American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry (AAAP):
At a glance: AAAP is a professional membership organization founded in 1985 with approximately 1,000 members in the United States and around the world. Membership consists of psychiatrists who work with addiction in their practices, faculty at various academic institutions, non-psychiatrist professionals who are making a contribution to the field of addiction psychiatry, residents and medical students.
AAAP’s missions include: Promoting accessibility to highest quality treatment for all who need it; promoting excellence in clinical practice in addiction psychiatry; educating the public to influence public policy regarding addictive illness; providing continuing education for addiction professionals; disseminating new information in the field of addiction psychiatry; and encouraging research on the etiology, prevention, identification, and treatment of addictions.
Membership for Medical Students: FREE
American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP):
At a Glance: Between 7 and 12 Million American children and adolescents suffer from mental, behavioral, or developmental disorders at any given time. The AACAP (American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry) is the leading national professional medical association dedicated to treating and improving the quality of life for children, adolescents, and families affected by these disorders.
The AACAP, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, was established in 1953. It is a membership based organization, composed of over 7,500 child and adolescent psychiatrists and other interested physicians. Its members actively research, evaluate, diagnose, and treat psychiatric disorders and pride themselves on giving direction to and responding quickly to new developments in addressing the health care needs of children and their families.
The AACAP widely distributes information here, and elsewhere, in an effort to promote an understanding of mental illnesses and remove the stigma associated with them; advance efforts in prevention of mental illnesses, and assure proper treatment and access to services for children and adolescents.
Membership for Medical Students: FREE
*Enrollment must be verified by a program direction on the application form
American Association of Community Psychiatrists (AACP):
At a Glance: The Mission of AACP is to inspire, empower, and equip Community Psychiatrists to promote and provide quality care and to integrate practice with policies that improve the well being of individuals and communities. The AACP has been working since 1984 as the only national organization that solely represents community psychiatrists. As an organization, AACP promotes community psychiatry issues to the APA, the Mental Health Task Force of JCAHO, the National Community Mental Health Care Council, and other national organizations. AACP is affiliated with the American Orthopsychiatric Association (“Ortho”), an 80-year old membership association of mental health professionals concerned with mental health and social justice (http://www.amerortho.org/).
Membership for Medical Students: FREE
American Association of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL):
At a Glance: The American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law (AAPL, pronounced “apple”) is an organization of psychiatrists dedicated to excellence in practice, teaching, and research in forensic psychiatry. Founded in 1969, AAPL currently has more than 1,500 members in North America and around the world.
Forensic psychiatry is a medical subspecialty that includes research and clinical practice in the many areas in which psychiatry is applied to legal issues. While some forensic psychiatrists may specialize exclusively in legal issues, almost all psychiatrists may, at some point, have to work within one of the many areas in which the mental health and legal system overlap. AAPL welcomes both the forensic specialist and the general psychiatrist who seeks information and professional support in those domains in which psychiatry and the law share a common boundary. These include: violence; criminal responsibility; competence, civil and criminal; child custody and visitation; psychic injury; mental disability; malpractice; confidentiality; involuntary treatment; correctional psychiatry; juvenile justice; and ethics and human rights.
Membership for Residents/Fellows: $55, medical students not specified
American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA):
At a Glance: The American Psychoanalytic Association (APsaA), the oldest national psychoanalytic organization in the nation, was founded in 1911. APsaA, as a professional organization for psychoanalysts, focuses on education, psychodynamic treatment, research, and membership development. In addition to the national organization, APsaA’s membership includes 29 accredited training institutes and 42 affiliate societies throughout the United States. Since its founding, APsaA has been a component of the International Psychoanalytical Association, the largest worldwide psychoanalytic organization.
APsaA has developed vibrant and innovative programming for the mental health profession and the general public. The Association and its more than 3,500 highly trained members gather at biannual meetings in January and June to exchange ideas, present research papers, and discuss training and membership issues. Many public activities relating to psychoanalysis are presented by the APsaA’s affiliated societies and by institutes which provide what is considered to be the gold standard in training for psychoanalysts. These programs provide forums for the exchange of new ideas and highlight the contribution of psychoanalytic principles in helping to understand important social problems. To further the dissemination of psychoanalytic ideas, APsaA publishes the highly respected peer-reviewed quarterly, Journal of the American Psychoanalytic Association (JAPA).
A major responsibility of APsaA is to establish and maintain high educational standards as well as high professional standards. APsaA works to ensure that its members meet rigorous training standards.
Membership for Medical Students: $25/year
American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP):
At a Glance: The American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry is a national association representing and serving its members and the field of geriatric psychiatry. It is dedicated to promoting the mental health and well being of older people and improving the care of those with late-life mental disorders. AAGP’s mission is to enhance the knowledge base and standard of practice in geriatric psychiatry through education and research and to advocate for meeting the mental health needs of older Americans.
A geriatric psychiatrist is a Doctor of Medicine or Doctor of Osteopathy with special training in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in older adults. These disorders may include, but are not limited to: dementia, depression, anxiety, late life addiction disorders, and schizophrenia. Numerous studies have repeatedly confirmed the increasing incidence of mental illness among the aging population. The proportion of the population over age 65 will increase from 12.4% of the U.S. population in 2000 to 20% by the year 2030. During the same time period, the number of older adults with mental illness is expected to double to 15 million. This demographic transition will increase the current shortfall of health care providers with geriatric expertise – and specifically health care providers with geriatric mental health expertise.
Membership for Medical Students: $75 or $20/year
American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry:
At a Glance: The American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry is an organization of psychiatrists interested in the application of psychodynamic psychotherapy in clinical practice and in understanding aspects of culture and art. We are an affiliate organization of the APA and welcome interested colleagues to join us at our Annual meetings and share our publications.
The aims of The American Academy of Psychoanalysis and Dynamic Psychiatry are: To provide a forum for expression of ideas, concepts, and research in psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychiatry; to constitute a forum for expression of an inquiry into the phenomena of individual motivation and social behavior; to encourage and support research in psychoanalysis and psychodynamic psychiatry; to advance the development of psychoanalysts and psychodynamic psychiatry in all other respects; and to develop communication among psychoanalysts, psychiatrists, and their colleagues in other disciplines in science and in the humanities.
Membership for Medical Students: must have application sponsored by members
American Neuropsychiatric Association (ANPA):
At a Glance: The American Neuropsychiatric Association (ANPA), established in 1988, is an organization of professionals in neuropsychiatry, behavioral neurology and the clinical neurosciences. Our mission is to improve the lives of people with disorders at the interface of psychiatry and neurology through clinical care, education, advocacy and research.
The strength of the organization is our diversity of membership, which is comprised of professionals in neuropsychiatry, behavioral neurology, neuropsychology, neuroradiology, neuropathology, and neurosurgery as well as the basic neurosciences, who share clinical and/or academic interests in neuropsychiatry. The interdisciplinary nature of the membership encourages collaborations among educators, clinicians, researchers, students and trainees in research presentations, symposia, workshops and/or continuing education courses.
Membership for Medical Students: $25
Academy of Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry (ACLP):
At a Glance: ACLP, the organization for Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry, represents psychiatrists dedicated to the advancement of medical science, education, and healthcare for persons with comorbid psychiatric and general medical conditions and provides national and international leadership in the furtherance of those goals.
ACLP vigorously promotes a global agenda of excellence in clinical care for patients with comorbid psychiatric and general medical conditions by actively influencing the direction and process of research and public policy and promoting interdisciplinary education.
Membership for Medical Students: Free
*confirmation for must be submitted by training director
American Association for Technology in Psychiatry (AATP):
At a Glance: The mission of AATP is as follows:
- To promote the use of information technology to improve the quality and availability of psychiatry and mental health care
- To promote the development and dissemination of knowledge in the use of technology in psychiatry and mental health
- To foster technology in psychiatry and mental health as a recognized body of knowledge
- To promote the development and dissemination of standards and best practices for use of technology in psychiatry and mental health, including respect for, and preservation of, confidentiality and privacy
- To inform and influence public policy in the use of technology in psychiatry and mental health
Membership for Medical Students: $45
Association of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatrists (AGLP):
At a Glance: AGLP is a community of psychiatrists that educates and advocates on Lesbian Gay Bisexual and Transgender mental health issues. AGLP Strives to be a community for the personal and professional growth of all LGBT Psychiatrists, and to be the recognized expert on LGBT mental health issues.
The specific goals of AGLP are to: foster a fuller understanding of LGBT mental health issues; research and advocate for the best mental health care for the LGBT community; develop resources to promote LGBT mental health; create a welcoming, safe, nurturing, and accepting environment for members; and provide valuable and accessible services to our members.
Membership for Medical Students: Free
American Association for Emergency Psychiatry (AAEP):
At a Glance: AAEP promotes timely, compassionate, and effective mental health services for persons with mental illnesses, regardless of their ability to pay, in all crisis and emergency care settings. AAEP represents a multidisciplinary professional membership by developing standards to promote excellence in care; educating the public and health professionals about crisis and emergency mental health care; encouraging research in all aspects of crisis and emergency psychiatric care; promoting training and the continuing education of health professionals working in crisis and emergency care settings; and providing opportunities for fellowship among its members.
The needs of psychiatrists working in the emergency settings are unique and this Association, more than any other, strives to represent its members and provide opportunities for them to learn and to network. The American Association of Emergency Psychiatry is the voice of emergency mental health professionals. AAEP organizes regional conferences, symposia and workshops to discuss the latest information relative to emergency mental health care, teaching, research and funding. AAEP has developed a model curriculum for training in Emergency Psychiatry and continues to make a difference in the way emergency psychiatry services are delivered, improving the lives of our patients. We have collaborative relationships with consumer and family organizations, other neutral health groups, researchers, and policy groups. As an APA Allied Organization, AAEP formally represents Emergency Psychiatry within that organization.
Membership for Medical Students: $50
American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training:
At a Glance: To better meet the nation’s mental healthcare needs, the mission of the American Association of Directors of Psychiatric Residency Training is to promote excellence in the education and training of future psychiatrists. The focus of AADPRT is on career development, support, networking, national advocacy, and projects on behalf of program directors, psychiatry residency programs, and psychiatric education.
Medical Student Benefits: AADPRT is primarily for psychiatry residency directors. Thus, there are no awards, funding for travel, or other official outreach programs specifically for medical students. However, individual students are welcome to present posters or workshops related to psychiatric education at the AADPRT annual meeting, in collaboration with their mentor/program director.
Association of Directors of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry:
At a Glance: ADMSEP is an organization dedicated to excellence in psychiatric medical student education. It is open to all who teach behavioral science and psychiatry to medical students in the pre-clinical, clerkship, and fourth years. ADMSEP’s focus is on supporting educators through career development, networking, and presentations on education-related topics at the annual meeting. ADMSEP also advocates nationally for psychiatric medical student education. ADMSEP has developed a comprehensive set of Clinical Learning Objectives for Psychiatry Education of Medical Students which should be achieved prior to completion of an undergraduate medical curriculum. The “ADMSEP Collection” on the AAMC’s MedEdPortal website assists students and educators in the achievement of these goals. To learn more about ADMSEP, and to view and download the Learning Objectives, please visit our website.