Dr. Eli Robins
Dr. Eli Robins received his MD from Harvard in 1943. He stayed in Boston for training in psychiatry and neurology. As was true of many psychiatry trainees in Boston at the time, Dr. Robins underwent psychoanalysis for about one year. He did research with Dr. Mandel Cohen, who encouraged Robins to meet Dr. Gildea. Dr. Gildea suggested that Dr. Robins learn basic research approaches and arranged for him to work in Dr. Oliver Lowry’s laboratory. In 1951, after a two-year fellowship, Robins joined the Department of Neuropsychiatry as an instructor. He became an assistant professor in 1953, associate professor in 1956, and full professor in 1958. When Dr. Gildea stepped down from being the Head of the Department in 1963, Dr. Eli Robins became the Department Head. Despite having early symptoms of what was eventually thought to be multiple sclerosis, Dr. Robins successfully led a feisty group of psychiatrists that helped change the direction of American psychiatry. The Washington University psychiatry faculty were strong proponents of a medical model, scientifically based approach to the field of psychiatry. This medical model approach was developed at a time when psychoanalysis dominated the field. Dr. Robins succeeded Dr. Gildea as the Wallace and Lucille K. Renard Professor in Psychiatry. Dr. Robins stepped aside from being the Head of the Department in 1975, and Dr. Samuel Guze was appointed Head.