Leadership Opportunities

Leadership opportunities exist at the national, district branch/state association, and chapter levels for all members, whether they are new to psychiatry, have years of experience, or fall somewhere in between. These leadership opportunities are an important way for you to bring your expertise, knowledge, and energy to APA and the field of psychiatry and to take an active role in your Association. Below, you can learn about the many ways to get involved in APA.

Board of Trustees

APA members elect all voting members of the Board. The Board determines and approves APA priorities, policies, and budgets. Each year a number of positions on the Board of Trustees come up for election, and nominations are due each year by September 1. Learn more about the nomination and election process and view current members of the Board of Trustees.

Learn about the different positions on the Board of Trustees

Assembly

The Assembly is a deliberative, advisory body to the Board of Trustees. It represents the individual members of the Association and acts for them in the affairs of APA by means of the district branch representatives. The Assembly is comprised of representatives and deputy representatives elected by the district branches; a representative and deputy representative from each Minority and Underrepresented (M/UR) Caucus; a resident-fellow member representative and deputy representative from each Area; an early career psychiatrist representative and deputy representative from each Area; a representative from each assembly allied organization; and the Assembly Executive Committee.

The Assembly is officiated by a speaker, speaker-elect and recorder and governed by the Procedural Code of the Assembly. The Standard Code of Parliamentary Procedure by Alice Sturgis, is used to maintain order during Assembly meetings.

Find your Assembly Representative.
Each district branch/state association elects representatives to the Assembly following its own process. Please contact your DB/SA for details on becoming an Assembly representative.

Component Councils and Committees

Without the involvement of its members through service on councils and committees (known as components), APA cannot accomplish the important work to benefit patients with mental illness and advocate for the profession’s interests. One-third of the positions on APA’s councils and committees are open for appointment each year. The APA Board of Trustees assigns the president-elect to fill these positions. Members with expertise in the content areas of the 13 councils representing the breadth of diversity within the membership is strongly encouraged to put their names forward for consideration. If you are interested in being considered for an appointment to a council or committee, send a brief paragraph outlining your area of interest, experience, and a biographical sketch to APA at appointments@psych.org.

Caucuses

An APA Caucus is defined as a group of self-selected special interest psychiatrists members. The purpose of APA caucuses is to promote communication and networking among member psychiatrists who share a special interest so that they may bring attention to important or emerging issues to APA, patient care and the practice of psychiatry within that special interest area.

Leadership Opportunities for Resident-Fellow Members

Resident-fellow members (RFM) participate in APA activities at all levels of the organization. Listed below are some of the positions available for RFMs. View detailed information on these and other opportunities.