Supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), the SAMHSA Minority Fellowship Program (MFP) provides a one-year fellowship to psychiatry residents who are at the PG1 level or higher and are committed to addressing inequities in mental health. This fellowship aims to improve behavioral health care outcomes for racial and ethnic populations by growing the number of racial and ethnic psychiatrists in the nation’s behavioral health workforce. The program also seeks to train and better prepare psychiatrists to more effectively treat and serve people of different cultural and ethnic backgrounds. If you are interested in becoming a leader and are committed to a career providing culturally sensitive psychiatric care, we invite you to apply.

Applications submissions are now open. The deadline for applying is Monday, March 17, 2025.

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Program Benefits

• Funding to support your own innovative and creative Addressing Mental Health Inequities Capstone Project
• Monthly virtual professional development sessions
• Gain access to employment opportunities through a virtual job fair
• Gain understanding of mental health inequities through the LEAD Institute (Leadership in Equity and Diversity) curriculum
• Receive mentorship from leaders in psychiatry through the Advocate & Protégé Program
• Attend the Spring Leadership Summit in Washington DC, with the goal of enhancing your leadership skills in psychiatry by advancing your understanding of mental health inequities
• Attend the APA Annual Meeting with the opportunity to present a poster or oral presentation of your Capstone Project
• Attend APA Mental Health Services Conference
• Attend September Component Meetingm and other educational events, including orientation sessions
• Gain understanding of APA Governance through service on an APA Council, committee or work group
• Receive access to a lifetime network of psychiatrists
• Establish long term relationships with resident fellows with similar career interests and goals

Program Expectations

• Be in good standing in one's residency program throughout the fellowship
• Attend the APA Annual Meeting and all fellowship-related activities
• Contribute to the work of an APA Council or APA leadership group (in-person meetings, conference calls, email discussions and work groups)
• Participate in orientation sessions and required training
• Join a minimum of 75% of regular fellowship teleconference meetings
• Prepare a mid-year and year-end report outlining use of funds and fellowship experiences
• Complete all evaluations including Pre-Fellowship Survey, Biannual (mid-year and year-end) Surveys, Post-Fellowship Two-Year Commitment Survey
• Respond to a yearly short survey on the two-year commitment for the two years after the fellowship ends
• Contribute items for e-newsletters and/or submit a post to the APA blog

Number of Awards

45

Program Term

October 1, 2025 - September 30, 2026

Criteria / Eligibility

• Be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or noncitizen nationals
• PGY-1 level or higher at the time of matriculation
• Remain in training during the entire duration of the fellowship
• Have a strong commitment to provide culturally sensitive mental health care and to serve marginalized and minoritized communities to help address mental inequities
• It is not required for applicants to identify as ethnic minorities; however, African Americans, Alaska Natives, American Indians, Asian-Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders are especially encouraged to apply
• You can apply for as many APA and APAF Fellowships during an application cycle based on your eligibility. However, participation in more than one APA and APAF fellowship simultaneously is not permitted.

Selection Criteria

• The selection committee will be looking for the following competencies in applicants:
  • Excellence of the candidate's CV (leadership, creativity, clinical skills, extra-curricular activities, publications/presentations)
  • Strong letters of recommendation (training director's evaluation, other references)
  • Compelling personal statement

Deadline

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

Notification

Mid-April, 2025

Contact

American Psychiatric Association
SAMHSA Minority Fellowships Team
General Email: [email protected]
Program Coordinator Email: [email protected]

Disclaimer

The APA SAMHSA Minority Fellows (subject to the availability of funds) receive fellowship funds and serve for one year. Extension is not guaranteed.

Fellowship awards are subject to future funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

**Participants in the APA Minority Fellowship Program will have their awards managed internally as opposed to receiving funds via direct deposit.**

Program participants will have their registration, airfare, and lodging to the APA Annual Meeting organized and paid for by APA via its online travel system. Following the adjournment of the Annual Meeting, and upon the timely submission of receipts, students will be reimbursed for allowable expenses associated with attending the conference (i.e. meals and local transportation that were not prepaid by APA).

Concerning the APA Learning Center pathway, students will have required courses and several electives to choose from.