G. Richard Smith, M.D.
Interim Dean, College of Medicine
Interim Executive Vice Chancellor, UAMS
Dr. G. Richard Smith is a nationally known psychiatrist and Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry, Medicine and Public Health. He served in numerous leadership roles at UAMS during four decades on the faculty, including dean of the College of Medicine and executive vice chancellor of UAMS in 2013-2015. He returned to serve as interim dean and executive vice chancellor in January 2023 following the death of Dr. Susan Smyth.
A 1977 graduate of the college, Dr. Smith stayed at UAMS for his internship and residency in psychiatry and continued his training with a fellowship at Strong Memorial Hospital in Rochester, New York, before joining the UAMS faculty in 1981.
In a career devoted to UAMS and service to the state of Arkansas, Dr. Smith has held many leadership roles in psychiatry and public health as well as leadership of the College of Medicine. He was the first director of the VA Health Services Research and Development Field Program for Mental Health in Little Rock, from 1990-1999. He also was the founding director of the Arkansas Center for Health Improvement and a leader in securing the state’s tobacco settlement for initiatives to improve health care for Arkansans.
In 2001, Dr. Smith became the Marie Wilson Howells Chair of the Department of Psychiatry, where he served for 12 years until his appointment as dean and executive vice chancellor. Dr. Smith developed several acclaimed research programs in psychiatry, and his vision for integrating psychiatric care, education and research in one facility drove his efforts to establish the highly regarded UAMS Psychiatric Research Institute (PRI).
After leading the college from 2013-2015, Dr. Smith returned to the Department of Psychiatry. He was appointed to his former posts as department chair and director of PRI in 2018, and served in these roles until his initial retirement in June 2021.
Contact Dr. Smith: SmithGRichard@uams.edu