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Psychiatric Research Fellowship

The Psychiatric Research Fellowship provides funding for an early research career psychiatrist to design and conduct a health services/policy-related research study using national data housed at the APA. The Fellow's research activities will be carried out under the supervision and guidance of a mentor at his/her institution in collaboration with his/her mentor(s) at the APA Division of Research. This vital program will enable the APA and APA Foundation to actively participate in sustaining and strengthening the clinical investigators workforce specifically in psychiatry.

The 2027 application period will start on November 1, 2026.

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, 2027 – June 30, 2029 (Two consecutive years)

Eligibility at the Time of Matriculation

  • 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 Requirements

  • 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 15, 2027 at 11:59 p.m. (Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time)

Notification

May

Contact

[email protected]