ON THE STUDENT FRONT

By Carolina Bejarano, M.A.

Lately I have been impressed with the enthusiasm and passion students and trainees hold for the Society of Pediatric Psychology (SPP) and their career trajectories in pediatric psychology. Working with the Student Advisory Board, meeting new student members at the annual conference, and carrying out responsibilities in the Student Representative role are all experiences I continue to feel grateful for, as it means collaborating and interacting with talented, creative, and positive individuals. I frequently hear how much students appreciate the Society and how they genuinely strive to be more involved and continue to contribute to the mission of SPP.

            I will take a moment to highlight some upcoming opportunities that may be of interest for our student and trainee members:

• 2019 APA Convention: The American Psychological Association (APA) Convention is a unique experience with so much to offer students and trainees, including opportunities to connect within Division 54, as well as with fellow APA Divisions. SPP will have presentations, poster sessions, networking opportunities, and a joint student social event at the 2019 APA Annual Convention this year, August 8-11 in Chicago. Check out this Program for more information.

• JPP Student Journal Club: Trainees at the undergraduate, doctoral, and postdoctoral level are invited to apply to serve on the JPP Student Journal Club, which provides the opportunity to write a commentary on a JPP article, aiming to critically evaluate it and help enhance readers’ understanding. Applications are due August 1, 2019 to the Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Palermo. See this page for more information.

• Student Awards and Grants: SPP provides great opportunities for recognition of excellent student/trainee research, as well as funding opportunities to promote research productivity across training levels. Some of these have upcoming deadlines this Fall, such as the Student Research Award, Student Travel Award, APA Scholars Award, Routh Student Research Grant, Mary Jo Kupst Trainee Grant for Research in Resilience, and the Drotar-Crawford Postdoctoral Fellowship Research Grant. Check out our Awards and Grants page for more details.

      I continue to hear innovative and helpful ideas from students to contribute to the mission of SPP and the excellent student experience it provides. The Student Advisory Board has generated some exciting ideas for SPPAC 2020, which I look forward to sharing in the upcoming months. I welcome your feedback, questions, and suggestions any time – please email me.

      I hope this summer has been a great one for you – whether that means making progress on grant applications, taking on new clinical experiences, exploring new travel destinations, or focusing on self-care. If you happen to be in Chicago for APA in August, I hope to see you there!