2007 APA IPS convention: just came back

[whopper]

I attended the IPS in New Orleans. Anyone from here attend it? I should've posted about it before I left to see if I could meet anyone from the board in person.

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[MacGFlow]

i attended. it was my first as a medical student, and i loved it. i've heard it's a lot more managable than the general apa meeting in the spring. they planned a lot of stuff for us students, including tours of the devestated areas and some mental health clinics around those areas. and, obviously, new orleans has amazing food. i'd definitely like to go to next year's in chicago.

 

[whopper]

Only met 2 medical students. Don't know if you were one of them. Anyways, I was thinking maybe I'd catch Anasazi since we're both chiefs and IPS was hosting a national chiefs convention, but no luck.

 

[texasvalerie]

I attended the IPS in NOLA. It was a lot more personal than the National meeting at San diego. Also, it was great seeing how new orleans was full of so much energy. I made reservation at restaurant august and chef john besh personally called me to confirm my reservations (he's one of the candidates for the next iron chef). The food there was amazing and indefinitely the best restaurant i've dined at.

I was surprised at how many contacts I met by attending this meeting. I went to the "Meet the experts lunch" and to the left of my was the APA president Dr. Robinowitz where we all had a delightful discussion of how she attained this great position of leadership of president of the APA. The next day, I attended the "preparing for residency" lecture to discover that the lecturers was not only the program director at NYU but the newly elected VP of the APA. I got to the lecture early and had a private conversation with Dr. Bernstein for 10 minutes until the rest of the med students arrived. She gave me wonderful and insightful tips on applying for residency especially as an IMG in an informal and more personal setting. I also got to attend many meetings and met many chief residents from many psychiatry programs. Attending IPS gave me a lot of helpful information and insight for me to apply to my upcoming IV's at UMDNJ camden and SUNY Stony brook that are coming up. I highly suggest attending IPS.

 

[PeeWee137]

so is the big APA not worth going to as a student? i've never been, but plan on attending in may. im trying to get a research poster into the session.
do they schedule many things for students? i know its far away but any tips for navigating it?

 

[Anasazi23]

Only met 2 medical students. Don't know if you were one of them. Anyways, I was thinking maybe I'd catch Anasazi since we're both chiefs and IPS was hosting a national chiefs convention, but no luck.

I would have liked to have gone...but alas, my presence is needed here. I did go to that other chief conference this year in CT though. Anyone else do that? Quite an experience to say the least.

 

[whopper]

so is the big APA not worth going to as a student?

I haven't been to the big APA, but from what I've heard from people who've attended both--both are good but here's the difference.

1-The big APA is very big, & has everything. This gives several options but may be a bit too big for some people to find their way around & to choose what to go to.

2-the IPS is smaller and because of that, its easier to meet the "big" people, and the smaller groups makes things more intimate. Its also easier to pick out the highlights & attend them.

 

[manwhoisthursdy]

so is the big APA not worth going to as a student? i've never been, but plan on attending in may. im trying to get a research poster into the session.
do they schedule many things for students? i know its far away but any tips for navigating it?

I say go ... I've gone to two APA annual meetings as a student (and one IPS, but with barely any time to do anything other than the specific meeting I came to attend).

Anyway, I thought it was a blast. It's huge, you cannot come anywhere near to seeing everything, but my recommendations would be: see if anyone from your own school is presenting something, and visit them. Check out famous celebrity speakers. There's a med student "track" also at the annual meeting.
PsychSIGN, founded a couple years ago, is an umbrella organization of psych interest groups at each med school -- they meet concurrently with the APA, so certainly check them out.

I'd also recommend attending more small group, case conference type events. There are quiz competitions to promote materials for board preparation, which are fun. Also important: enjoy visiting another city .

My $0.02.

 

[Anasazi23]

Don't forget to visit psychiatric Mordor. You'll never want for a pen, engraved laser pointer or business card holder.

 

[PeeWee137]

Also important: enjoy visiting another city .

i guess you havent heard that its in washington dc this year? (kidding!)

thanks for the tips. one can never have too many engraved pens!

 

[whopper]

Its also tax deductible (I think everything is--the food, the transportation, hotel room, registration fees).