Antonio Pacheco Palha

BIOGRAPHY

ACADEMIC POSITION:
Professor and Director of the Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto

BACKGROUND:
• During his stay at the Institute of Psychiatry at University of London and at the Maudsley Hospital from 1972 to 1973, Dr Palha was clinical assistant in the Institute of Psychiatry (London University).

• He was the founder of the first Portuguese public out patient service for Sexual Dysfunctions in the University/Hospital of St John (Oporto) in 1973/74.

• He has been working in the Sexological area since 1969 where, with others, he was a founder of the Portuguese Family Planning Association, linked with IPPF. He was a member of the national board and president for 10 years.

• He was Director of the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health at the University Hospital St John (1992-2009) and full Professor of Psychiatry and Mental Health, since 1992 up to 2009.

• President of the Academic Board of the Masters Course on Psychiatry and Mental Health of the Faculty of Medicine (Oporto University) since 1994 to 2009.

• He was coordinator of a post-graduate course in Clinical Sexology in the University during the last 10 years.

• He was the Founder of the Portuguese Society of Sexology and is an Ex-member of the Advisory Committee of the World Association of Sexology (WAS).

• He is Ex-President of AISM (International Academy of Medical Sexology) 2007-2009 and Ex-President of the European Federation of Sexology (EFS) (2006-2010).

• In 2000 he got the chair of Psychiatry and Mental Health of Faculty of Medicine.

• In 2006 he was the President of the European Federation of Sexology (EFS) until 2009, but continues to be an active member of this Federation.

• He is the Clinical Director of Casa de Saúde do Bom Jesus (Braga), since 1992 (a Psychiatric Hospital).

• He was founder and President of the Portuguese Society of Biological Psychiatry (1993-95). He organized in Oporto a regional meeting of the World Federation of Societies of Biological Psychiatry (1994).

• He was member of European Association of Psychiatry and of the CINP: a regional CINP meeting was held in Porto (2000) having been president of OC.

• He is the President of the Portuguese Society of Psychiatric and Mental Health since 2009.