Organization Supports Psychiatric Educators

Abstract

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Academically SpeakingFull AccessOrganization Supports Psychiatric EducatorsDon Hilty, M.D.Don HiltySearch for more papers by this author, M.D.Published Online:4 Nov 2005https://doi.org/10.1176/pn.40.21.0037What is the Association for Academic Psychiatry (AAP)? The AAP is an international organization of about 425 psychiatric educators who are invested in the continued development of teaching skills and the academic careers of psychiatrists. These are among its areas of focus:Teaching skills: creativity, technology, and evaluationInterprofessional education: team work, communication, and other topicsTechnology and educationPromotion: academic portfolios, faculty development, and mentoringThe annual meeting is balanced between interactive didactics and planned informal gatherings to promote networking and collaboration. AAP rewards good teaching and scholarship with several awards:Residents and fellows (four awards)Early career faculty teachers (six awards)Regional faculty teachers of the year (11 awards)Teacher, group, or program of the yearAAP award for outstanding serviceLifetime achievement awardAnnual dues for an individual membership is $225. These are among the benefits:Individual subscription to Academic Psychiatry and the BulletinAccess to Web resourcesEligibility for awardsDiscounted registration fee at annual meetingThe annual dues for institutional membership is $550 (two representatives). These are among the benefits:Subscriptions to Academic Psychiatry and the AAP BulletinAccess to Web resourcesEligibility for awards and ability to nominate residents and faculty for awardsDiscounted registration fee for two department members at annual meetingActivity Through MeetingsThe AAP participates in and sponsors many events that are important to psychiatric education. For example, AAP members participated in the APA Summit on Medical Student Education, which was held at APA headquarters in April and was cosponsored by the Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry (ADMSEP). The summit offered an opportunity for participants from different psychiatric education organizations to brainstorm, identify areas for collaboration, build relationships, and develop consensus (Psychiatric News, June 17).In an exciting new pilot project, called the AAP Workshop Consultations Feedback Program, trained consultants observe and help presenters at national psychiatric meetings to improve their teaching skills. Meetings that consultants have attended include the AAP's 2000 meeting, the 2003 meeting of Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training, and the 2005 meeting of ADMSEP. They will be attending APA's 2006 annual meeting, which will be held May 20 to 25 in Toronto.Goals for Strategic PlanningAcademic products: We wish to help faculty with teaching, through partnerships with publishing groups and a series of products, such as concise guides, handbooks, or books; monographs; portable curricula; and other teaching resources. We are exploring online options as well as hard-copy materials. Our first product is the Handbook for Faculty Development in Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, released just last month by American Psychiatric Publishing Inc. Dr. Laura Roberts and I took the lead and worked with many outstanding academicians nationally.Use of technology by AAP: We are redesigning our Web site and want to put more member information online (for example, pictures, brief CVs). Many good resources are, and could be, on the Web site: videos, slides, portable curricula, and case vignettes with slides or a discussant. The AAP work group on technology includes, in addition to me, Drs. Don Fidler, Bob Boland, Debbie Hales, Carl Chan, Simon Kung, Joe Layde, John Luo, David Lynn, Phil Muskin, and Linda Worley.Faculty development consultation service: We are in the preliminary planning stages of developing individual, group, departmental, and institutional consultations.If you have any questions about AAP, please send them to me by e-mail at [email protected]. Linda Worley, M.D., became president in October, and she can be reached at [email protected].More information on AAP is posted online at<www.academicpsychiatry.org>.▪Don Hilty, M.D., is president of the Association for Academic Psychiatry. ISSUES NewArchived