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APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship

Funded by APA Foundation

The APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship aims to develop national leaders in the field of organized psychiatry by offering psychiatry trainees opportunities to interact with national thought leaders in the field and to further develop their professional leadership skills, networks and psychiatric experiences. Fellowship recipients will have opportunities to expand relationships with peers and connect with mentors in order to grow themselves and the field of psychiatry. Many APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship graduates have gone on to become nationally renowned psychiatrists, assuming leadership roles in APA/APAF organizations and in other reputable organizations.

The APA/APAF Leadership Fellowship is funded by the APA Foundation.

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Program Benefits

  • Sponsorship to attend a minimum of four APA meetings:
    • Two APA Annual Meetings
    • Two Mental Health Services Conferences
  • Develop leadership skills in the field of psychiatry and interact with national leaders in the field
  • Gain an understanding of APA/APAF governance through service on an APA Council, Committee, or APA Foundation initiative
  • Attend workshops at APA Annual Meetings and be exposed to training opportunities that develop leaders in psychiatry
  • Have the opportunity to sit on the APA Board of Trustees as a non-voting member (one of the APA/APAF Leadership Fellows allowed)
  • Cultivate a professional network with psychiatrists through exclusive events and engagements with APA leaders. Establish relationships and peer-mentorship with a diverse group of resident fellows with similar career interests and goals

Program Expectations

  • Maintain APA membership and good standing in one's residency program throughout the fellowship
  • Attend two consecutive APA Meetings, two Mental Health Services Conferences, and all fellowship related activities
  • Participate in the Fellowship Forum during the Mental Health Services Conferences
  • Audit/observe an APA Council, Committee, or APAF work group during the first year of the fellowship to gain an understanding of APA/APAF governance.
  • Actively participate on an assigned APA Council, Committee, or APAF work group during the second year of the fellowship
  • Participate in Fellowship teleconferences (a minimum of 50%)
  • Participate in mid-year and year-end evaluations
  • Contribute items for APA/APAF publications or the All Fellows' e-Newsletter.

Number of Awards

Up to 20 per year, pending funding

Program Term

July 1, 2025 â€“ June 30, 2027 (Two consecutive years)

Criteria / Eligibility

  • APA member
  • At least PGY 1 or PGY-2 in accredited U.S. or Canadian psychiatry residency program with two remaining years of training.
  • Passed appropriate board examinations (i.e. USMLE 1-3; COMLEX 1-3; Canadian QE; LMCC 1-2)
  • Open to non-U.S. citizens, non-US residents, and graduates of international medical colleges.

You may apply for as many APA/APAF Fellowships during an application cycle based on your eligibility. However, participation in more than one APA Fellowship simultaneously is not permitted.

Selection Criteria

The selection committee will be looking for the following competencies in the applicants:

  • Clinical Skills: Demonstrated clinical excellence in residency through evaluations and awards
  • Leadership: Demonstrated leadership in psychiatric and/or other medical pursuits prior to and during residency, including any community and/or regional leadership activities
  • Involvement: Involvement in components and/or activities in residency training program, hospital, university, APA (including District Branches), state/national psychiatric organizations, other medical organizations and/or within the community
  • Research/Publications: Demonstrated academic accomplishment in research and publication prior to or during residency training
  • Teaching: Demonstrated academic accomplishment teaching residents, medical students and/or the community, with evidence of excellence such as awards, notable feedback and/or other recognition. This includes presentations at departmental grand rounds

Nomination / Application Details

  • Nominations are accepted from a training director or department chair only. (Residency training directors and department chairs are encouraged to discuss all potential candidates in their program in order to determine the single best nominee.)
  • Each training program may only nominate one resident
  • Completed online application form
  • Curriculum vitae (please incorporate the five Candidate Competencies, above, as subheadings)
  • Personal statement which includes career vision, insight into larger issues facing psychiatry and how the Fellowship would benefit career goals
  • Letter from Residency Training Director or Department Chair including:
    • Detailed information regarding clinical work and leadership activities and include, as subheadings, the criteria listed under 5 Candidate Competencies (see above)
    • Specific and candid evaluation of the nominee's performance as a resident, an appraisal of his/her activities in which leadership qualities have been shown, information on any special commendations, details of academic accomplishments, an estimate of the nominee's potential contributions to the APA nationally and locally, and any other information that would assist the committee in making its selection

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Deadline

March 17, 2025 at 11:59 p.m. (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)

Notification

May

Contact

American Psychiatric Association Foundation
c/o Fellowships Team
Email: [email protected]

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