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Community Diversity Fellowship

The Community Diversity Fellowship is a unique opportunity for psychiatry residents from diverse backgrounds and residents who are committed to serving minority and vulnerable populations. The fellowship provides professional development, training, mentorship, and a field placement component (up to 15 hours per month) designed to add exponential impact in the delivery of culturally competent psychiatric care across hard to reach and traditionally underrepresented communities. These populations include—but are not limited to—American Indians/Native Alaskans, Asian Americans/Native Hawaiians/Native Pacific Islanders, Blacks/African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, LGBTQ, and religious minorities.

This fellowship is only offered every other year. The next opportunity to apply will open Fall of 2024.

Program Benefits

  • Attend a minimum of four APA meetings:
    • Two APA Annual Meetings
    • Two APA September Component Meetings (including attendance at the Fellowship Forum)
  • Develop leadership skills in the field of psychiatry and advance understanding of the life experiences of racial ethnic minority communities
  • Gain hands on experience through field placement in a traditional underrepresented community mental health setting (up to 15 hours per month)
  • Gain an understanding of APA/APAF Governance through service on an APA Council, Committee, or APAF initiative 
  • Cultivate a professional network with psychiatrists interested in minority mental health and services through exclusive events through engagements with APA leaders. Establish relationships and peer-mentorship with a diverse group of resident fellows with similar career interests and goals

Program Expectations

  • Maintain APA membership and good standing in one's residency program throughout the fellowship
  • Attend two consecutive APA Meetings, the APA September Components Meetings, and all fellowship related activities
  • Participate in the Fellowship Forum during the APA September Components Meeting
  • Participate on an assigned APA Council, Committee, or APAF work group where organizational decisions are made and gain an understanding of APA/APAF governance
  • Fulfill requirement of experiential field placement of up to 15 hours per month in a traditionally underrepresented community mental health setting
  • Participate in Fellowship teleconferences (a minimum of 50%)
  • Participate in mid-year and year-end evaluations with Fellowship Program Manager.
  • Contribute items for APA/APAF publications or the All Fellows' e-Newsletter.

Number of Awards

Up to 10 per year, pending funding

Program Term

Two consecutive years

Criteria/Eligibility 

  • Be an APA member
  • At least a PGY-2 in an accredited U.S. or Canadian psychiatry residency program with two remaining years of training.
  • Open to non-U.S. citizens, non-US residents, and graduates of international medical colleges.
  • Members of underrepresented populations are strongly encouraged to apply, but all applicants are welcome to apply regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability

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.

Selection Criteria

The selection committee will be looking for the following competencies in applicants:

  • Excellence of the candidates's CV (leadership, creativity, clinical skills, extra-curricular activities, publications/presentations)
  • Strong letters of reccomendation (training director's evaluation, other references)
  • Compelling personal statement
  • Applicants will be selected within proximity of pending field placement sites, or applicant's expressed ability to arrange field placements  within a community mental health setting

Nomination/Application Details

  • Completed online application form
  • Curriculum vitae
  • One-page personal statement explaining how the fellowship will impact the applicant's career 
    • The personal statement should address the following:
      • Applicant's motivation for applying for the fellowship 
      • Applicant's leadership experiences 
      • Applicant's lived experience including any adversity you may have overcome
      • Applicant's interest in field placement in community mental health setting
    • Three letters of reccomendation from psychiatrists, including one letter from Training Director addressinf trainee's contribution to minority and underserved populations

Contact

American Psychiatric Association Foundation
c/o Fellowships Team
Email: [email protected]

The Community Diversity Fellowship is made possible through the support of Sozosei Foundation.