Dr. Thomas Gratzer is a highly respected psychiatrist who has devoted more than three decades to general and forensic psychiatry in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. His clinical career encompasses tenures at several major medical facilities, including Psych Recovery, Regions Hospital, United Hospital, and Fairview University Medical Center. He was consistently tasked with managing around 100 weekly patient visits and conducting numerous forensic evaluations.
In his extensive career, Dr. Gratzer served as a Senior Forensic Psychiatrist at the Minnesota Security Hospital from 1995 to 2002. His role extended to serving as a consulting psychiatrist for the Minnesota Department of Corrections at the Juvenile Detention Center from 1999 to 2015, providing essential psychiatric care to incarcerated youths. His role as an attending psychiatrist at United Hospital from 1995 to 2016 underscores his deep commitment to treating individuals with severe psychiatric conditions.
His leadership skills were showcased during his term as medical staff president at the St. Peter Regional Treatment Center in 1997, where he profoundly impacted policy and practice within the institution.
Moreover, Dr. Gratzer's commitment to psychiatric education has been evident throughout his career. He served as an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Minnesota Medical School from 2002 to 2021, where he played a crucial role in educating future generations of psychiatrists. His instructional reach extended to medical students, psychiatry residents, and law students at various institutions, including the University of Manitoba, Rush-Presbyterian/St: Luke's Medical Center, DePaul Law School, and Regions Hospital in St. Paul.
He is a valued member of several vital psychiatric organizations, including the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, and the Minnesota Psychiatric Society. His involvement has been particularly active on various committees, addressing crucial topics in mental health and the justice system, including his work on the Sex Offender Committee and the Psychopharmacology Committee.
Dr. Gratzer's proficiency spans beyond psychiatry into computer science. He won first prize at the Manitoba Science Fair in 1991 for a computer program and participated in Prince Philip's International Science Fortnight in London. In academia, he co-authored a widely sold book on TRS-80 computers and developed VP-Info, a database programming language for the IBM PC, which sold over 100,000 copies.
His scholarly contributions to psychiatry are numerous. Several papers published in peer-reviewed journals focus on the treatment of paraphilia and impulse control disorders, among other topics. His research was recognized with awards such as the Merrell Dow Psychiatric Research Award and the S. W. Prowse Memorial Award for Clinical Research in 1994.
Dr. Gratzer's educational background is notable. He began at Saint John's Ravenscourt School in Winnipeg, earning the Governor General medal. He completed his Bachelor of Science in Medicine and Doctor of Medicine at the University of Manitoba, followed by a fellowship in Forensic Psychiatry at Rush-Presbyterian/St—Luke's Center in Chicago.
Though retired, Dr. Thomas Gratzer remains deeply invested in mental health. He supports his university's foundation and enjoys tennis, skiing, and traveling activities. His commitment to psychiatry and his community continues to leave a lasting impact.