Inaugural Psych Congress PA Institute to Deliver Skills, Strategy, and PA Community

The first annual Psych Congress PA Institute, the official psychiatry meeting of the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), convenes this week from December 11 to December 13, 2025, in Orlando, Florida. The only conference of its kind designed exclusively for PAs by PAs, PA Institute will provide cutting-edge education, hands-on skill, and a community space for passionate peers united in their goal to advance psychiatric care.

"PA Institute is going to be an amazing opportunity to have so many PAs gathered in one place for one purpose: to be better for our patients and for each other,” enthused PA Institute Co-Chair Erin Crown, MHS, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry.

The 3-day meeting features 24 presentations from 20 expert faculty, ranging in topics from tardive dyskinesia and mood disorders to establishing clinical autonomy and effective PA-psychiatrist collaboration.

“The Psych Congress PA Institute was created to give physician associates a long-overdue professional home in mental health care, no matter their specialty or title,” said meeting Co-Chair Michael Asbach, DMSc, PA-C. “Psychiatric PAs are one of the fastest-growing segments of our profession, and yet too many of us are still navigating fragmented training, inconsistent supervision models, and job listings that do not even recognize us.” 

One of the meeting’s unique offerings is “Ask the Experts: PA Career Growth & Leadership in Psychiatry,” an interactive closing session where attendees will be able to ask a panel of leading psychiatric PAs about career advancement, job opportunities, and leadership pathways.

“[This session] gives attendees a practical roadmap for advancing their professional impact, whether they are early-career or seasoned clinicians,” said PA Institute Co-Chair James Somers, PA-C, DHSc, DFAAPA. “We will explore real-world strategies for leadership, advocacy, and clinical excellence that PAs can apply immediately in their practice settings.

“My hope is that participants leave with a clearer sense of their professional trajectory and a renewed confidence in how PAs can shape the future of mental health care.”

Another notable item on the agenda is “When Physical and Psychiatric Symptoms Collide: A Clinical Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment.” The case-based session will utilize real-world examples to explore how primary care and psychiatric PAs can identify medical conditions that present with psychiatric conditions.

“Psychiatric symptoms don’t always mean psychiatric illness,” said session presenter Mercedes Dodge, MSPAS, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry, PA Institute Co-Chair. “We’ll dive into real-world clinical cases where medical conditions masquerade as mental health diagnoses—and vice versa. We’ll equip attendees with tools to slow down diagnostic momentum, reduce cognitive bias, and sharpen their clinical reasoning so patients get the care they truly need.”

Attendees can also expect a wide selection of sessions on practical psychopharmacologic education, a signature educational specialty of the Psych Congress family of professional events. One such session is “Complex Mood Disorders: Beyond the Basics of Depression and Bipolar Disorder,” which will feature deep-dive case reviews that provide insight into next-line treatment options, medication combinations, and emerging interventions for treatment-resistant depression and bipolar disorder.

“Every patient brings a unique story and, sometimes, standard approaches don’t quite fit the complexities we encounter in real-world practice,” said session moderator Kevin Williams, MS, MPAS, PA-C, PA Institute Co-Chair. “I am hopeful that we will all deepen our collective understanding but also discover innovative strategies that can make a true difference in our patients’ lives.”

For more information about and to register for the Psych Congress PA Institute, visit the meeting website.