American Board of Psychiatry
The American Board of Psychiatry (ABPN) is solely responsible for certifying psychologists and neurologists within the United States. Since 1934, the board has been in service.
Largely unknown to most people, the American Board of Psychiatry is a non-profit organization. The board was originally founded by a panel of psychiatrists from the American Psychiatric Association, the American Neurological Association, and the American Medical Association. One of the most outspoken founders was Walter Freeman who was one of the foremost supporters of the lobotomy – he was also president of the board from 1946 to 1948.
In order to obtain certification from the ABPN, a candidate must pass a written test and an oral exam that consists of a patient interview. If the candidate passes both of these tests, they must then sit in front of members of the board and thoroughly answer a variety of questions presented to them. After all parts of the exam are complete, a score will be determined and a candidate will either pass or fail. Within the United States, all psychiatrists must be certified by the ABPN, and those that fail the test cannot practice legally.
Why is the American Board of Psychiatry so important? Prior to the establishment of this board, numerous people claimed to practice psychiatry, though they had no regulations or rules to follow. Needless to say, the complete lack of control over pseudo-doctors caused quite a bit of alarm amongst patients needing actual help. Additionally, various people pretending to be school in psychiatry would often administer drugs that were detrimental to a patient’s health. In every way, the ABPN is entirely necessary.
While some argue that attempting to obtain certification from the ABPN is unnecessarily difficult, others find that the rigorous testing is important to the field of mental health. As previously mentioned, without some form of regulation anyone could claim to be a psychiatrist, even if they had no idea what they were doing. Even though this seems highly unlikely today, prior to the 1930s many people visited with these false psychiatrists.
Thanks to the American Board of Psychiatry, this profession is now safe from hacks. If you are seeking some therapy, make sure to look for a psychiatrist’s certification (not to be confused with a regular therapist) from the ABPN. Psychiatry has come a long way from its early days, and the ABPN plans to keep it under control.