Full Schedule of Events Planned for RFMs

APA’s 2017 Annual Meeting is just a few short months away. As a native Californian and your resident-fellow member trustee, I want to welcome you to the beautiful coastal city of sunny San Diego. Additionally, I want to tell you about a series of amazing workshops and lectures that we have planned for you (see box below).

The track aims to provide guidance to residents and early career psychiatrists in teaching, handling organizational issues, dealing with interpersonal problems, and many more areas that can develop our skills as leaders in mental health.

Additionally, there will be an area at this year’s Annual Meeting for residents and early career psychiatrists to gather and mingle. You can’t miss the big APA Central sign near the registration area, where you will find chairs, refreshments, and information about resident and early career psychiatrist activities and membership benefits.

At past Annual Meetings, the Brown Bag Lunch and Learn sessions have been popular among residents and will continue this year at APA Central. Covering topics such as how to handle personal finances and how to evaluate future practice settings, they delve into the business side of medicine, which is crucial but overlooked part of our education. In addition, this year’s sessions also include tips on how to set up a resident wellness program at your home institution, as well as how to use organized psychiatry to advance your career. Don’t forget to bookmark them on your calendar!

For those who are transitioning into the role of chief resident, you will find valuable information in the “Chief Residents Forum.” It is a two-hour session that stimulates group discussions on real-life scenarios that chief residents face. I attended the forum last year and was impressed by the different perspectives and solutions residents brought to the conversation. The discussion helped me clarify the role of a chief resident and anticipate some conflicts that I faced this past year. Furthermore, I felt supported as I listened to chief residents from other programs sharing and acknowledging similar challenges to mine.

There are also many other sessions such as leadership boot camps that have been well received by the residents and early career psychiatrists at previous meetings. Medical students are also welcome to attend.

Lastly, stay tuned for nighttime resident social events, which are always a good time. I cannot wait to see you all at this year’s Annual Meeting!

The schedule and more information are easily accessible through the APA Meetings App, available for iPhone or Android. ■