Linda L.M. Worley MD
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington, Dr. Worley attended the nearby University of Puget Sound, in Tacoma earning her B.S. in Biology while also playing cello in the University Orchestra. There, she met and married her life partner who balances out her tendency to overwork infusing an appreciation for life and play. Dr. Worley attended medical school at the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine earning her M.D. She juggled roles and balanced multiple priorities having had her son in medical school and her daughter in residency. After completing training, Dr. Worley moved to Little Rock to join academic faculty at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine. She began as the assistant medical director of Youth Home, a residential treatment program for troubled adolescents before becoming the Medical Director of the UAMS College of Medicine Student Mental Health Service. Dr. Worley built the UAMS campus wide student wellness program serving all 6 colleges at UAMS. She also headed up the General Hospital Psychiatry Consultation Service at University Hospital before moving on to be the Medical Director of Arkansas CARES (Center for Addiction Research Education and Services), a residential treatment program for pregnant and mothering women who enter treatment bringing their children. Arkansas CARES received an American Psychiatric Association $10,000 Gold Award for being a model program for the nation under Dr. Worley’s leadership.
Motivated by a desire to help women earlier in their disease, Dr. Worley joined the UAMS Obstetrics and Gynecology ANGELS program (Antenatal and Neonatal Guidelines Education and Learning System) and taught Obstetricians to recognize signs of trauma, mental illness and addiction in the women they cared for. She also taught them how to compassionately intervene, offering treatment and hope for a better future. Dr. Worley wrote the evidence based guidelines for the state’s obstetrical providers focusing on the bridging worlds between psychiatry and obstetrics and gynecology. In addition, Dr. Worley created the ANGELS Women’s Consultation Service and served as a resource for Obstetrical providers throughout the state when they needed consultation and/or clinical care for their pregnant and postpartum patients. Dr. Worley provided this care both in person and via telemedicine. Dr. Worley become a tenured, full Professor of Psychiatry and Obstetrics and Gynecology at UAMS.
Dr. Worley completed a health services research, training sabbatical, participating in the development and implementation of the collaborative model of care in community based outpatient clinics. In addition she led an educational project, ANGELS DREAM (Depression Relief Education in Antenatal Medicine) targeting both the public and obstetrical health care providers teaching them to recognize depression in pregnancy and postpartum and to be comfortable asking for and offering help.
Dr. Worley established the College of Medicine Faculty Wellness program incorporating lessons learned through her role as an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at Vanderbilt Medical Center where she teaches the quarterly Vanderbilt Center for Professional Health, Distressed Physicians Course.
In 2010, Dr. Worley joined the SVMIC team (a physician owned non-profit medical malpractice company) as a professional educator. She created and taught health care teams throughout the mid-south skills for effectively caring for difficult patients and for dealing with difficult colleagues. Dr. Worley also pursued training in sex therapy and in the use of equine partners in healing trauma, teambuilding and personal growth. Following her speaking tours, Dr. Worley worked in leadership in the South Central United States Veterans Administration as a consultant for the Chief Medical Officer leading a Suicide Prevention initiative called, “Be a Hero, Save a Hero” and later as the Mental Health Lead for the VISN.
In 2018, Dr. Worley left the VA to become the Regional Associate Dean for Northwest Arkansas UAMS College of Medicine. In January, 2023, she transitioned to lead the UAMS College of Medicine as the inaugural Chief Wellness Officer.
Dr. Worley attributes her successes to the many wonderful colleagues and friends she’s had the pleasure of working with over the years. She is a Past President of the Association for Academic Psychiatry and a Past President of the Academy of Consultation Liaison Psychiatry. She served as the 2018 American Psychiatric Association Scientific Program Chair for Dr. Anita Everett MD. She received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions in psychiatric education from the Association for Academic Psychiatry.
What her audiences say
“She is an amazing speaker… Her advice and suggestions were practical and easily implemented.”
“Wow, great topic! She is passionate about nurses and their practice.”
“Dr. Worley is always superb. I thoroughly enjoy her seminars.”
“Excellent. Dr. Worley is top notch, please have again as speaker.”
“A worthwhile investment of a couple of hours.”
“Fantastic coverage of subject. Great speaker. Best SVMIC seminar I’ve ever attended!”
“Take material back to practice and teach EVERYONE who will listen.”