Program Benefits
- Receive funding (up to $45,000 per year) towards a research study that will address a major research topic impacting psychiatric practice.
- Receive mentorship from established researchers in the field of psychiatry in the design and implementation of his/her research study.
- Access to secondary national data (e.g., CMS Claims data; APA Registry data) to carry out his/her research study.
- Present his/her research at one or more APA meetings.
- Opportunity to attend additional meetings that provide further mentorship in psychiatric research (e.g., Early Research Career Breakfast).
- Have access to a lifetime network of APA member experts working in the field of psychiatric research.
- Establish relationships and peer-mentorship with a diverse group of residents and fellows with similar career interests and goals.
- Participate on an assigned APA Council or APAF initiative where organizational decisions are made.
- Gain an understanding of APA Governance through service on an APA Council, Committee or APAF initiative.
- Appear in the APA Convocation of Distinguished Fellows Program Book listings.
Program Expectations
- Design a research study that will address a major research topic impacting psychiatric practice that will benefit from utilizing secondary data available in the Division of Research at the APA (e.g., CMS Claims data; APA Registry data [when available]).
- Create a research training or career development plan with his/her institutional and APA Division of Research mentors
- Maintain APA membership and good standing in one's training program
- Contribute to the work of an APA Council or APAF initiative (in-person meetings, conference calls, email discussions and Council work groups)
- Contribute a minimum of 50% of his/her time to research activities
- Attend APA meetings
- One or both APA Annual Meetings to present research findings
- Two Fellowship Forums and meeting at APA headquarters to work with his/her APA mentors
- One additional trip to APA headquarters to meet with his/her APA mentors
- Participate in monthly meetings with his/her institutional and APA Division of Research mentors
- Schedule mid-year and year-end evaluations with Fellowship Manager
- Contribute items for the All-Fellows' e-newsletter and/or submit a post to the APA blog
- Submit a brief year-end report outlining the status of one's research and fellowship experience
Number of Awards
One per year, pending funding
Program Term
July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2028
Criteria / Eligibility
- An APA member
- A psychiatrist with a M.D. or D.O. degree who have completed residency training in general psychiatry or child psychiatry immediately prior to the time the fellowship commences.
- A senior resident (e.g., PGY3+) with at least 50% protected time for research during the fellowship period are also encouraged to apply
- Be trained in an accredited U.S. or Canadian psychiatry residency program
- Have at least 50% protected time for research during the fellowship period
- Open to non-U.S. citizens, non-US residents, and graduates of international medical colleges
You may apply for as many APA/APAF Fellowships during an application cycle based on your eligibility. However, participation in more than one APA fellowship simultaneously is not permitted.
Nomination / Application Details
- Must be nominated by the chairperson of a department of psychiatry ONLY
- Must be the sole resident per residency program nominated
- Complete online application
- Curriculum Vitae
- Letter from the nominee's department chair detailing:
- Nominee's accomplishments and activities
- institutional resources available to support the nominee's research endeavors should the award fund be insufficient to cover both the resident's salary and related research expenses
- Nominee's personal statement describing:
- Career goals
- Specific research objectives, specific plans for meeting those objectives and a proposed timeline of deliverables
Projects that are focused on and yield relevant findings describing his/her accomplishments both as a researcher and mentor, and the specific responsibilities the preceptor would have regarding the nominee's research training plan.
Deadline
March 16, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)
Notification
May
Contact
[email protected]
