Early Pipeline Workforce Development Mentorship and Networking Program

Background

There is a national shortage of child and adolescent psychiatrists including individuals from ethnic racial minority groups to serve our diverse communities. Funded by the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry’s (AACAP’s) Campaign for America’s Kids (CFAK) Fund, the AACAP Early Pipeline Workforce Development Mentorship and Networking Program is designed to introduce minority and underrepresented undergraduate students to child and adolescent psychiatry as a career. Undergraduate students at the junior and senior level will be selected to participate in mentorship and academic programming, gaining valuable knowledge that will foster their interest in the specialty, and building connections through mentors within the AACAP community. Recipients selected for the 2026 program will participate in the 2026 AACAP Annual Meeting from October 26 - 31, 2026.

Program Benefits

Program participants will:

Utilize this experience to reflect demonstrated interest in becoming a physician.
Establish mentoring relationships with mentors; including medical students, residents, and child and adolescent psychiatrists
Learn about the many beneficial facets and career options within the field of child and adolescent psychiatry.
Participate in mentorship networking activities.
Attend clinical and scientific sessions addressing the mental health of children and adolescents.

Program Requirements

Participants are required to:

Participate in the 2026 AACAP Annual Meeting and complete the following requirements:
- Attend a 1.5-hour diversity and culture virtual mentorship program sponsored by the AACAP Caucus (which includes the Asian, Black, International Medical Graduate and Latinx components).
- Attend the AACAP Diversity and Culture Roundtable.
- Attend a session addressing a mental condition such as autism, bipolar, ADHD, or trauma, determined in collaboration with a mentor; may include an honors presentation, an academic or clinically focused program.
Attend one-on-one mentoring session(s) with assigned mentors (of differing career levels)
Recipients must complete an evaluation on their experience following the Annual Meeting events

How to Apply

Eligibility Criteria

Undergraduate students who will be in their third or fourth year at an institution in the Atlanta metropolitan area during the 2026 Fall Annual Meeting period.
Must be currently enrolled as a second- or third-year student in their community college or four-year institution.
This program supports encouraging undergraduates who are from backgrounds that are underrepresented in the physician workforce; applications from students at Minority Serving Institutions (MSIs) are strongly encouraged.

Application Materials must include:

Completed background information
Resume
Personal statement
Letter of support from the program leadership or a faculty member endorsing participation in the program

IMPORTANT: Individuals selected for the program must provide a letter of good standing from their college/university program verifying current enrollment, level of study, GPA and tentative graduation date.

Eligible candidates interested in applying for the program, must complete and submit the application form, along with the supporting materials i.e. resume, personal statement and letter of endorsement to research@aacap.org.