The A.P.A.P.A. is dedicated to integrating the activities and efforts of doctoral psychologists and psychiatrists.  A.P.A.P.A recognizes that many current professional turf battles stem from fear of economic disempowerment, and not from concern over the welfare of our patients and clients.  However, for those concerned about personal or group economics, members of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association would be far better off if both “APAs” were to combine forces into a single organization (i.e. A.P.A.P.A.) with resultant larger financial resources to lobby congress and to protect compensation for mental health services.  HMOs and other insurance companies are delighted to see psychologists and psychiatrists fight turf battles, because when this happens, the HMOs win, and the patients, clients, and mental health professionals loose.  In short, if we are divided, we are conquered.

    A.P.A.P.A. is founded on the recognition that clinical psychologists (Ph.D.s & Psy.D.s) and clinical psychiatrists (D.O.s & M.D.s) are essentially interested in the same thing:  MENTAL HEALTH!  Regardless of the modality of treatment utilized, both professional groups hope for the same end result:  improved mental health.  Instead of fighting professional turf battles over such things as who gets to perform psychological testing or who gets to prescribe medication, A.P.A.P.A. advocates putting the time, money, and energy used to fight turf battles into advocating for mental health parity in legislation and in insurance policies.  As mental health professionals, society would benefit if we placed our professional identity in helping people, rather than placing our professional identity in being the only ones who use a particular treatment modality.

    A.P.A.P.A. does NOT advocate licensing untrained professionals to practice in ways in which they are not qualified.  However, A.P.A.P.A recognizes that there are MANY potential ways to gain expertise in a particular area.

    At this time, many institutions already offer combined M.D./Ph.D. degrees.  However, virtually all of these combined degree programs were created to train research scientists.  Consequently, these programs  are not very clinically oriented.  Thus, at this time, A.P.A.P.A. is advocating for the establishment of clinical doctoral programs that combine one doctoral physician degree (D.O. or M.D.) and one psychological doctoral degree (Ph.D. or Psy.D.).  Until professional turf battles are resolved, such degree programs seem the most immediately satisfactory way to gain credentials that would satisfy the concerns of all doctoral mental health professionals, regardless of which doctoral degree that they personally hold.  Moreover, since there is already a GREAT deal of overlap in psychiatric residency programs with doctoral psychology programs, combined clinical doctoral degree programs could decrease total training time by 1-3 years.  If you believe that your institution has the resources and motivation to establish such programs, please contact John Tennison, MD, at tennison@apapa.net.

    If you find yourself agreeing with the sentiments expressed on this web page, please considering joining the A.P.A.P.A.  Given that we are a newly formed organization, there are currently no dues.

    Email John T. Tennison, MD at tennison@apapa.net or call 210-884-0990 to join A.P.A.P.A or to request more information.  At this time, there are no dues required to join A.P.A.P.A.