About the EPA
The European Psychiatric Association (EPA) was founded in 1983. With active individual members in as many as 88 countries and 43 National Psychiatric Association Members who represent over 80,000 European psychiatrists, the EPA is the main association representing psychiatry in Europe. The EPA deals with psychiatry and its related disciplines and it focuses on the improvement of care for the mentally ill as well as on the development of professional excellence, through activities addressing the interests of psychiatrists in academia, research and practice throughout all stages of career development.
The EPA’s support to the Early Career Psychiatrists
To face the challenges of a rapidly changing disciplines, the EPA aims to give young professionals a voice in the development of training, research and practice standards, helping them shape their professional identity and move forward in their career with confidence. As the main association representing psychiatry in Europe, the EPA strives to offer stimulating and inspiring opportunities for young psychiatrists through educational and training activities across Europe, as well as during the annual European Congress of Psychiatry.
How to get involved?
The EPA has been developing a variety of activities such as a scientific track and networking opportunities during the EPA annual congress specifically for Early Career Psychiatrists (ECPs). During the 27th European Congress of Psychiatry in Warsaw, Poland (6-9 April 2019) the programme will once again focus on popular topics for young psychiatrists, as well as fun activities such as the Networking Evening and the live trivia game show. Be sure to check our website for upcoming information on the programme here.
In addition to our dedicated congress programme, several other EPA activities are of high interest for ECPs, such as the upcoming EPA Online Course: an “Introduction to Motivational Interviewing”. Following the success of the first EPA online course in 2018, “Introduction to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy”, the EPA is happy to once again provide ECPs with a way to expand their knowledge on clinical techniques. More information on this exciting course, composed of mini-lecture videos, demonstrative role-plays and interviews with international experts in the field, is available at https://www.europsy.net/e-learning/. Every year, the EPA also organises an annual Summer School, a programme tailored for 25 selected young psychiatrists from all over Europe, who come together for a three-day intensive programme led a renowned faculty. This year, the topic will be the “ABCs of Psychotherapy”, and the event will be held in Strasbourg, France, on 12-15 September 2019.
In addition, the 6th edition of the successful Gaining Experience Programme will be launched in the summer of 2019. The programme offers short observership placements in various psychiatric institutions across Europe to selected ECPs and is a unique opportunity to become familiar with different mental health systems in Europe and expand your professional network.
Be sure to keep in touch with the EPA for more information about our educational and career development activities!
The EPA Early Career Psychiatrists Committee
These events are planned with the full involvement of the EPA ECP Committee, which aims to give ECPs a voice in the evolution of clinical training, research and practice standards to enable them to take influence on their own career. The Committee itself consists of five members and more than thirty ECPs are actively involved in its four Task Forces focused on Research, Publications, Meetings & Associations, and Professional Development.