Mission Statement

The VA is the largest training provider for psychology trainees with many new psychologists beginning their post-doctoral careers in the VA system. It can be a challenge to network, navigate, and connect with various opportunities and resources with the VA community, particularly while one is trying to be a successful and effective staff member to their local team.  The mission of the Early Career Psychologist (ECP) Special Interest Group (SIG) is to support ECPs currently in the VA system, and promote ECP contributions to AVAPL and the VA psychology community as a whole. The ECP SIG envisions this group to be a source for learning, networking, developing leadership skills, and fostering professional growth in psychology and in VA. The SIG hopes to support ECPs as they bridge the gap between training and working as professional psychologists. The SIG also envisions a role in promoting the contributions and perspectives of ECPs to AVAPL and VA. As a group, ECPs have a unique viewpoint on the profession of psychology and wish to have a voice in shaping the future of VA psychology.

AVAPL ECP SIG's Goals

1. Be a resource for ECPs navigating the VA and all it has to offer both locally and nationally.
2. Facilitate a quarterly meeting that will promote networking, growth and refinement of the SIG, and participation in various opportunities (e.g., AVAPL Conference, ECP Mentoring).
3. Provide educational opportunities through in-person and electronic means to address professional topics including clinical and leadership skills.
4. Promote Networking and leadership development will be promoted via an annual mentorship program between ECPs and more senior VA psychologists.
5. Educate ECPs on relevant local and national VA related topics, as well as enhance networking via a SIG listserv
6. Be an active voice on issues relevant to ECPs to AVAPL Executive Leadership.
7. Maintain relationships with other AVAPL SIGs to support the mission of each SIG and to be an active voice on issues relevant to ECPs.

AVAPL ECP SIG's High Priority Action Items

1. Offer quarterly webinars and/or general meeting for SIG members, organized to provide information, allow discussion, and provide personal sharing and modeling from one another.
2. Promote networking at the annual AVAPL Conference in May via both formally organized and less formal activities.
3. Creation of a centralized resource platform, to offer information of interest to VA ECPs.
4. Identify relevant VA psychology leaders who would be willing to provide education and mentorship via webinar, video conference, or written means to ECP SIG members.
5. Reach current VA trainees to offer information about benefits and considerations for pursuing careers in the VA.

Am I considered an ECP? 

We define ECPs as those psychologists who are within 10 years of earning their doctoral degree in psychology OR those who are within 5 years of employment as a psychologist in VA, whichever is longer.

If you are interested in learning more, please email:  lzambranovazquez@gmail.com or apishori@gmail.com