Are you ready to take the next step in your psychatric career?
Become a Fellow of the APA
Why become a Fellow / International Fellow of the APA?
- The Fellow (FAPA) and International Fellow(IFAPA) statuses are an honor that reflects your dedication to the work of the APA and signifies your allegiance to the psychiatric profession.
- You are recognized by your colleagues in the Association as a member of a very select group.
- All newly appointed Fellows and International Fellows are publicly recognized at the Convocation of Fellows and Distinguished Fellows, which is held every year during APA's Annual Meeting.
- You receive a lapel pin in recognition of your status.
- Annual dues rates for membership remain the same.
What are the guidelines and criteria for eligibility?
To become a Fellow, a Member must have at least two of the following:
- Must be a current APA General Member or Life Member in good standing for at least three years.
- Served in a psychiatric leadership position on a national, district branch or international psychiatric association for over five years.
- Is certified by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the American Osteopathic Association.
There is a 30-day review period for the district branch to offer comments about the Fellowship candidate.
To become an International Fellow, you must be:
- A current APA International Member in good standing, with three (3) years of APA membership OR
- Three (3) years as a Member/ Fellow in good standing of either:
- Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists,
- Royal College of Psychiatrists (UK), or
- Your national or local psychiatric organization. A letter of verification on the organization's letterhead is required. The letter must be in English or a certified translation.
- Board certification in psychiatry or equivalent if certification exists in your country.
Individuals from countries against which the United States Treasury Office of Foreign Assets Control has issued comprehensive sanctions (including Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Syria and the Crimea Region of Ukraine) are eligible to receive information and informational materials only, as allowed by the exemptions within the relevant OFAC sanctions programs and are ineligible to apply for these designations.
To create your application and for further resources, click My Applications from the dashboard, followed by selecting Fellow of the APA (FAPA) from Your Application Options.
*Applications must be submitted by the deadline of September 1*
Key dates for the FAPA/IFAPA cycle, approval and recognition process
| February 15 - August 31 | Open period of the FAPA/IFAPA application cycle. |
| September 1 | Application submission deadline. All submissions must be through the online application. |
| October | The APA Membership Committee scores each application and makes recommendations to the APA Board of Trustees. |
| December | The APA Board of Trustees votes on the Membership Committee’s recommendations. |
| December-January | District Branches and applicants are notified of approval/deferral status for FAPA/IFAPA. |
| January | Member's status officially updates on APA membership rolls. |
| May | The Convocation of Distinguished Fellows to occur at the APA Annual Meeting. FAPA/IFAPA honorees are recognized and receive a lapel pin. |
Process
1. Login
Click the "User Login" button and enter your username and password. Your username is the primary email address associated with your active APA account.
2. Create
Create your online application by clicking on the "Dashboard" and select the "Fellowship of the American Psychiatric Association (FAPA)" application on the drop down box.
3. Save
During the FAPA application cycle, your application can be saved as DRAFT until all the required information is completed. As each section is complete, you will see a 
appear in the category tab when the application is saved. At any time, you can download and print your application by clicking on the 
icon in the Application Summary section.
4. Submit
On completion, save your application as FINAL. Download and print a copy of your application for your records by clicking on the icon in the Application Summary section in the right column. Note: If an update is required prior to the Application closing, you can make the update and resave as FINAL.
If you require assistance or additional information, please contact your district branch or membership@psych.org.
Contact Us
or
American Psychiatric Association - Membership Department
800 Maine Avenue SW, Suite 900
Washington, DC 20024
Phone: (+1) 202-559-3900
Email:membership@psych.org