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Irma Bland Award for Excellence in Teaching Residents

Established in 2003, the Irma Bland Award for Excellence in Teaching Residents recognizes APA members who have made outstanding and sustaining contributions to resident education in psychiatry in a salaried or voluntary capacity.

2022-2023 Award Recipients

  • Tichianna Armah, M.D. - Yale School of Medicine
  • Sepideh Bajestan, M.D. - Standford University Medical School
  • Gregory Briscoe , M.D. - Eastern Virginia Medical School
  • Ryan Lawrence, M.D. - Columbia University Medical Center
  • David Lehman, M.D. - University of California, San Diego School of Medicine
  • Luba Leontieva, M.D. Norton College of Medicine, SUNY Update Medical University
  • Edwin Meresh, M.D. - Loyola University Medical Center
  • Jeffrey Rakofsky, M.D. - Emory University Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
  • Mark Sorensen, M.D. - Columbia University Medical Center
  • David Spiegel, M.D. - Eastern Virginia Medical School
  • Lia Thomas, M.D. - University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center
  • Tobias Wasser, M.D. - Yale School of Medicine

Program Benefits

Certificate

Criteria / Eligibility

Nominees must be APA members who are faculty psychiatrists, either salaried or voluntary, who teach residents at each training institution. The nominating institution may nominate only one candidate for each faculty category (voluntary and salaried).

Selection Process

The Selection Committee is comprised of members of the Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning. The committee will select an award recipient using the above criteria. The final selection will be forwarded to the Joint Reference Committee and the APA Board of Trustees for final approval.

Selection Criteria

Nominees for this award should have demonstrated evidence of work that includes outstanding contributions as a faculty member for at least three consecutive years.

Nomination / Application Details

  • An open call for nominations will be published in APA communications.
  • Nominations may be made by a department Chair.
  • Nominations must include the following information:
    • Cover Sheet to include:
      • Nominee Name, Email, Preferred contact number.
      • Nominator Name, Email, Preferred contact number (if not a self-nomination).
    • Abbreviated CV (maximum two pages)
    • Completed Chairperson Endorsement Form
    • Letter(s) of recommendation from the department chair and/or psychiatry residency training director documenting nominee's specific and sustained contributions to resident education, including didactics, rounds, supervision, and excellence in different settings (e.g., psychiatry emergency services, inpatient, outpatient, community mental health, and specialized settings)
    • Maximum two-page narrative, demonstrating how the nominee exemplifies the selection criteria.

Deadline

June 1 of each year. Submissions will not be considered if they are incomplete or submitted after the deadline.

Notification

Awardee will be notified no later than January 31.

Award Presentation

Awardee will receive the award and give an award lecture at the APA Annual Meeting. Awardees will also be posted on APA’s website.

Contact

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