Third-year resident Christian Pollema, MD, has won a prestigious award from the American Psychiatric Association (APA).
Dr. Pollema will take part in an APA Public Psychiatry Fellowship. Daniel Gih, MD, Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Psychiatry, said Dr. Pollema is one of approximately 20 residents invited to the fellowship. There are more than 8,000 psychiatry residents in the United States.
According to Psychiatry.org, the Public Psychiatry Fellowship program provides support for a group of outstanding residents interested in the field of public and community psychiatry. This program provides residents with opportunities to participate in significant APA activities, plan workshops at APA meetings, and engage with thought leaders in the field of public psychiatry. The purpose of the Public Psychiatry fellowship program is to provide experiences that will contribute to the professional development of residents who will play leadership roles within the public sector in future years and to heighten awareness of the psychiatric residents of the many activities of psychiatry in the public sector and of the career opportunities in this area.
The Public Psychiatry Fellowship is funded by the APA Foundation.
The fellowship lasts two years. As a fellow, Dr. Pollema will attend the 2026 APA Conference in San Francisco at no cost and will be invited to participate in several leadership opportunities.
“It brings residents from all over the country together to discuss psychiatry,” said Dr. Pollema. “It will include a lot of important program development and networking opportunities.”
Dr. Pollema attended the 2024 APA Conference and enjoyed the discussions and panels that took place. After hearing about fellowship opportunities, he decided to apply.
“When I looked closely at the Public Psychiatry Fellowship, I felt like it would be right for me,” he said. “So I applied, and thankfully, I was accepted.”
Dr. Gih said that Dr. Pollema will also attend the 2027 APA Conference at no cost, and Dr. Pollema is the first UNMC psychiatry resident to be accepted into an APA Fellowship.