MARK HYMAN RAPAPORT, M.D., DFAPA

·Chairman and Reunette W Harris Chair of the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Emory University School of Medicine

·Chief of Psychiatric Services for Emory Healthcare

·Founding Co-editor in Chief ofFocus: The Journal of Lifelong Learning in Psychiatry

·Founder and Co-chair of the NCDEU/ASCPNew Investigators Program

·Treasurer American Society of Clinical Pharmacology

For over 25 years my patients and their needs have been the touchstone that have guided my activities as a clinician, researcher, educator, and public advocate. I have learned more about courage, compassion, caring, as well as psychiatry from my patients and their families than any textbook or supervisor. They are the reason why I am running for President-elect of the APA. We are at a time of tremendous challenge but also opportunity andif we all work togetherwe can succeed in not only creating true health care parity for our patients but the integration of psychiatric care into the fabric of the evolving American Health Care System.

I became a member of the APA as a resident and the APA has been an important part of my professional identity. I have served as a District Branch (DB) councilor, chaired the CME committee for the DB, co-chaired the program committee for a California Psychiatric Association annual meeting, chaired the APA subcommittee on Self-Assessment, chaired the APA CME committee, served on the Council on Medical Education and Lifelong Learning, helped lead the development of all of the components of theFocus system of lifelong learningproducts for the APA and served as the APA representative to the AAMC. These activities allowed me to appreciate the strength and complexity of our diverse organization.

I am honored to be nominated to run for President-elect of the APA and, if elected, to continue our tradition of dynamic, inclusive leadership.My primary goal will be to engage our membership in creating a consensus about the longer-term strategic priorities for the APA and an action plan with measureable outcomes so that the work will continue beyond my presidency.This will require the leadership of our Caucuses, Assembly, Board of Trustees, and administrative staff working together to develop processes for permanently enhancing communication and alignment for the APA.

There are 4 steps we can take to transform a strong APA into a dynamic membership organization: (1) engage all members in creating the strategic plan for our future; (2) partner with psychiatric specialty organizations to ensure the APA understands their priorities and collaborates with them on the major issues facing our field; (3) coordinate advocacy initiatives with patient and family organizations like NAMI, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, and Depression and Bipolar Support Association; and (4) empower our members and district branches by asking for their active support through email, letters, and social media to influence state and federal agencies or healthcare agents (insurance companies, health systems).

My priorities for the APA will be:

·The implementation of parity for our patients and our profession

·Leadership in Health Care Reform and in developing integrated models of care

·Partnering with the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology to modify Maintenance of Certification standards to better meet the lifelong learning needs of psychiatrists

·Enhancing inclusiveness by embracing diversity of the APA and increasing opportunities for younger members

My agenda is challenging but I believe if we all work together, we will succeed. Please contact me to discuss your thoughts about psychiatry and the APA .

.