Dr. Phil Tibbo

Dr. Tibbo received his B.Sc. (Hons) from Mount Alison University in Sackville, NB, and his MD from Memorial University of Newfoundland.  He completed his residency in psychiatry at the University of Alberta, and following this joined the staff at the University of Alberta Hospital as a clinician and researcher. He was instrumental in the development of and co-directed both the Bebensee Schizophrenia Research Unit and the Edmonton Early Psychosis Intervention Clinic.

In 2008 Dr. Tibbo was named the first Dr. Paul Janssen Chair in Psychotic Disorders, an endowed research chair, at Dalhousie University in Halifax NS. He is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry with a cross-appointment in Psychology at Dalhousie University and an Adjunct Professor in Department of Psychiatry at the University of Alberta. He is also Director of the Nova Scotia Early Psychosis Program (NSEPP).  

Dr. Tibbo’s publications are primarily in the area of schizophrenia, and his current foci of study include individuals at the early phase of, and individuals at risk for, a psychotic illness. Dr. Tibbo’s areas of research include application of  in vivo brain neuroimaging techniques to study psychosis as well as research interests in co-morbidities in schizophrenia, psychosis genetics, addictions and psychosis, pathways to care, education, and non-pharmacological treatment options. He is President of the Canadian Consortium for Early Intervention in Psychosis (CCEIP), helping to advance early intervention care at the national level. He is funded by local and national peer reviewed funding agencies and well published in leading journals. Dr Tibbo is a recipient of the Michael Smith Award from the Schizophrenia Society of Canada for research and leadership in schizophrenia (2015), the Canadian Alliance on Mental Illness and Mental Health’s Champion of Mental Health Research/Clinician award (2017), and the 2018 Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada Prix d’Excellence - Specialist of the Year (region 5).