ABSTRACT
This chapter aims to help readers to think more about the big picture of their professional development as a health psychologist, including ways to increase their engagement in the health psychology community and to stay on track along the path to their doctoral degree. The major professional organizations in health psychology provide a home for student members to share their unique concerns, to network and present their work at annual research conferences, and to participate in the development of policies and activities to facilitate students’ professional development. There are many smaller, focused professional organizations devoted specifically to research, practice, advocacy, education, and networking in a particular aspect of health psychology, behavioural medicine, or related interdisciplinary fields. Many health psychology graduate students start out presenting their work at smaller meetings either at their university or within their local region and work their way up to larger conferences.
