New Groups for Sports Psychiatrists and International Medical Graduates

‘Their knowledge base will be of value to all ACLP members’

ACLP’s Board has approved the formation of a new special interest group (SIG) and a new caucus.

The Sports Psychiatry SIG seeks to promote awareness, discussion, and collaboration amongst psychiatrists dedicated to advancing the care of athletes at all levels.

“The group recognizes the momentum surrounding mental health care of athletes and hopes to contribute to the recognition and evolution of the specialized care necessary to serve their needs,” says co-chair Joshua Norman, DO, a sports psychiatrist at Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center, Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute.

Many sports psychiatrists are trained in C-L Psychiatry and even more practice using liaison referral models similar to approaches often utilized by C-L psychiatrists, he says.

“This SIG will help further establish and foster the connection between C-L Psychiatry and sports psychiatry, serving as a subspecialty anchor and forum for collaboration and engagement amongst its members,” says co-chair Jimmy Moley, MD, a PGY4 Psychiatry resident at The Ohio State Jameson Crane Sports Medicine Institute.

The SIG aims to:

• Translate emerging trends from the fields of sports and wellness to promote the health and rehabilitation of individuals with chronic medical illness.
• Foster discussion, integrated care, and interprofessional collaboration on topics and projects related to sports psychiatry.
• Raise awareness of mental health problems and advocate for the specialized treatment of athletes and active individuals at all levels.
• Provide opportunities for members to network and increase program recognition/national reputation.

The International Medical Graduates Caucus, chaired by Paula Zimbrean, MD, FACLP, aims to support international medical graduates in the US with an interest in C-L Psychiatry. It will channel the broad knowledge base of International Medical Graduates (IMGs) towards advancing C-L Psychiatry and ACLP activities.

The caucus will:

• Begin with setting up quarterly Zoom meetings and a needs survey of the caucus members.
• Organize mentorship to address specific needs of IMG trainees interested in C-L Psychiatry in collaboration with ACLP’s Mentorship Subcommittee.
• Explore the role of IMGs in C-L Psychiatry in a deliverable format (likely to be a white paper).

“We hope to enhance recruitment of IMGs to C-L Psychiatry fellowships and the C-L Psychiatry field,” says Dr. Zimbrean. “Currently, IMGs are underrepresented among C-L psychiatrists (only 13% of fellowship applicants, while IMGs are about 33% of Psychiatry residency applicants and Psychiatry residents). Many IMGs find C-L Psychiatry challenging due to high standards for academic excellence and tend to choose more ‘clinical’ subspecialties.

“On the other hand, IMGs have experience and knowledge of different systems of care which may enhance the knowledge of ACLP members, in particular around cross-cultural aspects of practice. Our hope, by having a dedicated caucus, is that IMGs will be encouraged to turn their knowledge base into educational and academic activities of value to all ACLP members.”

You can join any of the SIGs and caucuses here.

 

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