Class of 1950

James J. Strain, M.D.

Professor of Psychiatry, Mount Sinai School of Medicine

Authority on the psychological care of the mentally ill

Developed software for consultation-Liaison Psychiatry

International lecturer, published author

Inducted into Royal Oak High School Hall of Fame, 2006

James Strain was a 1950 graduate of Royal Oak High School. Although he was closely linked with the January, 1951 class, he took extra classes in order to graduate early. He attended The University of Michigan and majored in botany, just as his father had.

Dr. Strain earned his medical degree from Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Cleveland, Ohio. He also holds a degree from the New York Psychoanalytic Institute.

Dr. Strain served on the staff at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York City beginning in 1979. He held positions as attending Psychiatrist, Professor of Clinical Psychiatry, and Director of the Division of Behavioural Medicine and Consultation Psychiatry. He is considered an authority on the psychological care of the medically ill, and has been asked to participate in studies funded by the National Institute of Mental Health and the National Cancer Institute. He was involved in the development of software that was used in the consultation setting in Mexico, Portugal, Argentina, Brazil and Australia.

James Strain has over 500 publications and has presented over 750 national and international lectures. He earned the Third Earl of Litchfield Award from Oxford University in England and the Hackett Memorial Award for the Academy of Psychosomatic Medicine. At the age of 73, he published a book on Psychosomatic Medicine what is considered the vanguard of this new field. His family donation of $5 million to the Mount Sinai School of Medicine will provide scholarships to students attending the school.

Dr. Stain was inducted into the Royal Oak High School Hall of Fame in 2006.