the Society on the Public Affairs and Legislative Committees, as Chairman of the Program/CME and Managed Care Committees, and as a member of the Council.
Dr. Warres is a native of Baltimore whose mother is a social worker, father a radiologist, and older brother, Stephen, a child psychiatrist at Sheppard Pratt’s Forbush School. The family’s collective mental health has often been questioned because of repeated notice given to the fact that both sons entered psychiatry. However, Dr. Warres claims that his background was developmentally fairly normal. He attended Park School where he ran track and cross country and excelled as a violinist. Throughout middle school, high school and college he concertized frequently and was sent to England at age 15 to perform in an international arts festival.
He obtained a B.A. from Haverford College as a double major in music and English. While there he met his wife, Joanne, a pianist, at Bryn Mawr College, while both were being coached in performance by members of the DePasquale String Quartet. Joanne and he performed chamber music together throughout their years in Philadelphia. Joanne subsequently trained as a music therapist, received a M.S. in Special Education from Johns Hopkins University, and worked for many years as a music therapist for the Baltimore City Public Schools with emotionally disturbed children.
Between college and medical school Dr. Warres held a variety of jobs including an extremely brief stint at a Philadelphia employment agency which proved to be rather shady, and working for a brokerage firm which went bankrupt twice while he was there. (He promises that no similar fate will befall MPS during his tenure.)
He attended the University of Maryland Medical School, was a medical intern at Sinai, and a psychiatric resident and Chief Resident at University of Maryland Hospital. While a resident he became very interested in Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry. In this context he was supervised and inspired by Paul McClelland, M.D. With Dr. McClelland’s help and encouragement, he began working at the University of Maryland’s Shock Trauma Center and at Montebello Rehabilitation Hospital - now Kernan Hospital. (He became Chief of Psychiatry at both institutions.) He is particularly proud of the accomplishments at Montebello because no other rehabilitation hospital in the country has provided its patients with equivalently comprehensive psychiatric care, which showcases the potential role of psychiatry in physical rehabilitation.
Other abiding interests have included outpatient psychotherapy and teaching. He sees outpatients in Pikesville where he has a part-time private practice. He is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland Medical School and has significant involvement in psychiatric resident training.
In addition to enjoying music, jogging and sailing, he is an avid cook and collector of cook books. A recent fracture of his ankle on a trampoline temporarily dampened his enthusiasm for downhill and cross-country skiing activities. He enjoys reading mystery novels, which seems safer and more sedate. Much less sedate is the parenting of twins Megan and Alex, 7, and Zachary, 5.
Dr. Warres’ most treasured residency evaluation was from Dr. McClelland, in part because it complimented his sense of humor. He trusts that his humorous outlook will survive intact throughout the next 12 months.