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Approximately 15 new APA fellows funded by the Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and Zeneca Pharmaceuticals received their first orientation at APA’s fall component meetings last month in Washington, D.C.
Financial support from Zeneca Pharmaceuticals this spring enabled APA to add 10 psychiatry residents to the Minority Fellowship Program and select five residents to continue as trainee-consultants. Zeneca pays for travel to and from APA’s annual and fall component meetings. Five additional fellows received stipends from CMHS to promote multicultural activities during their residency training.
The orientation conducted by APA Program Director Robert T.M. Phillips, M.D., Ph.D., and Program Coordinator Marilyn King was to inform the fellows about what is expected of them during their tenure, which is two years for Zeneca Fellows and one year for CMHS Fellows.
Phillips described the goals of the Minority Fellowship Program, which began 23 years ago with funding from the National Institute of Mental Health to provide educational enrichment to psychiatrists in training and stimulate their interest in providing quality and effective services to minorities and the underserved.
The program is also designed to involve the resident fellows in psychiatry and the work of APA and give the Association the perspective of young psychiatrists, according to the Office of Minority Affairs.
Former APA Deputy Medical Director Jeanne Spurlock, M.D., who was responsible for the program while at APA, "gave the fellows a sense of pride in being part of the program because of its long history and accomplishments of former fellows," King told Psychiatric News. Spurlock now serves as a consultant to APA’s Council on International Affairs.
Spurlock referred to the national minority mentor network, which consists of 50 former fellows and interested minorities who have agreed to encourage fellows’ participation in APA. This network will also be used to track alumni of the fellowship.
Spurlock also encouraged the new fellows to read articles and books related to multiculturalism and psychiatry.
Rachael Bloom, Communications program manager for Zeneca Pharmaceuticals, spoke "enthusiastically about the company’s newly established relationship with APA’s minority fellowship program," said King.
Patricia Ordorica, M.D., chair of APA’s Selection Advisory Committee, and other committee members were available to answer fellows’ questions about the selection process during a fellows’ business meeting, said King.
Committee members encouraged the fellows to get involved in their respective components and call on them as mentors.