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August 6, 1999
OK, you probably read by now the Residents' Forum I wrote for the July 2 issue on opportunities for psychiatry residents within APA, and you've decided that public office is just not your cup of tea. How about trying one of APA's fellowships? Whatever your area of interest, APA has something to fit the bill.
APA supports psychiatrists and their service to patients through the efforts of volunteer members and professional staff. In accordance with its objectives, APA administers the following programs for psychiatry residents. Before I describe the fellowships, however, I'd like to remind all members-in-training (MITs) that they are invited to send me their thoughts or ideas on any issue of importance to them and submit articles for this column. You can reach me via e-mail at jksmd@earthlink.net. You can also call me collect at (212) 396-0613 or fax me at that same number.
The goal of this program is to select outstanding residents with a potential for leadership and to assign them to APA components where they may contribute the residents' point of view to the development of policy.
Those eligible for nomination to this fellowship are psychiatry residents who are in PGY-2 at the time of nomination, APA members-in-training or have applied for membership, and have passed a national or state board examination (for example, FLEX, NBME, or a state medical board leading to eligibility for state licensure) The deadline for applications is March 31, with notifications of selections in June.
Detailed information about this program is available from Janice Taylor in APA's Office of Minority/National Affairs at (202) 682-6097; jtaylor@psych.org.
APA/Bristol-Myers Squibb Fellowship Program
The goals of this fellowship program are to heighten the awareness of psychiatry residents of the many activities of psychiatry in the public sector and career opportunities in this area, and to provide experiences that will contribute to the professional development of those residents. Fellows participate in APA components and attend the Institute on Psychiatric Services twice.
Psychiatry residents entering PGY-3 during the fellowship term are eligible to participate in the program. PGY-4 residents will be considered if they are in a five-year training program. The deadline for applications is April 1, with notifications of selections in May.
Detailed information is available from Beatrice Edner of APA's Office of Quality Improvement and Psychiatric Services at (202) 682-6326; bedner@psych.org.
There are two groups of fellows for the Minority Fellowships Program (MFP): APA/CMHS Fellows (supported by the Center for Mental Health Services), and APA/Zeneca Fellows (supported by an educational grant from Zeneca Pharmaceuticals). The goals of the Minority Fellowships Program are to increase the number of minority psychiatrists, provide enriching training experiences through participation at APA's annual meeting and deliberations of selected components of the APA structure, and stimulate an interest in providing mental health services to minority and underserved populations.
Psychiatry residents in at least their PGY-2 and are U.S. citizens or permanent residents are eligible to apply. Applications are accepted between November and January, with notifications of selections in the spring. CMHS Fellows are on a 12-month program cycle, which begins July 1 and ends June 30, while Zeneca Fellows are on a two-year cycle.
CMHS-supported fellowships provide a partial stipend. The stipend amount is determined by each fellow's postgraduate year at a level designated by the CMHS. The Zeneca-funded fellowship provides travel expenses to attend the APA fall component meetings in September, the annual meeting in May, and other APA leadership meetings as appropriate.
APA has also established a Substance Abuse Fellowship, which is part of the Minority Fellowship Program. Because substance abuse is one of the most devastating health and social issues confronting the United States, CMHS and Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) have provided funding specifically addressing substance abuse treatment.
Psychiatry residents in at least their PGY-5, are U.S. citizens or permanent residents at the time of appointment, and are in a substance abuse training program approved by the affiliated medical school or agency where a significant number of substance abuse patients are from minority and underserved groups are eligible to apply.
Detailed information about the Minority Fellowships Program is available from Marilyn King of APA's Office of Minority/National Affairs at (202) 682-6096; mking@psych.org.
The goal of this program is to provide an educational opportunity in the area of federal health policy through work experience in a Congressional office. Support for this experience is provided jointly by Eli Lilly and Company and the American Psychiatric Foundation. The program was established in recognition of the late Daniel X. Freedman, M.D., a former president of APA (1974) and an advocate for the involvement of psychiatrists in federal health policy development.
PGY-3 and PGY-4 psychiatry residents are eligible to apply. This program offers a stipend in the amount of $20,000 plus corresponding benefits, which may be supplemented by the fellow's institution. Fellows will serve a six-month term, commencing January and concluding in June.
Detailed information about this program is available from Barbara Matos of the American Psychiatric Foundation at (202) 682-6246; bmatos@psych.org.