Junior Faculty Council

We are proud to announce the launch of the AAP’s Junior Faculty Council (formerly the Early Career Council)! The JFC is every practicing physiatrists’ resource for year-round personal and professional development opportunities. Junior Faculty/Early Career members are generally physiatrists that have graduations from a Resident or Fellow program within the past seven years. We work closely alongside our colleagues sharpening our skills and training. In addition, Early Career members provide an important membership voice to the AAP. This council is here for you as you continue your career networking and growth.

Your Career Development at Annual Meeting

The JFC works with leaders in the field to create workshops and sessions designed for your education and career development needs. Make sure you visit our hot-topic sessions catered to practicing PM&R professionals at AAP’s Annual Meeting in February. Some previous session titles include:

• The Power of Story; Narrative Medicine in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• Women in Academic Physiatry: Overcoming Imposter Syndrome
• Discussing Bad News: Skills and Strategies to Utilize in the Rehab Setting

Positions & Responsibilities

Currently, there are three chair and four representative positions held within the JFC that hold specific responsibilities:

Past Chair

• Ensure a smooth transition to new JFC members.
• Advise the Chair and JFC as needed

Chair

• Preside over all JFC meetings.
• Lead the development of the JFC action plan.
• Lead the planning for annual meeting session(s) and events.
• Serve as a liaison between the JFC and other AAP committees.
• Serve as a liaison to the AAP Office.

Vice Chair

• Stands in for the Chair in the event the Chair is not available.
• Support the Chair in the development of the JFC action plan.
• Assist with planning for annual meeting session(s) and events.
• Support JFC members’ project endeavors.

Academic Development Representative

• Work with the education committee to address specific content towards Junior Faculty.
• Develop informative podcasts targeted towards common Junior Faculty struggles.
• Assist with planning annual meeting session(s).

Membership Representative

• Conceptualize and develop initiatives to expand Junior Faculty membership in AAP including maintenance of current Junior Faculty members and recruitment of new Junior Faculty members.
• Engage with the Membership Committee to coordinate proposed JFC membership expansion initiatives.

Social Media & Digital Outreach Representative

• Maintain Junior Faculty social media channels and create content highlighting events, programs, and opportunities.
• Create and publish digital content curated through the JFC that may be of interest to Junior Faculty AAP members.
• Coordinate and create advertisements for Junior Faculty events.
• Coordinate with the AAP program committee in the development and planning of educational sessions tailored to Junior Faculty members.

Advocacy Representative

• Collaborate with and help inform and educate junior faculty AAP members on how to be effective advocates for items such as public policy, research, healthcare and other related issues as it relates to both professional/clinical care and the various patient populations and families we encounter in our practices.
• Collaborate with other committees and organizations to bring light to advocacy initiatives on regional, national, and international levels.
• Provide junior faculty with access to relevant advocacy resources for their practices/patient populations.
• Provide input to educational sessions at the AAP Annual Meeting as appropriate as well as feedback/input at committee meetings on issues related to advocacy.