Now IPS members have exclusive access to additional online information! If you would like to gain access to the IPS Members Only section, please contact Executive Director Karen Loihl at iowapsych@mchsi.com.

IPS Membership

Here are some commonly asked questions about membership in IPS:

· Qualifications for Becoming a Member
· Why Become a Member?
· Membership Categories and Dues
· How to Apply
· Upgrade from Member-in-Training to General Member Status
· Transferring Membership to and from IPS

The IPS is an organization composed of medical specialists who are qualified, or in the process of becoming qualified, as psychiatrists. The basic eligibility requirement is completion of acceptable training and hold a valid license to practice medicine or hold an academic, research, or governmental position that does not require licensure.

The IPS has a dual membership requirement, whereby, IPS members must also have a membership in the American Psychiatric Association.

WHY BECOME A MEMBER OF IPS?

The Iowa Psychiatric Society comprises over 210 psychiatrists from all areas of the state. Membership in IPS offers a variety of benefits for you, your patients and your practice.

• Advocacy on proposed legislation and regulations on confidentiality, mental health insurance parity, and other timely issues.
• Continuing medical education through annual IPS sponsored programs.
• Opportunity to collaborate with colleagues to address psychiatric issues.
• Quarterly issues of the award-winning newsletter "The Iowa Psychiatrist".
• Access to IPS staff to express opinions and seek assistance.
• Benefits of membership in APA, including The Psychiatrists' Program, medical malpractice insurance specifically designed for psychiatrists.

MEMBERSHIP CATEGORIES AND DUES

Joint Membership Requirement: Please note that there is a joint membership requirement with the American Psychiatric Association. All applications for membership and changes in membership status must be approved by both organizations. Each organization has its own dues structure and benefits. The dues listed below reflect the IPS annual dues. For information on the APA dues structure, call 1-888-35-PSYCH or check their website.

Medical Student Members is for physicians in training who are enrolled in a school of medicine or a school of osteopathic medicine. Membership dues are waived.

Members-in-Training is for physicians who have been accepted into and are active in an approved psychiatric residency training program. Membership dues are $20 per year.

General Members are physicians who have completed acceptable training and who have either a valid license to practice medicine in Iowa or hold an academic, research, or governmental position that does not require licensure. IPS membership dues are:

Fellows have been General Members at least five consecutive years, be Board Certified, have three letters of recommendations from current Fellows, Distinguished Fellows, Life Fellows or Distinguished Life Fellows. Members who have been active for five or more years are notified by APA, application is made to APA and are approved by APA Membership Committee and APA Board of Trustees.

Distinguished Fellows are nominated by the IPS Membership Committee. These members have been General Members for at least 8 years and shall have made a significant contribution to the field of psychiatry. The criteria and procedures for nomination of General Members for Fellowship follows the APA guidelines and are available by contacting the IPS office.

Life Members and Life Fellows are those in their respective categories whose years of active membership in the Society plus age at the start of the fiscal year shall equal ninety-five. Membership dues are waived.

Inactive Members and Inactive Fellows are members whom the IPS Membership Committee and Council along with the APA have, for sufficient reason, excused from paying dues and shall not receive credit toward the number of years of active membership required for Life status for those years of inactive status.

HOW TO APPLY

Call the IPS office at 515-633-0341 or send us an email at iowapsych@mchi.org and we will send you an application to join. Or, you can go to the APA website and download the application.

UPGRADE FROM MEMBER-IN-TRAINING TO GENERAL MEMBER STATUS

Once you have completed an acceptable program of training in psychiatry, you are eligible to upgrade your membership status to that of a General Member. Along with completing the upgrade application, you must provide the following:

• Two copies of your residency completion certificate
• Two copies of your current medical license
• Two copies of your ECFMG certificate (if you are a foreign medical graduate)

TRANSFERRING MEMBERSHIP TO AND FROM IPS

Each state or jurisdictional area is known as a district branch of the APA. When a member of a district branch (such as Iowa) moves his or her practice or residence from one district branch to another, it is necessary that the member transfer membership to the new district branch. Retired members are not required to transfer district branch membership if they move.

Call the IPS office at 515-633-0341 or send us an email at iowapsych@mchi.org and we will send you an application to transfer. Or, you can download the form from the APA website.