APA Offers Administrative Psychiatry Certification
The APA certification examination in psychiatric administration and management is offered every year, generally in conjunction with the APA annual meeting.
The examination, first offered in 1953, has multiple-choice and essay portions. Applicants must be board certified in general psychiatry and must, by the time of the examination, meet at least one of the following criteria:
An equivalent of one full year of recent experience as a psychiatrist with a substantial administrative role in a mental health program. | |||||
Completion of two academic semesters in a recognized and accredited program of postgraduate instruction that emphasizes management or administration. | |||||
Completion of one academic year of accredited fellowship or the equivalent in psychiatric or mental health administration, supervised by a psychiatrist. | |||||
Completion of an accredited master's degree program in public health, business administration, or mental health administration. | |||||
General content areas on the exam include administrative theory and human resources; mental health care management; revenue, budget, and fiscal management; and law and ethics.
Completed application forms must be received by APA on or before January 31 of the year in which the examination is anticipated, with a nonrefundable application fee of $200. An additional examination fee of $450 is required after the candidate has been accepted for the exam; the fee is due at least 45 days prior to the date of the exam.
The next exam will be offered on May 23, 2005, at the APA annual meeting in Atlanta.
The application form must be accompanied by two letters of reference from appropriate colleagues or employers stating that the applicant meets the eligibility requirements.
Application forms can be downloaded from APA's Web site at<www.psych.org/cgi-bin/psychformmail.pl>. Information is also available from Mark Anderson by phone at (703) 907-8631 or e-mail at [email protected].
