Welcome

2011 APA Annual Meeting

May 14 - 18, 2011

Dear Colleagues:

It is time to start planning now for the 164th Annual Meeting of the American Psychiatric Association which will take place from May 14-18, 2011 in Honolulu, Hawaii.  The last time that the APA met in Hawaii was more than 35 years ago.  I would like to encourage you to take advantage of this extraordinary location as an opportunity to learn about the newest advances and treatments in psychiatry while simultaneously enjoying the cultural experience of a truly global venue.

The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is a national medical specialty society whose 39,000 plus physician and student members – throughout North America and countries around the world – specialize in the diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, mental retardation, and substance use disorders. The oldest medical specialty society in the United States, APA’s roots extend back to October 1844. The APA is the voice and conscience of modern psychiatry. Mental illness affects the lives of people of all ages and backgrounds.

The APA Annual Meeting is one of the major American scientific gatherings, with some 19,000 attendees expected, most of whom are physicians from psychiatric and other mental health disciplines, including social workers and nurses. The meeting features hundreds of educational sessions and presentations on the latest research and, widely covered by the press, the meeting serves as a symbol of the Association’s commitment to improved patient care through professional education. In addition to the more than 400 scientific sessions, over 500 APA component and allied association meetings will be held during the APA meeting.

During the Annual Meeting, we will cover the following general topics:

• Diagnostic Statistics Manual 5 (DSM 5)
• Personality Disorders
• Latest in psychiatric research

My theme is "Transforming Mental Health Through Leadership, Discovery and Collaboration".  I hope you will join me in celebrating the advances in our field and the opportunity to interact with colleagues in a spectacular setting that is uniquely suited to integrating a rich educational experience with leisure activities that include the entire family.

I look forward to meeting you in the "Aloha" state.

Sincerely,

Carol A. Bernstein, M.D., APA 2011 President