American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology

The American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology, Inc. (ABPN) is a nonprofit corporation that was founded in 1934 following conferences of committees appointed by the American Psychiatric Association, the American Neurological Association, and the then "Section on Nervous and Mental Diseases" of the American Medical Association. This action was taken as a method of identifying the qualified specialists in psychiatry and neurology.^[1] The ABPN is one of 24 member boards of the American Board of Medical Specialties.

Since its first examination was delivered in 1935, the ABPN has been serving the public interest and promoting excellence in the practices of psychiatry and neurology through its certification and maintenance of certification processes. These processes are designed to identify qualified specialists through rigorous credential and training requirements and successful completion of board examinations for psychiatry, neurology, or neurology with special qualification in child neurology. ABPN committees are dedicated to developing tests that assess the current scientific knowledge and clinical expertise of physicians in order for them to achieve and maintain Board certification.

Mission

The mission of the ABPN is to develop and provide valid and reliable procedures for certification and maintenance of certification in psychiatry and neurology by:

• Developing the best testing methods to evaluate candidate and diplomate competencies;
• Applying the best technologies and information available to collect and analyze pertinent data;
• Communicating and collaborating effectively with training programs, residents, candidates, diplomates, professional and health care organizations, and the public; and
• Operating programs and services effectively and efficiently.^[2]

Organization

The Board of Directors consists of sixteen voting members. Elections to fill the places of members whose terms have expired take place annually. Neurology and psychiatry are always represented equally on the board. It is independently incorporated.^[3]

Certificates

In addition to the specialties of psychiatry, neurology, and neurology with special qualification in child neurology, the ABPN (sometimes in collaboration with other member boards) has sought from the ABMS and gained approval for recognition of 14 subspecialties, as listed below:^[4]

• addiction psychiatry
• brain injury medicine
• child and adolescent psychiatry
• clinical neurophysiology
• epilepsy
• forensic psychiatry
• geriatric psychiatry
• hospice and palliative medicine
• neurodevelopmental disabilities
• neuromuscular medicine
• pain medicine
• psychosomatic medicine
• sleep medicine
• vascular neurology

See also

• American Medical Association
• American Neurological Association
• American Psychiatric Association

References

External links

• American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology
• American Board of Medical Specialties