Board Certified?

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BellaPsyD

BellaPsyD

Correctional Psychologist
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I'm interested in board certifying in forensics (although clinical is a close second, I have to decide which will benefit me more professionally with my specific plans) and was wondering if anyone else has or is currently going through it? For any of the subfields. Mind sharing stories, tips, timelines?

*Personal disclosure: working on finishing up CA licensing now. Future plans: obtaining ability to prescribe (not sure through which avenue yet) and then boarding. I'm at the point where I am weighing timelines, etc in my head and trying to figure out which order to do things! I intend to stay correctional based (adults and adol), prefer gov based (SSI screens on the side as my superiors do) and enjoy a coastal life ! 😀 someday....... (only can be accomplished with NHSC loan repayment and then public service forgiveness! haha) :laugh:

I realize there is much talk about Rx on this board, but not much about boarding in specialties- I was really hoping for some first hand insight into this mysterious procedure!
 
I'm also interested in insider info into this process- esp in health or rehab psych. 🙂
 
hopefully someone chimes in!!
 
Would someone please tell me what is the process for getting board certified? I'd like to know the prerequisites.
 
UhOh said:
Would someone please tell me what is the process for getting board certified? I'd like to know the prerequisites.
Click to expand...

I believe it can vary based on the specialty, though they typically seem to include some combination of pre-requisite coursework and training, written exam, work sample review, and oral exam.

Was there a particular area about which you were curious?
 
Thanks for your reply, AcronymAllergy. I'm really unfamiliar with board certification, so I'm just interested in it generally for now. I don't even know what areas one can get board certified in. So how 'bout start with that. Is there a site somewhere that lists all the areas people can get board certified in, or is it just, basically, you can get board certified in whatever that's not totally obscure? Also, I was told it's possible to get nationally licensed in, I think, either Child or Neuropsych. Does board certification have anything to do with that? Like, maybe board certification is a prerequisite to national licensure? National licensure is something else I'm interested in and have little knowledge about.

AcronymAllergy said:
I believe it can vary based on the specialty, though they typically seem to include some combination of pre-requisite coursework and training, written exam, work sample review, and oral exam.

Was there a particular area about which you were curious?
Click to expand...
 
UhOh said:
Thanks for your reply, AcronymAllergy. I'm really unfamiliar with board certification, so I'm just interested in it generally for now. I don't even know what areas one can get board certified in. So how 'bout start with that. Is there a site somewhere that lists all the areas people can get board certified in, or is it just, basically, you can get board certified in whatever that's not totally obscure? Also, I was told it's possible to get nationally licensed in, I think, either Child or Neuropsych. Does board certification have anything to do with that? Like, maybe board certification is a prerequisite to national licensure? National licensure is something else I'm interested in and have little knowledge about.
Click to expand...

No worries; I'm still a student myself, so I'm by no means a pro at this boarding stuff, I've just looked into it a bit in preparation for my own goals. There is definitely boarding in neuropsych, with the two major credentialing organizations being ABCN (American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology; affiliated with ABPP) and ABPN (American Board of Professional Neuropsychology); if you're into peds, there's also the American Board of Pediatric Neuropsychology (ABPdN).

As for national licensure, I personally have never heard of such a thing and am not sure that it exists. The boarding via ABCN/ABPN is national, though (i.e., doesn't differ from state-to-state).
 
Licensure is handled at the state level, though being boarded helps ease the process of applying for licensure in a new state. If you get boarded, they essentially vouch for you, and you typically just need to file the basic paperwork and pay the licensure fee. There are also organization that "bank" your credentials, essentially they keep everything in one place and are able to send it to wherever you need it.

I'm a big supporter of boarding (just search on here and you'll find my diatribes 😀 ), and I'm quite familiar with the ABPP process if people need help. I am not yet ABPP boarded, though I'll be starting the process soon. I am most familiar with initial credentialing and then the specific steps needed for neuro and rehab boarding.

If you are interested in ABPP boarding, they have an early entry option that is meant to help you with the process. You can sign up for $25 (instead of $125), and get a jump start on filing your paperwork for credentialing. The paperwork is admittedly a PITA, so that is why I recommend it. They need transcripts, proof of completion of internship, proof of completing your post-doc hours, licensure information, etc.

I am mo
 
Therapist4Chnge said:
If you are interested in ABPP boarding, they have an early entry option that is meant to help you with the process. You can sign up for $25 (instead of $125), and get a jump start on filing your paperwork for credentialing. The paperwork is admittedly a PITA, so that is why I recommend it. They need transcripts, proof of completion of internship, proof of completing your post-doc hours, licensure information, etc.
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This is really excellent info here...I had no idea that this exists. Any other tidbits for those of us pursuing ABPP/ABCN? (I already have the AACN workshop book)
 
hgravez said:
This is really excellent info here...I had no idea that this exists. Any other tidbits for those of us pursuing ABPP/ABCN? (I already have the AACN workshop book)
Click to expand...

I've talked to a number of recently ABCN boarded people and also some reviewers/evaluators, and everyone agreed that it is best to sit for the written exam at the completion of your fellowship or shortly thereafter. A handful of fellowships require their fellows to sit for the written exam, which I think is a great idea. The reasoning being that the breadth of your training will be freshest at the conclusion of your fellowship*, and it will be before you fall into a niche and forget many of the fun things that the written exam likes to ask about.

*The same thinking applies for ABPP-rp (rehabilitation psychology), though there is not a required written exam. The tricky thing with rehab is that you won't be elligible until at least 1 year after your fellowship (assuming it is a 2yr fellowship program).
 
Therapist4Chnge said:
*The same thinking applies for ABPP-rp (rehabilitation psychology), though there is not a required written exam. The tricky thing with rehab is that you won't be elligible until at least 1 year after your fellowship (assuming it is a 2yr fellowship program).
Click to expand...

I'd heard that, too. I wonder why the years of practice are longer for rehab than other specialties???

Also, if one does the early entry option, are they still bound by the 1-yr. deadline to complete the process?

Thanks for this info, btw. 🙂
 
Does anyone know if there is a list of states somewhere that accept ABPP and waive their experience requirements? I know you can get a list for AR and CPQ, and I was wondering if ABPP is any better than either of those options in terms of mobility.
 
Just be aware that "board certification" in anything that isn't medicine doesn't carry the same recognition or weight as it does in the medical field, because there is no single organization responsible for the certifiying of those handing out the "board" credentials.

I did some research into this issue 2 years ago and, quite frankly, was surprised at what I found. Basically anyone can setup shop and offer "board certification" in a psychology specialty or topic area:

http://psychcentral.com/blog/archiv...ational-college-of-prescribing-psychologists/

Best,
John
 
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