Michael Makhinson is interim chair and Clinical Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA. He completed his M.D., and Ph.D. (neuroscience) degrees through the Medical Scientist Training Program at UCLA. He then completed his Psychiatry residency, also at UCLA. After residency, Michael then joined the Harbor-UCLA faculty, spending 17 years as Co-Director of the Psychiatry Service before taking the position of interim chair. He has interests and has published in areas of schizophrenia, medical decision-making, cognitive bias, brain stimulation, and psychedelic medicine.