John M. Talmadge, M.D.

Biography, Education, Credentials

Biography, Education, Academic Credentials, Clinical Appointments, Honors, and Awards:

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH - JOHN M. TALMADGE, M.D.

John M. Talmadge, M.D. is a graduate of Dartmouth College and The Duke University School of Medicine. He completed his residency training at Duke in 1976 and has been active in the teaching and practice of psychiatry for nearly thirty years. He trained as a family therapist with Carl Whitaker, M.D., at the University of Wisconsin, and during the early years he worked mostly with children and families. He entered the field of addictions in the 1980’s and was among the first addiction specialists certified by both The American Society of Addiction Medicine, and The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology. He is a native Texan, and he grew up in Wharton County, Texas, where he attended Boling High School.

Dr. Talmadge was recruited to The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in 1999 to become Director of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship training program and Professor of Psychiatry, a position he held until 2006. In 2008 he transitioned from full-time professorship to volunteer faculty status, and he served as clinical professor until 2020. Since 2009 Dr. Talmadge has been in private practice at Old Parkland, the site of the original Parkland Hospital built in 1897. That historical landmark is now the location of a beautiful office park developed by Crow Holdings. He has been an examiner for The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a teacher at five different medical schools in Texas, and a surveyor for the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. From 2008-2020 Dr. Talmadge served as Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. He now consults privately in addiction psychiatry, adult and adolescent psychiatry, forensic psychiatry, and behavioral medicine. He is Senior Medical Advisor at The Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas Dallas.

Dr. Talmadge worked for several years in child and family psychiatry, serving at The San Marcos Treatment Center (The Brown Schools) as a medical director; and later in College Station, where he built and owned The Sandstone Center, a private psychiatric hospital. He moved to Dallas in 1990 and worked for ten years in hospital-based psychiatric programs and mental health centers until joining UT Southwestern and the Dallas VA Medical Center, where he and his team won several outstanding teaching awards.

Since joining the U.T. Southwestern faculty, he has been nominated often for the honor of Outstanding Teacher of the Year in the Department of Psychiatry, and he won that award in 2002. His unit also was honored with the Outstanding Teaching Site Award that same year. In 2005 he was honored with the Dean’s Award for Excellence in Medical Education at Southwestern Medical School. He was elected by his peers to Best Doctors in America (http://www.bestdoctors.com) in 2003-2020, and he has been named one of the best doctors in the USA in the treatment of mood disorders (http://www.psycom.net). In the 2006 academic year he was nominated both as the outstanding clinical teacher in his department as well as the outstanding teacher and supervisor for inpatient psychiatry at The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He has also been honored as the recipient of the 2010 Arthur M. Griffin Award for Outstanding Contributions to Medical Education, by The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. He served on the faculty at U.T. Southwestern for over 20 years.

Dr. Talmadge served as a volunteer physician in 1972 in Quang Ngai, Vietnam, caring for children, women, the elderly, and other civilian casualties of war. After completing his medical training he served as a Captain in the United States Army Reserve, honorably discharged in 1988. He continues actively to support our returning veterans and to advocate on their behalf, particularly with regard to mental health services.

Since completing the inauguration and launch of the Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Program at UT Southwestern Medical Center 2000-2008, Dr. Talmadge has helped design, develop, and open successful residential addiction treatment programs in North Texas. In 2014 he was invited to join the advisory board at The Center for BrainHealth at The University of Texas at Dallas, and in 2015 he joined the staff as Senior Medical Advisor. His leadership role at The Center for BrainHealth included strategic planning, clinical consultation, mentoring staff, and development of The Brain Performance Institute.

Dr. Talmadge’s current work involves development of a general theory of alcoholism and drug abuse, combining his passion for analytical philosophy with his devotion to clinical care of addicts and alcoholics. He is also an expert in mindfulness, positive psychology, and relapse prevention.

Dr. Talmadge is in personal recovery, and he has been clean and sober since 1983, giving him a valuable personal perspective on the addictions.

In addition to his work in education, science, healthcare, and medicine, Dr. Talmadge trained and studied theology and spiritual direction at The Anglican School of Theology and Institute of Contemplative Studies in Dallas.

Recognized as a skilled and compassionate clinician and therapist, he has extensive experience in treating mood disorders, ADD/ADHD, substance use disorders, alcoholism, and family problems. He and Dana Talmadge have been married for over 40 years, and they are the proud parents of three children who are pursuing remarkable careers in international relations, education, medicine, and business.

Education and Academic Distinctions:

Graduate of Boling High School, Boling, Texas 1965

Bachelor of Arts, Dartmouth College, 1969

Doctor of Medicine, Duke University School of Medicine, 1973

Resident in Psychiatry, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, July 1975-June 1976

Resident in Psychiatry, The University of Wisconsin Medical Center, Madison, Wisconsin, July 1973-June 1975

Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas

Board Certification: Diplomate, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, April 1978

Additional American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology: Qualifications in Addiction Psychiatry, Certified 1993, Re-certified 2003

Additional Certification: Diplomate, American Society of Addiction Medicine, (ASAM Certification) June 1989

Surveyor, Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, 1990

Additional Expertise: Examiner, American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology 1978-2008

Captain, U.S. Army Reserve (Ret.)

Faculty Appointments:

1976-1978 Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston TX

1978-1982 Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston TX

1978-1982 Lecturer in Psychology and Criminal Justice, Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas

1982-1984 Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio Texas; Adjunct Associate Professor of Psychology, Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, Texas

1984-1990 Adjunct Associate Professor, Departments of Psychology and Educational Psychology, Texas A&M University, College Station Texas; Lecturer in ethics, human sexuality, human behavior, Texas A&M School of Medicine

1990-2000 Adjunct Professor, Psychology and Counseling, Amberton University, Dallas Texas

1997-1999 Adjunct Professor, The University of North Texas School of Community Service, Department of Criminal Justice, Division of Addiction and Rehabilitation

2000-2007 Professor of Psychiatry and Director, Addiction Psychiatry Fellowship Training, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

2008-2020 Clinical Professor of Psychiatry, The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center

Awards, Honors, and Recognitions:

2016 Outstanding Community Service Award presented by Solutions Outpatient Services

2014 Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, 2014 Agent of Change Award for Outstanding Service to the North Texas Community

2010 Arthur M. Griffin Award for Outstanding Contributions to Medical Education
The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry

2003-2020 Election to Best Doctors in America — Among the University of Texas Southwestern faculty, 58 have been awarded this distinction. Best Doctors was founded by physicians from Harvard Medical School. Their goal is to provide greater access to dependable, high quality medical information and care for individuals with serious illness and injuries. Today, Best Doctors is the world’s leading resource for patients, families, physicians seeking expert medical information and guidance to treat illnesses and injuries of all kinds. At http://www.bestdoctors.com. Selection is based on peer survey of doctors nationwide with regard to where doctors would refer their own families for help.


2005 Excellence in Education Award, UT Southwestern Medical School
Award for Outstanding Contributions to Medical Student Education; one of two recipients in the UT Southwestern Department of Psychiatry

2002-2003 Outstanding Teacher Award, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School

2002 Outstanding Teaching Site, Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
Mental Health Gold Team
Nominated 2001-2002-2003
Received award 2002

Samuel E. Ziegler Foundation Fellow in Human Rights and Civil Liberties 1969-1971
“The Right to Health Concept in the United States”

Trent Prize in the History of Medicine, Duke University Medical School, 1970
“A Political History of the Founding of the National Institutes of Health”

Chief Resident in Psychiatry (Madison VA Medical Center), The University of Wisconsin Medical School Department of Psychiatry 1975

Montgomery (TX) County Medical Society, Secretary, Treasurer, Vice-President, President-elect 1979-1981

American Academy of Pediatrics, Elected as Specialty Fellow, 1988

Brazos Valley Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Brazos Award, 1989

Texas A&M University
Physician Appreciation Award, Texas Aggie Football 1987
Team Physician for Texas A&M University, 1986-1990

Brazos Valley Chapter of the American Psychiatric Association
Founder, first vice-president and president-elect, 1989

Texas A&M University Mentor 1987-1990

Hunt County (Texas) Mental Health and Mental Retardation Authority
Distinguished Service Award for Service 1996-2000 to citizens and families of Northeast Texas

Texas Medical Association Committee on Physician Rehabilitation
District Coordinator 1985-86
Regional Coordinator 1986-87
State Committee Member 1987-1991
Speakers Bureau for the Committee 1985-present

Consultant to the Texas Medical Board Physician Health and Rehabilitation Program, 2005-present

Community Service and Volunteer Work:

Consultant and Advisory Board Member, The Center for BrainHealth, Dallas

Member, Board of Directors, North Texas Council on Alcohol and Substance Abuse (formerly The Dallas Council on Alcoholism)

Member of the Board of Directors, Another Solution Inc. (ASI)

Member, Board of Directors, Phoenix House Addiction Treatment Programs

Advocate for veterans in need of psychiatric care and addiction treatment since 1972. Assisted veterans with problems of homelessness, family disruption, learning disabilities, and services not covered by VA Health Care System.

Volunteer teaching of medical students and supervision of residents at Parkland Hospital.

Co-founder of Commission on Addictions for the Episcopal Diocese of North Texas (1993)

Helped organize emergency response of Department of Psychiatry to assist evacuated persons following Hurricane Katrina, September 2005

Over 100 presentations for schools, parent organizations, and recovery-related organizations.

Helped organize community responses, including town meetings, forums, and educational events to the sudden rise in heroin related deaths in North Texas. Led or addressed over a dozen community-wide events in 1997-98.

Delivered pro bono care to many schoolteachers, ministers, and law enforcement offices in the Dallas community who could not afford outpatient treatment.

Volunteered time to assist community programs such as Homeward Bound (drug and alcohol treatment for disadvantaged individuals), National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, DMDA (Depressive Manic Depressive Association), Families Anonymous, Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, Cocaine Anonymous.

Member of Boards of Directors or Advisory Boards of Non-profit Organizations in North Texas:

The Center for BrainHealth, The University of Texas at Dallas

The University of Texas (Austin) Center for Students in Recovery

Dallas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

Hunt County Family Services

C.A.R.E. - Adolescent Substance Abuse Prevention in Schools

Another Solution, Inc.
Scholarships for teens who cannot afford treatment for addictions

The Ethel Daniels Foundation
Addiction Treatment and Rehabilitation for Women

North Texas Addiction Professionals Network

Recovery Advocates (Episcopal Diocese of Dallas)

Phoenix House Dallas, Board Member