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Membership

Become a Member Today! Join APSA! 

The individual member is offered perpetually increasing resources to empower their training as they travel the career path toward bridging research and medicine.

Benefits

Meetings

Annual Meeting

• Held in direct conjunction with the annual meetings of the ASCI and AAP, as well as the CSCR and MWAFMR. This provides APSA members with premier access to all events in these prestigious joint conferences.
• Mentorship breakfasts with established physician scientists
• Breakfasts with residency directors at some of the top institutions in the USA.
• Poster session in direct conjunction with the ASCI and AAP, as well as a separate poster session in conjunction with the CSCR and MWAFMR.
• Talks given by high-profile translational researchers invited by APSA, as well as access to all talks in the ASCI and AAP sections of the meeting, including some by the top physician scientists in the world.
• Panel discussions given by residents in top institutions, including some in the new fast-track research residency programs.
• Endless networking opportunities with world-renowned physician scientists, residency directors, NIH funding directors, residents, post-docs, not to mention hundreds of other students.
• Workshops on career development, sponsored by APSA as well as ASCI and AAP.
• Exposure to Deans, Department Chairs, and other high-profile members of the ASCI and AAP.
• Opportunities for APSA-sponsored and CSCR/MWAFMR-sponsored travel awards.
• Opportunities for publication of presentation abstracts for those presenting in the CSCR/MWAFMR poster session.

Regional Meetings

• Held in California, New York, and Texas.
• Inspiring talks and discussions with world-class physician scientists.
• Breakout sessions discussing the how-to logistics of your future career combining science and medicine, guided by those who have done it successfully.
• Networking dinner and social sessions with nearby students and top physician scientists from your geographic region.

Involvement

• The APSA provides a unified voice in advocating on behalf of physician-scientist trainees, on such issues as USMLE exams, funding, development of training curricula, and integrating more research into medicine.
• Ensures that physician scientist trainees are represented in such organizations as the ASCI, AAP, and the AMA.
• Provides travel and poster awards to aspiring physician scientists at the annual APSA meeting.
• Supports regional networks among your nearby institutions, to encourage enriching communication, program development, and local networking.
• Offers many opportunities for leadership at the local, regional, and national levels through involvement in institutional representation, standing committees, and executive council positions within the APSA.
• Voting opportunities at the annual APSA business meeting for Full Members who decide to get involved in APSA representation and leadership.
• Provides opportunities for political and lobbying involvement in policy issues related to physician scientist training.
• Offers many avenues of networking opportunities, from local, regional and national APSA meetings to sponsorship of online interactive networks.

Website privileges

• Secure access for members to the APSA website
• Website is a convenient source for information on many issues related to physician scientist training, including
  • Vast contacts for relevant funding and grants
  • Advice on training issues
  • Program layout comparisons
  • Resources for connecting with other trainees, residents, postdocs, and established practicing physician scientists.
• Access to the APSA newsletter "Phi Psi," written by trainees for fellow trainees, which includes
  • Updates on APSA's progression as the unified voice of American physician scientists trainees, and recent relevant issues/activities
  • Inside information on current APSA initiatives
  • Reviews, editorials, and discussion of various issues for physician scientist training
  • Information on upcoming meetings, as well as detailed recaps of recently held meetings at the regional and national levels.
  • Grant deadline reminders and relevant information
  • Physician scientist-related book reviews

Additional Benefits for Full Members

• Travel Grants & Poster Awards for the Annual APSA Meeting.
• Discounts on registration for both Regional and National APSA Meetings.
• Invitations to mentorship breakfasts*.
• Opportunities to get involved in APSA leadership, including positions as an Institutional Representative and even elected positions to the Executive Council.

*Any unclaimed invitations after the Full Member sign-up period will subsequently be offered to Associate Members

Dues Structure

Please find the membership level that best describes your current position. Dues are listed accordingly:

Full Member

MD/PhD or DO/PhD trainee, residents, fellows:

$20 annually, or $100 for the duration of the training program

MD or DO students, residents, fellows involved in qualified research training experiences*, based on Membership Committee approval:

$20 annually, or $60 for 5 years

Associate Member

MD or DO students, residents, fellows not yet engaged in research, premedical undergraduate students, individuals not yet enrolled in medical school, or anyone who does fit the requirements of Full Membership or Emeritus Membership:

$20 annually, $10 for premedical undergraduate students.

Emeritus Member

Those ≤5 years out of medical residency / fellowship training:

$50 annually

Those >5 years out of medical residency / fellowship training:

$100 annually, $1000 for lifetime membership status

Lifetime membership:

$1000 one-time payment

Full Member Requirements

The following pre-approved experiences/programs are currently deemed as acceptable research endeavors, allowing these MD or DO applicants to attain Full Membership status.

• Sarnoff Fellowship Program
• Research Training Fellowship from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute
• Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship Program
• Other research program subject to approval by the Membership Committee - please inquire to the Membership Committee,membership@physicianscientists.org

Medical students who do not have such fellowships can still be considered for Full Membership, by submitting ONE of the following for review by the Membership Committee:

• A letter from the research training advisor, giving a synopsis of the student's training and development during the period of research
• A letter from the applicant describing his or her own research interests, and interest in a career as a physician-scientist
• Documented evidence of research training. This may include abstracts from a scientific conference, publication citations, or other references demonstrating research findings in a public forum. The applicant's name must be among the authors of any reference for acceptable criteria.

To complete the application, submit the following two items:

• Please fill out the Full Membership application online with the corresponding dues payment
• Email documented proof of approved fellowship award, OR one of the three alternate credentials above to membership@physicianscientists.org