Associate Professor of Adolescent Psychiatry
-
Dalhousie University
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Phone: 902-470-3719
E-mail: Jose.Mejia@iwk.nshealth.ca
Education
| 2002 | PhD in Human Genetics | McGill University, Department Human Genetics, Quebec, Canada |
| 1990 | Bachelor in Medicine and Surgery | National Autonomous University of Mexico, México City, Mexico |
Biography
Dr. Mejia is graduated with an MD and pursued MSc in Neuropsychology, just completing all academic credits. He also pursued a specialty in Psychiatry from 1991-1994. During a period of a year and a half prior to entering the specialty training, he worked as a respiratory therapist at the Pulmonary Physiology Laboratory, at the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases in Mexico City. Part of this work involved assisting Dr. Rogelio Perez Padilla to develop the first sleep laboratory of the same Institute and subsequently working as the first sleep technician in the said laboratory.
Once concluded the residency program in Psychiatry, Dr. Mejia moved to Montreal after being accepted to do a PhD in Human Genetics at McGill University In 1999, he also started a fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry at Queen’s University. Once this program was completed, Dr. Mejia returned to McGill University where he obtained PhD degree and worked for a year as an assistant professor, while developing a forensic psychiatry unit. Changes in the hospital’s budget left the project without funding and eventually resulted in moving to a new position in Alberta where he worked for approximately 4 years dedicated to child and adolescent forensic psychiatry as an assistant professor at the University of Alberta.
In 2005, Dr. Mejia became the Head of Division of Forensic Psychiatry at Western University (formerly known as University of Western Ontario). While in this position he developed the psychiatric portion of the sleep disorders clinic, which he then ran for approximately two years. In 2010 he became an associate professor and in 2014, he obtained a full time position in child and adolescent forensic psychiatry at IWK Health Centre, where he now dedicates his time to provide clinical services to children and adolescents who have faced or are at risk of confronting troubles with the law. This inevitably has a strong connection with sleep and its disorders as the basis for the development of multiple comorbid disorders. As an associate professor at Dalhousie University, Dr. Mejia teach students from undergrad to postgraduate. He also participates as a member of several research-oriented committees.
Research Interests
- Sleep disorders
- Forensic psychiatry
- Behaviour genetics
Scientific Activities
Teaching Experience
| 2014 | Associate Professor of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada |
| 2014 | Associate Professor, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada |
| 2005-2010 | Assistant Professor, Schulich School of Medicine, University of Western Ontario, Ontario, Canada |
| 2005 | Assistant Clinical Professor in psychiatry, Alberta Hospital Edmonton, University of Alberta, Alberta, Canada |
| 2002 | Residence Director, McGill University, Quebec, Canada |
| 2001 | Assistant Professor, McGill University, Quebec, Canada |
Professional Activities
Membership For Professional Organizations
- Canadian Medical Association
- Canadian Psychiatric Association
- Canadian Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Canadian Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
- International Society for Research on Aggression
- International Academy of Law and Mental Health
- International Association of Forensic Mental Health Services
Honors & Awards
| 2011 | Best Continuous Medical Education Award |
| 2006 | Best Continuous Medical Education Award |
| 2005-2006 | USC’s Teaching Honor Roll. Award of Excellence |
| 2003 | Solicitor General Employee Recognition Team Award |
| 1999-2000 | Principal’s Dissertation Award |
Publications
- DeYoung MA, Peterson JB, Seguin JR, Mejia JM, Pihl RO, Beitchman JH, Jain U, Tremblay RE, Kennedy JL, Palmour RM; Variation in the Dopamine D4 receptor gene moderates the association of externalizing behaviour and IQ.Arch. Gen. Psychiatry. 2006 Dec;63(12): 1410-6.
- Mejia JM; Ervin FR; Palmour RM; Monoamine oxidase inhibition during brain development induces pathological aggressive behavior in mice. Biological Psychiatry 2002; 52: 811-22.
- Mejia JM; Palmour RM; Ervin FR; Aggressive behavior and Brunner's Syndrome: No evidence for the C936T mutation in a population sample. American Journal of Human Genetics. Neuropsychiatric Genetics 2001; 105: 394-95.
- Nicolini H; Orozco B; Mickalonis L; Mejia JM; Paez F; Gomez A; de la Fuente JR: Étudephénoménologiquefamiliale du trouble obsessionnelcompulsif. Neuropsychiatrie de l’Enfanceet de l’Adolescence 1998, 46(3): 164-72.
- Cruz C; Camarena B; Mejia JM; Paez F; Eroza V; de la Fuente JR; Kersenobich; Nicolini H; The dopamine D2 receptor gene Taq1 A1 polymorphism and alcoholism in a Mexican population. Archives of Medical Research 1995, 26: 421-6.
- Nicolini H; Weissbecker K; Mejia JM; Sanchez de Carmona M; Family study of obsessive -compulsive disorder in a Mexican population. Archives of Medical Research 1993, 24: 193-198.
