Every session is crafted for practical, cross-specialty application to provide patients with the mental health care they need and deserve.

Mental health care is part of every PA’s practice, whether you work in primary care, emergency medicine, neurology, or full-time psychiatry. Yet many physician associates find themselves navigating psychiatric presentations with limited formal training or access to specialty-focused CME.

That is why the inaugural Psych Congress PA Institute, the official psychiatry meeting of the American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), was created. This first-of-its-kind event takes place December 11–13, 2025, in Orlando, Florida, with a livestream option for virtual attendees.

It is designed by PAs, for PAs, to deliver the evidence-based mental health education you’ve been searching for, whether you’re just starting to see psychiatric cases, managing complex conditions every day, or thinking about going into psychiatry.

A Psychiatry-Focused CME Agenda Designed for Real-World PA Practice

The Psych Congress PA Institute agenda is built around the daily realities PAs face in clinical settings. Every session is designed to help you make faster, more accurate psychiatric assessments, prescribe with confidence, and collaborate more effectively across care teams. By attending, your experience will provide you with:

• A focused, high-impact curriculum

  • 24 expert-led sessions — on anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma, lifestyle psychiatry, psychopharmacology, complex comorbidities, and more.
  • Real-world case studies and interactive discussions that challenge clinical assumptions.
  • Immediate takeaways that support accurate diagnosis and safe treatment planning.

• Expert faculty and peer-led education

  • 20 presenters, including nationally recognized psychiatric PAs and educators who understand your scope of practice.
  • Meaningful opportunities for mentorship, Q&A, and peer-to-peer networking.
  • Inclusive, PA-led learning that meets you where you are and supports the next step in your unique path.

• A format that supports work-life balance

  • Attend in person in Orlando (Disney World!) or join us via livestream from wherever you practice.
  • Take advantage of exclusive travel perks including discounted Disney hotel rates and theme park tickets.

Featured Session: When Physical and Psychiatric Symptoms Collide

One of the sessions I am most excited to lead is “When Physical and Psychiatric Symptoms Collide,” from 3:50–4:50 PM Friday, December 12.

This session dives into the gray areas where psychiatric and physical symptoms overlap and explores how misdiagnosis often occurs in these cases.

You’ll walk away with:

• A sharper ability to differentiate psychiatric from medical presentations.
• Tools to recognize and avoid common diagnostic pitfalls.
• A better understanding of how fragmented care contributes to poor outcomes.

Who Should Attend?

If you are a PA who encounters mental health concerns in your daily practice (and chances are you do), this meeting is for you. You do not need to be in a psychiatry specialty to benefit. Every session is crafted for practical, cross-specialty application to provide patients with the mental health care they need and deserve.

You’ll gain:

• Confidence in mental health assessment, treatment, and medication management.
• Tools to improve communication and clinical outcomes.
• A new professional community of psych-minded PAs who understand your challenges and your goals.

Ready to Join Us?

Registration is now open for the Psych Congress PA Institute, happening December 11–13, 2025, in Orlando, Florida, or via livestream. Use code DODGE to receive $100 off your registration.
 

Mercedes Dodge, MPAS, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry, is a nationally recognized psychiatric physician associate, educator, and conference speaker. She serves as Co-Chair of the Psych Congress PA Institute and practices in Alaska, California, Texas and Florida.