American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) sets the standards for training and certifying psychiatrists and neurologists in the United States, with the self-stated aim of promoting excellence in practice through its certification process.The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. [http://www.abpn.com/mission.htm About ABPN - Mission Statement.] Retrieved on January 11, 2007.] The ABPN is one of 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS).The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. [http://www.abpn.com/history.htm About ABPN - Our History.] Retrieved on January 11, 2007.] [American Board of Medical Specialties. [http://www.abms.org/About_ABMS/member_boards.aspx About ABMS Member Boards.] Retrieved on January 11, 2007.]

Psychiatrists and neurologists who have passed the requisite training may take examinations to become board-certified by ABPN. As of 1994, physicians attaining ABPN Board certification are issued ten-year, time-limited certificates. [The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc.

[http://www.abpn.com/general_FAQs.htm ABPN General FAQs.] Retrieved on January 11, 2007.]

History

The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1934 by a committee of individuals drawn from the American Psychiatric Association, the American Neurological Association, and the American Medical Association. A notable founder was Walter Freeman, known as an enthusiastic advocate and practitioner of the lobotomy, [Lerner BH. [http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/short/353/2/119 Last-ditch medical therapy - revisiting lobotomy.] "N Engl J Med." 2005 Jul 14;353(2):119-21. PMID 16014881] who was also president from 1946 to 1948.

Organization

The 2007 President of the ABPN Board of Directors is Michael V. Johnston, MD of Baltimore, Maryland. The Board of Directors is independently incorporated and has sixteen voting members; nominees are proposed by the American College of Psychiatrists, American Psychiatric Association, American Medical Association, American Neurological Association and the American Academy of Neurology, and selected by the Board. The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. [http://www.abpn.com/directors.htm About ABPN - Board of Directors.] Retrieved on January 11, 2007.]

ABPN reports that it certifies around 1000 psychiatrists and 500 neurologists per year. [The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. [http://www.abpn.com/cert_statistics.htm Certification Statistics.] Retrieved on January 11, 2007.]

Examination process

The ABPN examination includes a Part 1 computer-administered written test and a Part II oral examination involving an actual patient interview as well as clinical vignettes (video clips of former patients), followed by focused questioning from examiners and evaluation by numerical score. [The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. [http://www.abpn.com/exam_schedules.htm Publications - Examination Schedules.] Retrieved on January 11, 2007.]

ee also

*Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada
*Royal College of Psychiatrists

Footnotes

Further reading

* Freeman w, Ebaugh FG, Boyd DA Jr. "The founding of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc." "Am J Psychiatry". 1959 Mar;115(9):769-78. PMID 13627254

External links

* [http://www.abpn.com ABPN website]
* [http://www.abpn.com/competencies.htm ABPN - Core competencies required]