A specialty is a defined area in the practice of psychology that connotes special competency acquired through an organized sequence of formal education, training and experience. Since 1947, the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) is the primary organization for specialty board certification in psychology, encompassing 15 recognized specialty areas. Despite numerous benefits to board certification for both providers and consumers of psychological services, only 4% of licensed psychologists in the United States are board-certified with some states (such as Hawaii) being underrepresented in the regional distribution of certified specialists. Understanding the requirements, examination process, and value of board certification is imperative for growing the field’s population of certified specialists.
This roundtable discussion will overview the process, benefits, and challenges of board certification for psychologists and trainees at any stage of their professional development. Five locally-based board-certified psychologists in various specialty areas will share their background, how their current roles relate to their professional interests, and advice for professionals interested in pursuing board certification.
Learning objectives:• Describe the process for obtaining specialty board certification through ABPP
• List the unique benefits conferred by board certification for providers of psychological services
• List the various areas of specialization recognized by ABPP
• Learn methods for initiating the board certification process at various stages of professional development
The evaluation/CE request form for this program can be found
HERE.
