Michael B. First (born 1956) is an American psychiatrist who focuses on diagnostic criteria for mental disorders. He is Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University. First was one of the editors of DSM-IV-TR, the Editor of Text and Criteria for the DSM-IV, and the editor of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV.^[1] He also served as consultant to the World Health Organization for the revision of ICD-11.

Life and career

First earned a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from Princeton University in 1978. He then graduated from University of Pittsburgh with a master's degree, also in Computer Science, and a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1983. He did his psychiatric residency at Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and a fellowship in biometrics at the New York State Psychiatric Institute. He is certified with the American Board of Psychiatry & Neurology.

First frequently writes on diagnostic criteria, particularly diagnostic controversies. He has written on several of these controversies, including depression,^[2] eating disorders,^[3] and desire for amputation or paralysis, calling it body integrity identity disorder.^[4]

He has provided expert opinion and testimony on several high-profile cases, including the federal trial of the accused Al Qaeda terrorist Zacarias Moussaoui.^[5] First co-authored Am I Okay?: A Layman's Guide to the Psychiatrist's Bible with psychiatrist Allen Frances.^[6]

Selected publications