ABPP - what are the benefits?

[JeyRo]

I asked this before, but I don't think I was clear enough.

Aside from the step increase that VA employees receive from attaining ABPP status, what other concrete benefits can a professional psychologist attain? I'm already set on doing it at least for the step increase part (it means a modest pay increase for me, even taking into account one-time and annual fees), but I would honestly like to know what other benefits to my professional development board certification would afford me.

Thanks.

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[WisNeuro]

Better job prospects, all other things being equal, the person with ABPP is going to get the job over the one who doesn't. It seems to be the way npsych is going. Most job postings that I see want ABPP or ABPP eligible.

On top of that, there are non-concrete benefits to consider. ABPP offers a higher bar with which members of our field can be held to. Licensure is not exactly a trying process, ABPP is more so.

 

[neuronic]

Not sure if you are employed in a training program, but it will likely increase the quality of applicants (internship) if you, or others in your department are ABPP.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

All good points.

I have been told that unsolicited referrals are much more common once someone is boarded (at least for health, forensic, neuro, and rehab). I believe it is an important step for anyone who practices in a speciality area, and it is very important for the field to be boarded because that is the expectation our colleagues in medicine and also most medical and academic administrators. I have also seen it come up more during the insurance paneling process, though it hasn't yet been a requirement. In regard to quantitative numbers, the TCN/AACN Salary Survey shows a pretty big difference in avg. salary for people who are boarded, though I'm not sure how much of that is impacted by seniority. I believe they split out PP from other settings, though I know PP shows a nice bump in avg. earnings.

I am required to be boarded (by my medical school for any teaching and by my hospitals to keep my hospital privileges), but I would still go through the process even if it wasn't required. Thus far my experience with ABPP and their staff has been very positive. The staff has been very responsive and multiple board members have reached out to me to make sure I have what I need to proceed. It won't be a cake walk, but I don't think it is quite the hazing it has been known to be in the past. I know very little about ABN or other boards out there, so YMMV.

 

[PHD12]

All good points.

I have been told that unsolicited referrals are much more common once someone is boarded (at least for health, forensic, neuro, and rehab). I believe it is an important step for anyone who practices in a speciality area, and it is very important for the field to be boarded because that is the expectation our colleagues in medicine and also most medical and academic administrators. I have also seen it come up more during the insurance paneling process, though it hasn't yet been a requirement. In regard to quantitative numbers, the TCN/AACN Salary Survey shows a pretty big difference in avg. salary for people who are boarded, though I'm not sure how much of that is impacted by seniority. I believe they split out PP from other settings, though I know PP shows a nice bump in avg. earnings.

Good points. I know a few people though who are boarded under general clinical psychology and they informed me that they are not getting referrals/patients this way.

 

[edieb]

And the requirements for ABPP are a joke-- your PhD/PsyD program need not even be APA approved to sit the boardng process

 

[AcronymAllergy]

And the requirements for ABPP are a joke-- your PhD/PsyD program need not even be APA approved to sit the boardng process

At least for ABPP in clinical neuropsych, it sounds similar to the way things are for most state licensing boards--if your program was APA-accredited, you're essentially good to go. If it wasn't, then you need to provide information regarding what courses you took, what material those courses covered and how competence was assessed therein, etc.

I personally wouldn't object to ABPP requiring APA accred. at the grad school level, though. However, I don't think I'd want them expanding that to internship for the time being given the current imbalance.

 

[edieb]

At least for ABPP in clinical neuropsych, it sounds similar to the way things are for most state licensing boards--if your program was APA-accredited, you're essentially good to go. If it wasn't, then you need to provide information regarding what courses you took, what material those courses covered and how competence was assessed therein, etc.

I personally wouldn't object to ABPP requiring APA accred. at the grad school level, though. However, I don't think I'd want them expanding that to internship for the time being given the current imbalance.

I agree with you regarding the idea that internship should not have to be APA accredited/approved but, for the highest bar in professional psychology, not reauiring an APA approved program is very sad and, IMO, telling about what ABPP is really about.

Also, it irks me that because many believe that because MDs are boarded, we should be boarded, too. However,

1) We do not make even close to the amount an MD makes and boarding does almost nothing to rectify this inequity. Asking psychologists who make around $65K to give up more years of their lives and more of their money after already getting a terrible bang for the buck for all their years in school is insulting and a little bit insane.

2) IMO, in regards to education type, we are closer to DNPs than MDs and should be following their successful path which does not include boarding

3) Paying these very high yearly fees to ABPP ciphens off disposable income that psychologist may be spending for advocacy efforts for the profession

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

I agree with you regarding the idea that internship should not have to be APA accredited/approved but, for the highest bar in professional psychology, not reauiring an APA approved program is very sad and, IMO, telling about what ABPP is really about.

ABPP is often attributed as being too elitist and "boy's club"...now (assuming I understand what you are implying) they are too laxed with their requirements? I think both are pretty unfair attributions to make towards ABPP. They aren't perfect, but they are at least trying to set a standard that is more in line with what many consider to be actual "competence" in a given area. I am curious at what % they even accept a non-APA acred. person to site for boarding, as I suspect equivalency may not be the easiest hurdle in this scenario.

 

[Balmoral]

For NP, I would think being in a non-APA program/internship will make it extremely hard to match in the NP APPCN. Since (from my understanding) board certification via ABPP for neuro requires the 2 year APPCN post-doc route, this board certification is definitely not a cake-walk.

Unfortunately, although I do a significant amount of neuro assessment, my post-doc is not a 2 year APPCN position so getting ABPP CN seems out of my reach even if I'm trained by a ABPP CN supervisor. The good thing is my clinical work translates well to other branches (e.g., rehab).

 

[AcronymAllergy]

For NP, I would think being in a non-APA program/internship will make it extremely hard to match in the NP APPCN. Since (from my understanding) board certification via ABPP for neuro requires the 2 year APPCN post-doc route, this board certification is definitely not a cake-walk.

Unfortunately, although I do a significant amount of neuro assessment, my post-doc is not a 2 year APPCN position so getting ABPP CN seems out of my reach even if I'm trained by a ABPP CN supervisor. The good thing is my clinical work translates well to other branches (e.g., rehab).

I don't actually think ABPP CN requires an APPCN post-doc, although I could be wrong. I believe it's similar to what I said above regarding APA-accred. of your grad program in that if the post-doc isn't APPCN/a formal 2-year neuro post-doc, then the onus of proof falls to you to show that you've meet ABPP's training requirements. However, you're correct in that having graduated from a non-APA doctoral program will likely automatically remove you from contention for most/all APPCN fellowships.

I'm very curious about the comparison of our training to DNP rather than MD, though, in part probably because of my lack of familiarity with the DNP as a whole. We (psychologists) don't cover nearly the breadth of material that med students do, but I'd certainly say that the depth into which we go in our content areas is commensurate with MDs in their areas of specialty.

 

[WisNeuro]

"The length of the residency must be the equivalent of 2 full years of education and training in clinical neuropsychology and neuropsychology-related disciplines, completed on at-least a half-time basis."

For ABPP-CN

 

[IT514]

The neuro post-doc I'm going to is not APPCN and the last three folks who completed the program have passed the initial credential review without any problems, from what I've heard.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

The neuro post-doc I'm going to is not APPCN and the last three folks who completed the program have passed the initial credential review without any problems, from what I've heard.

Yeah, I would think that if people from your post-doc have previously passed credentialing, then that should (theoretically) make it a bit easier for future folks from the same fellowship.

 

[Member6523]

The neuro post-doc I'm going to is not APPCN and the last three folks who completed the program have passed the initial credential review without any problems, from what I've heard.

APPCN isn't the only way to get boarded though it does make for an easier process. I have a colleague who got boarded after a 2-year post doc in a private practice, but she was rigorous in documenting her hours. The fellowship I'm heading to is not part of the match but fellows have no difficulty meeting board requirements either. There's a few ways down this path - though I do agree that an APA accredited doctoral program and internship are all but a must to make it happen.

 

[Neuropsych2be]

My understanding is that getting a license in another state can be attained more easily and quickly when you cross jurisdictions when you have the ABPP. I also understand that if you are involved in forensic work, a sharp lawyer can make an issue of you not being boarded in a relevant specialty.

 

[PHD12]

Thanks for everyone's tips.

I have a related question. If you want to do health psychology/behavioral medicine work part-time in PP (pre-surgical screenings, worker's comp for pain etc), do folks recommend boarding as well? Do health psychologists get the ABPP certification or are there other less costly board certifications for health psychologists?

Thanks!

 

[Balmoral]

Thanks for clarifying and it is good to hear others have been able to obtain board certification. I guess what I heard was more rumor than fact if there are recent applicants who have been able to obtain ABPP certification. Maybe my hopes of CN through ABPP are still realistic.

For those who have done their post-doctoral training in non-APPCN sites, were your supervisors all ABPP CN certified?

Regarding benefits of ABPP, it does help when relocating to certain states. I will be moving this fall and I remember some states do not require as much documentation if ABPP certified.

 

[erg923]

Thanks for everyone's tips.

I have a related question. If you want to do health psychology/behavioral medicine work part-time in PP (pre-surgical screenings, worker's comp for pain etc), do folks recommend boarding as well? Do health psychologists get the ABPP certification or are there other less costly board certifications for health psychologists?

Thanks!

I do this now in a local PP (very part-time...when their "main guy" cant make it) minus the workers comp aspect, and I am not boarded and dont plan to be any time in the near future