Member Services

Membership categories and dues

It is important to note that there is a joint membership requirement with the Pennsylvania Psychiatric Society and the American Psychiatric Association. All applications for membership and changes in membership status must be approved by both organizations. Each organization has its own dues structure and benefits.

Member-In-Training: Physicians who have been accepted into a psychiatric residency training program that is approved by the Residency Review Committee for Psychiatry of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the American Osteopathic Association and remain enrolled therein. This status shall not exceed six years, and upon completion of their residency training, they shall be advanced to General Members. A one-year waiver of PaPS dues is granted to Member-In-Training who are enrolled as a PaPS member prior to the start of their final year of residency training, in accordance with the policy of the national (APA) dues.

General Members: Physicians who have completed an acceptable psychiatric training program and who have either a valid license to practice medicine or hold an academic, research, or governmental position that does not require licensure.

Fellows: Physicians who have been a General Member for at least five consecutive years and have been nominated and elected to Fellowship by the procedures and criteria indicated in the APA’s Fellowship Guidelines.

Distinguished Fellows: Members who have held General Member status for at least eight years and who have made a significant contribution to the field of psychiatry. Distinguished Fellows must have either a valid license to practice medicine or hold an academic, research, or governmental position that does not require licensure. Distinguished Fellows are eligible members who have been nominated and elected to Distinguished Fellowship by the procedures and criteria indicated in the Fellowship Guidelines. Distinguished Fellowship is a conferred status, and no one, except APA Corresponding and Honorary Fellows, may join the PaPS and the APA Distinguished Fellow.

Life Members and Life Fellows: Those individuals in their respective categories whose years of active membership plus their age at the start of the fiscal year equal 95.

Inactive Members and Inactive Fellows: Inactive members of any category shall be those who PaPS Membership Committee and Council along with the APA have, for sufficient reason, excused from paying dues and shall not receive credit toward the number of years of active membership required for Life status for those years of Inactive status. Inactive Members and Fellows do not receive communications and publications, except by subscription.

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