Passing a National Exam Required

Regardless of which educational program psychologists choose to complete, they will not be able to prescribe legally in New Mexico or Louisiana unless they take a national certification exam.

The only exam available is the Psychopharmacology Examination for Psychologists (PEP), developed by the American Psychological Association's College of Professional Psychology. The PEP was “primarily developed to be made available for use by state and provincial psychology licensing authorities when they set requirements to implement newly enacted laws,” according to the exam's brochure, available online.

To take the exam, candidates must have a doctoral degree in psychology, possess a license in good standing, and have successfully completed a“ postdoctoral program of education in an organized program of intensive didactic instruction.”

The PEP is administered on computer at Sylvan Technology Centers across the country. Candidates have three hours in which to complete 150 multiple-choice questions. If a candidate's score falls below “the recommended passing score”—the psychological association would not confirm for Psychiatric News what the passing score is—then the exam may be taken a second time after a 90-day wait. Candidates who fail the second time must wait a year to retake the exam.

The fees for the exam as of June 30 included a $200 examination fee and an application fee of $325 for psychological association members or $395 for nonmembers.