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Prof Michael King
Emeritus Professor
Division of Psychiatry
Faculty of Brain Sciences
- Joined UCL
- 1st Apr 2021
Research summary
I am a psychiatric epidemiologist who is interested in large scale national and international research. I have a particular interest in the design and conduct of cohort studies and randomised trials of complex mental health interventions in primary and secondary care. Clinical trials in this area are difficult to conduct because of the complexity of the issues including diagnosis, interventions and outcomes. I undertake observational research which includes national surveys of mental health in the UK, research using large clinical data bases, and cohort studies in European populations to understand the risks for mental disorders. My main interests are randomised trial methodology, primary care mental health. risk prediction in mental health; the stress and stigma faced by gay and lesbian people; the mental health of patients in the late stages of cancer; and the role of religious and spiritual beliefs in mental well-being.
Teaching summary
Michael King’s teaching activities take place at a number of levels. He is involved mainly in post-graduate teaching of psychiatry and research methods in the Division of Psychiatry, UCL and beyond. He teaches epidemiology and trial methodology on a number of taught PhD courses in Spain, Argentina and Chile, two of which have been supported by the European Union. Currently he supervises 4 ongoing PhD students and has previously supervised 26 PhD students to graduation.
Education
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Doctorate, Fellow of the Royal College of Psychiatrists | 2000
- Royal College of Physicians
- Doctorate, Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians | 1996
- Royal College of General Practioners
- Doctorate, Fellow of the Royal College of General Practitioners | 1991
- University of London
- Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy | 1989
- University of Auckland
- Doctorate, Doctor of Medicine | 1986
- Royal College of Psychiatrists
- Doctorate, Member of the Royal College of Psychiatrists | 1984
- Royal College of General Practioners
- Doctorate, Member of the Royal College of General Practioners | 1981
- Royal College of Physicians
- Doctorate, Member of the Royal College of Physicians | 1979
- University of Auckland
- Doctorate, Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery | 1976
- University of Auckland
- First Degree, Bachelor of Science | 1973
Biography
Michael King completed his medical studies in New Zealand before moving to the UK in 1978 to undertake training in family practice. He then moved to the Maudsley Hospital in 1981 to train in clinical psychiatry before undertaking research training in psychiatric epidemiology at the former General Practice Research Unit (Institute of Psychiatry). He took up a senior lecturer post in the Department of Academic Psychiatry at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine in 1989 and eventually became Head of Department (1996-2009). He joined UCL when the Royal Free School of Medicine became a part of UCL in 1998. He was Director of the former Mental Health Sciences Unit and subsequently the Division of Psychiatry from 2009 to 2014. He was joint Director of PRIMENT Clinical Trials Unit from 2009 to 2017.