Setting the highest certification standards for psychiatrists and neurologists since 1934

Examination and Applications Procedures

CC Examination Requirements and Information

Diplomates must pass a Continuing Certification (CC) examination once every ten years for each certification they hold to satisfy the Assessment of Knowledge, Judgment and Skills component of the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) maintenance of certification requirement.

Primary specialty CC examinations (psychiatry, neurology and child neurology) are offered twice a year. Subspecialty CC examinations are offered once a year except for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, which is offered twice a year. American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN) diplomates certified in any subspecialty, apart from Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, are required to maintain their primary specialty certification.

Review the ABPN Continuing Certification/Recertification Exam Process Flyer for an overview of the CC examination process. Detailed information about CC requirements, policies and procedures can be found in the CC Booklet. Information tailored to you can be found in your ABPN Physician Portal account on the Continuing Certification Requirement Status page.

The Board recognizes that diplomates with disabilities may wish to take examinations and will attempt to make reasonable accommodations for diplomates with verified disabilities. Diplomates with disabilities should review the Policy for Applicants with Disabilities.

See our Exam Schedule for examination dates, application deadlines and dates when applications become available. Applications for CC exams are only available on-line through ABPN Physician Portal. Diplomates are responsible for applying for CC exams at the appropriate time. Please contact the ABPN at questions@abpn.org for more information.

Combined Continuing Certification examinations are available for diplomates who wish to recertify in more than one specialty and/or subspecialty at the same time. Combined CC examinations are offered once a year.

On the ABPN website, view the General Information and Board Policies for additional information. To prepare for the CC examinations, diplomates should keep current with research and developments in their field, review specialty-specific journals and practice guidelines, and attend relevant CME programs.

Examinations are administered at over 200 Pearson VUE Professional Centers throughout the United States and Canada, as well as at many international locations. Diplomates who select the international testing option when applying for an examination will be contacted by the ABPN concerning locations and cost.

Learn what to expect when you arrive at the Pearson VUE test center with this short video.

View the Computer Based Testing at Pearson VUE FAQs for more information. ABPN examination Sample Screens can be found on the ABPN website.


Computer-Administered Examination Procedures and Information

Approximately two months prior to the examination, scheduling information is emailed to candidates whose applications have been approved. Candidates are urged to contact Pearson VUE as soon as scheduling opens to make an appointment for the examination. A delay in contacting Pearson VUE can result in fewer available openings for the examination in a candidate’s choice of date and location. ABPN does not guarantee the availability of locations, dates and/or times of Pearson VUE test centers.

If the name that the candidate applied under is different than the name that appears on the identification, certified, legal documentation (marriage license, name change determination, etc.) verifying the name change must be submitted to the Board office prior to the date of the examination. Address and/or email address changes must be updated online through the ABPN Physician Portal. These changes will be automatically uploaded to Pearson.

Candidates are required to present two forms of identification upon arrival at the testing center. One of the forms of identification must be government issued and must display a recent, permanently affixed photograph. Both forms of identification must be signed, and both must be valid (not expired). The first and last names on both identifications must match the name on file with the ABPN. Pearson will not verify middle names or initials for admission to an examination. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the candidate’s inability to gain admission to the examination. If a name change has recently occurred, it is recommended to bring a copy of legal documentation to the testing center on the appointment date. Government-issued identification includes military identification, passports, driver’s licenses, and state identification cards. Secondary identification includes a Social Security card, valid credit card, bank automated teller machine card.

Candidates may NOT bring food, drink, cellular phones, pagers, other electronic devices, books, study materials, or other personal belongings, including watches and wallets, into the examination room. A secure locker is available to store personal items. Candidates may not access phones or other devices of any kind while on an unscheduled break. Accessing prohibited items during unscheduled break constitutes irregular behavior and may be cause for invalidation of examination result (See ABPN Board Policies).

Candidates are NOT permitted to leave the testing center’s building during a test section. Leaving the building during a test section constitutes irregular behavior and may be cause for invalidation of examination results (See ABPN Board Policies).

Candidates are photographed and are required to provide an electronic signature at the computer test centers. For security purposes, candidates are required to place each hand on a palm vein device each time they enter or leave the computer test center. This information is stored electronically. Candidates must agree to the Pearson VUE Professional & Regulatory Candidate Rules. Candidates must agree to the ABPN Nondisclosure Agreement before taking the examination. If the NDA is not agreed to within 5 minutes, the examination will end.

Candidates are observed at all times while taking the examination. This observation includes direct monitoring by testing center staff, as well as video and audio recording of the examination session.

General questions about requirements and logistics of ABPN examinations may be asked of ABPN staff by telephone or at questions@abpn.org. Verbal complaints to staff, directors, proctors, or examiners that continue after explanation of ABPN policy that rise to the level of harassment may be considered irregular behavior (See ABPN Policies).

Candidates are required to sit for the examination for which they have applied. Candidates who fail to do so are required to reapply by submitting a new application form, copies of all medical licenses, and meeting the current credentialing requirements.

Candidates withdrawing from an examination: The examination fee, less a non-refundable evaluation/processing fee, is refunded to candidates withdrawing from an examination, provided the President and CEO of the Board is notified in writing no less than one week prior to the first date of the examination date range. Failure to notify the Board in writing no less than one week prior to the first date of the examination date range results in forfeiture of all examination fees.

Candidates unable to sit for an examination on the scheduled date: Candidates who are unable to sit for the examination on the date that they have scheduled must first contact Pearson VUE no less than 24 hours in advance of their appointment to reschedule the examination. If Pearson VUE is unable to reschedule the examination date, candidates should then contact the Board office to determine the availability of rescheduling opportunities. Candidates may be rescheduled, provided there is still an opening in the testing date range. These candidates may be required to pay an additional reseating fee. If there is no other date available in the testing date range, they must sit for the originally scheduled date or forfeit their fees.

Candidates unable to sit for their scheduled examination due to an unforeseen medical or other emergency: Candidates who are unable to sit for their scheduled examination due to an unforeseen medical or other emergency should submit a personal statement and supporting documentation of the emergency to the Board office, no later than 30 days after the date of the examination. The Board will then evaluate the documentation and determine whether the absence is excusable. In determining whether an absence is excusable, the Board will consider whether the claimed emergency could have been anticipated and/or foreseen prior to the examination. Candidates suffering from pre-existing and/or chronic conditions generally will not be excused for medical or other emergencies relating to such conditions. If the absence is determined excusable, the candidate’s examination fee will be refunded and such candidates will be required to re-apply in order to sit for examination.

Negative Determination (except Pain Medicine and CC Pain Medicine): Candidates who fail the initial computer-administered examination may reapply for a future administration of the examination through their ABPN Physician Portal.

Examination Format and Content

Examinations are administered at Pearson VUE testing centers. Details on examination format and content are available on the specific exam pages at www.abpn.org.  The Board recommends that examinees use the following resources for test preparation: peer-reviewed journals, current monographs and textbooks, review publications, practice guidelines, accredited CME programs, and attendance at professional meetings.

Grade Letters and Certificates

  1. Grade Letters

The President and CEO of the Board notifies candidates in writing of their results no later than ten to twelve weeks from the last date of the testing date range.

  1. Certificates

Successful candidates receive their certificates approximately three months after the results are released. It is the diplomate's responsibility to notify the Board office, in writing, if they do not receive a certificate within six months. If a diplomate does not submit a written notification that the certificate was not delivered, the diplomate must request a duplicate certificate and pay the appropriate fee. (See the online ABPN Fee Schedule).

  1. Duplicate Certificates

Photocopies and electronic versions of Board certificates are not available from the ABPN.

For any name changes on a certificate, the diplomate must submit certified, legal documentation (marriage license, name change determination, etc.) to the Board office. See the form on our website for instructions.

Complete this form to request a duplicate certificate. Certificates are printed approximately four times per year. Depending on when a duplicate certificate is requested, it may be four to six months until the diplomate receives the duplicate certificate.


Application Process Information

Applications are to be completed and submitted using the online application process through the ABPN Physician Portal on the ABPN website. Available applications are in the examination section of the ABPN Portal account.  Physicians may update medical licensure and contact information either on the application or in their Portal homepage. Prior applications will not be accepted, and physicians are responsible for submitting a new application and fee with each examination attempt.

Applications are reviewed in the order they are submitted online. Applicants may check the status of their application in their ABPN Physician Portal Account in the examination section.  It may take up to 16 weeks for the applicant to receive further information regarding the status of the application.

Applicants accepted for examination are notified via email. Applicants denied admission to the examination are notified of their deficiencies in meeting the standards of the Board also via email. If an application is denied or withdrawn for any reason, the Board will retain the processing/evaluation fee of the application. See the ABPN Fee Schedule page for details.

Candidates who fail to present themselves for the first scheduled examination following the date of acceptance of their applications are required to reapply online and pay the current examination fee.

 


After Submitting an Application

Scheduling instructions will be emailed to diplomates approved to sit for an examination approximately two months prior to the examination using the diplomates’ email address in the Physician Portal system. Scheduling for testing appointments with Pearson VUE will begin shortly after that email has been sent. The ABPN does not guarantee availability of testing appointments at any given test center, date, or time. Test takers should contact Pearson VUE as soon as scheduling opens to make the best appointment possible at that time.

Continuing Certification applicants who do not receive any notification from the Board regarding their application by 12 weeks after their application submission should contact the Board office to inquire about the status of their application.