Setting the highest certification standards for psychiatrists and neurologists since 1934

Psychiatry

Deadlines, Fees and Content for Initial Certification in Psychiatry

*Application deadlines are at 11:59 p.m. CT.

Other Important Dates
Active, full, unrestricted license due to the Board or application is denied September 1, 2024
Graduation verification from training programs due to the Board for residents graduating June 30, 2024 July 15, 2024
Graduation verification from training programs due to the Board for residents graduating July 31, 2024 August 15, 2024
Clinical Skills Evaluations

The ABPN has made changes in the credentialing process effective for residents who entered residency training in psychiatry on or after July 1, 2007 (PGY-1) or July 1, 2008 (PGY-2). Some of the clinical skills evaluations that were conducted previously in the Part II oral examination are now taking place within the residency program and the residents will be required to submit documentation of satisfactory performance in the evaluation of clinical skills as part of the ABPN credentialing process. Assessment of other clinical skills has been integrated into the computerized Certification examination beginning in 2011.

Candidates who successfully pass the psychiatry certification examination will be awarded a certificate in their specialty.

All applicants for the psychiatry certification examination must successfully complete three clinical skills evaluations that comply with the standards set forth in the document  Requirements for Clinical Skills Evaluation of Residents in Psychiatry.

In addition to documentation of their PGY-1 and residency training, all physicians must submit documentation from the program director of an ACGME accredited psychiatry program verifying completion of the three clinical skills evaluations will be completed by July 31 in the year of the exam administration you plan to sit for. Physicians who do not provide acceptable documentation of successful completion of the three clinical skills evaluations by the deadline will be denied an opportunity to sit for the certification examination. For physicians in the preCERT® system, verification of training is done in preCERT®.

Residents who entered residency training in psychiatry prior to July 1, 2007 (PGY-1) or July 1, 2008 (PGY-2):

Physicians who entered psychiatry training prior to July 1, 2007 (PGY-1) or July 1, 2008 will not have completed the clinical skills evaluations that are currently required during residency training. Such physicians will be required to complete the required three clinical skills evaluations in an ACGME-accredited program and comply with the standards set forth in the document Requirements for Clinical Skills Evaluation in Psychiatry before they will be admitted to the certification examination. Evaluations must be completed by July 31, in the year of the exam administration you plan to sit for.

Psychiatry History and Statement of Principles
Psychiatry History and Statement of Principles

Candidates in the specialty of psychiatry are those in the field of psychiatry, who are seeking ABPN Board Certification. Psychiatry is a specialty that involves the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of mental disorders, emotional disorders, psychotic disorders, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, substance-related disorders, sexual and gender identity disorders and adjustment disorders. Biologic, psychological, and social components of illnesses are explored and understood in treatment of the whole person. Tools used may include diagnostic laboratory tests, prescribed medications, evaluation and treatment of psychological and interpersonal problems with individuals and families, and intervention for coping with stress, crises, and other problems.

Subspecialties in psychiatry include; addiction psychiatry, brain injury medicine, child and adolescent psychiatry, clinical neurophysiology, forensic psychiatry, geriatric psychiatry, hospice and palliative medicine, pain medicine, psychosomatic medicine, and sleep medicine.

 

Initial Certification in Psychiatry

A. General Training Requirements

References to residency refer to entry at the second year of postgraduate (PGY-2) training, unless otherwise stated.  Residency training must be in the specialty in which the applicant seeks certification, except for residents who are in an approved combined training program. Training programs approved by the residency review committees and accredited by the ACGME can be found on the ACGME website at www.acgme.org. The ABPN training and leave of absence policies are located on the Policies page.

The required years of training may be completed on a part-time basis, provided that it is no less than half-time.

All training must be completed by September 30 in the year of the exam administration.

Effective for residents entering residency training (PGY-2 in psychiatry) as of July 1, 2002:

The 36 months of full-time, specialized residency training must be completed in no more than two blocks. If completed in two blocks, the blocks must not be more than 10 years apart.

Effective for residents entering residency training (PGY-2 in psychiatry) as of July 1, 2011:

Full-time residency training must be completed in no more than two blocks. If completed in two blocks, the blocks must not be more than five years apart and the shorter block must not be less than six months long. One-year full-time equivalent of subspecialty residency training must be completed in a continuous block of not less than one- half time.

B. Training in More Than One Residency Training Program

To ensure continuity of training, the Board requires that two of the three years of residency training, excluding the PGY-1, be spent in a single program.

When training is completed in more than one program and the resident still satisfies the continuity of training policy, the respective program directors should contact the Board office, in writing, prior to the transfer. The letters must outline the resident’s training content, duties, and responsibilities, including exact dates (month/day/year to month/day/year) of training, and indicate clearly that the resident will satisfy all ACGME program requirements as outlined on the ACGME website, www.ACGME.org. Each case will be considered on an individual basis.

It is encouraged that the training director of the first program send the training director of the second program a letter detailing the training satisfactorily completed, including exact dates (month/day/year to month/day/year) of training, and areas of training that are deficient. After reviewing this documentation, the training director of the second program should inform the resident whether or not the second program will be able to provide the resident with the experience necessary to remove the deficits before the transfer occurs.

C. Specific Training Requirements

Unless otherwise specified, all training must be completed in programs accredited by the ACGME.

An applicant seeking admission to examination for certification in psychiatry must have satisfactorily completed a PGY-1 year that meets the below requirements, and three full years (i.e., 36 calendar months) of postgraduate, specialized residency training in a psychiatry program accredited by the ACGME. The PGY-1 year must be completed prior to the three years of residency training. Different requirements apply for applicants who began training in psychiatry prior to 1986; these candidates should call the Board office if they have any questions.

12-month Continuous Outpatient Psychiatry Requirement and Fast-Tracking into Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) Fellowship

Please note that, for residents fast-tracking into CAP fellowships, the 12-month continuous psychiatry outpatient requirement necessarily means that only residents who fast-track into a CAP fellowship at the same institution are allowed to complete up to 20% of the continuous psychiatry outpatient requirement during the CAP fellowship. Residents who fast-track into a CAP fellowship at a different institution must complete the entire 12-month requirement during their psychiatry residency prior to moving to another institution for CAP fellowship. The ABPN will not approve exceptions to this requirement for any reason.

All applicants for the Psychiatry certification examination must successfully complete three clinical skills evaluations that comply with the standards set forth in the document Requirements for Clinical Skills Evaluation of Residents in Psychiatry.

Two patterns of training are acceptable:

  1. Three-year Psychiatry Residency Program

A broad-based clinical year of ACGME-accredited training in internal medicine, family medicine, or pediatrics; or an ACGME-accredited transitional year program that included a minimum of four months of primary care medical; or an ACGME-accredited residency in a clinical specialty requiring comprehensive and continuous patient care

AND

Three full years of postgraduate, specialized residency training in a psychiatry program accredited by the ACGME

OR

  1. Four-year Psychiatry Residency Program

Four years of training in an ACGME-accredited program in psychiatry is acceptable. A psychiatry PGY-1 must include at least four months in internal medicine, family medicine, and/or pediatrics. This training must be in a clinical setting that provides comprehensive and continuous patient care, as long as the experience predominantly involves medical evaluation and treatment rather than surgical procedure. Neurology rotations may not be used to fulfill this four-month requirement.

Inquiries on prior clinical specialty training programs that will be accepted to meet the pgy-1 requirements for the three-year psychiatry residency program training track, please have the psychiatry program director contact the credentials department before residency training has begun. Contact the credentials department at credentials@abpn.org.

Canadian Training Programs

Canadian residents may apply for the ABPN examination if they meet the following requirements:

  1. Completed their training in a Canadian program accredited by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada AND
  2. Achieve certification by the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada AND
  3. Possess an unrestricted license to practice medicine in a Canadian province

All requirements must be met, and documentation must be received by September 1 of the year of the exam administration you plan to sit for. Please contact the Board for additional information at credentials@abpn.org.

Other International Training: Currently, the ABPN does not accept other international training programs.

D. Licenses

Applicants who submit a training license with their application must update their active, full, unrestricted medical license in their ABPN Physician Portal account by September 1 in the year they wish to sit for the examination.  Applicants who do not update their full, unrestricted medical license by September 1 in the same year of the examination, will be denied sitting for the Psychiatry Certification Examination.

E. Off-Cycle Graduating Residents

Prior to July 31, the ABPN must receive written notification from the program director that the resident will not finish training by August 30 but will finish no later than September 30 of the year of the exam administration. The program director must confirm to ABPN via the preCERT system that training has been successfully completed immediately after the resident has finished training.

Once approved, ABPN will email the applicant scheduling instructions that allows them to schedule the certification exam. Off-cycle applicants must sit for certification within three weeks of being approved. This may require sitting for the examination in mid to late October. Applicants are responsible for updating their email address through their ABPN Physician Portal account to ensure they receive the instructions in a timely manner. The Board will be unable to extend examination dates due to an incorrect email address on file.

Please note that ABPN does not guarantee the availability of locations, dates and/or times of Pearson VUE test centers. If an applicant cannot schedule an appointment that initially suits their needs, the applicant should make the best appointment he/she can at that time. The applicant may then contact Pearson VUE periodically to reschedule if a more suitable appointment becomes available.

ABPN will not allow a candidate to sit for the fall certification examination if training has not been completed by September 30 in the year of the certification examination. For residents that will be completing training October 1 thru December 31 in the year of the certification examination, please have the program director contact our office at credentials@abpn.org for additional information.

F. Supplementary Certification

Candidates may apply for certification in another specialty. A candidate may have more than one application on file with the Board if the applications are for certification in different specialties or subspecialties. Candidates completing training both in psychiatry and in neurology or child neurology may apply to sit for examinations in both specialties.

1. Dual Certification in Psychiatry and in Neurology
Unless otherwise specified, all training must be completed in programs accredited by the ACGME.

Applicants seeking certification both in psychiatry and neurology who began residency training prior to January 1, 1999 should contact the Board office for requirements.

The ABPN has approved programs for combined training in psychiatry and neurology. Residents interested in completing a combined residency training program in psychiatry and neurology should complete their training in one of the ABPN approved combined psychiatry and neurology training programs.

For residents entering non-ABPN-approved combined psychiatry and neurology residency training on or after July 1, 1999:

Program directors should contact the Board office for a copy of the combined psychiatry/neurology guidelines. The respective program director(s) should submit a proposal to the Board office, no later than the beginning of the PGY-3, detailing the training proposed for the resident. As stipulated in the combined training guidelines, the resident is required to complete a PGY-1 that meets the requirements for neurology.

American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc.

7 Parkway North, Deerfield, IL 60015

Phone 847.229.6500

Fax 847.229.6600