Psychiatry Board Preparation
The process for becoming Board Certified in Psychiatry is exceedlingly complex right now, thanks to the phasing in and out of three different processes. The old format for the oral examination was changed in 2006 to include patient vignettes. Apparently not satisfied by the confusion caused by that change, oral examinations were phased out completely for current residents, replaced by the ‘clinical skills evaluation,’ which must be passed three times during residency. As for ‘who must do what,’ here is the description from the ABPN site:
Psychiatry Certification Process: New Format and Timetable Announced September 2008
For residents who began training as a PGY-1 on July 1, 2007 or as a PGY-2 on July 1, 2008: The Psychiatry Part II (oral) examination will be eliminated. The Psychiatry certification process will consist of a single computerized examination (Psychiatry Certification Examination); first administration in 2011.
For residents who began training as a PGY-1 before July 1, 2007 or as a PGY-2 before July 1, 2008: To become Board certified in Psychiatry, candidates must pass both the Part I (computer-administered) and Part II (oral) examinations.
Candidates who do NOT pass the Psychiatry Part I examination in 2013* or before or who do NOT complete the certification process by December 31, 2016, will be required to submit documentation of satisfactory performance in the evaluation of clinical skills completed by the current Program Director of an ACGME-accredited program as part of the ABPN credentialing process. In addition, such candidates will be required to pass the new Psychiatry Certification Examination.
Got it?
Bottom line– if you are starting residency after 2007, you must pass the clinical skills evaluation several times and then take one certification exam. Residents who started earlier– poor blokes– must take part I, pass, and then be invited to take part II. If it is any consolation, those who are adequately prepared for part II will find it to be, in it’s own way, a fun time. The examiners are not there to fail you; they are doing everything that they can to pass you. Once you understand that, you will loosen up and display the confidence and breadth of knowledge to ace the exams.
Of course, some people fail part II. The way to fail the exam is to present yourself as ‘cocky,’ to argue with the examiner, to make the patient feel uncomfortable or humiliated, or to refuse to answer questions. The examiners want to engage you in a discussion about psychiatry; don’t let them down. Even if you are not absolutely certain about something, let the examiner know what you are thinking. Talk about the issues you are thinking over in your head, so that the examiners know that you are not just ‘blank’ inside.
And of course, be prepared. I prepared the ‘psychiatry criteria’ tapes to help me to keep things straight, and they did exactly that. They consist of a monologue, slowly recited, of psychiatric diagnoses and their criteria, presented in an orderly way. I used the recording for board preparation by playing it over and over; the result was that I had the criteria down cold. When I viewed the vignettes or met with my live patient, I was noting criteria as easily as ‘shooting ducks in a barrel’ (sorry to the PETA folks– it is just a phrase!).
Whether you are facing part I or part II, be careful to watch the deadlines, get your paperwork in on time, and get a good head start on studying. The most recent examination schedule can be viewed here. Of course, when it is time to study, I recommend using MY recordings– they are inexpensive, direct, and well-organized. I prepared them in order to study for my own exams, and they worked well. They are meant to be used as a stand-alone tool– using audio only– so if you exercise with an MP3 player or have a morning commute, you will be all set. In fact, if you have the exam somewhere ahead of you– say a few months away– now is the time to start listening. I can promise you that if you listen to them several times over– not a difficult task– you will be miles ahead of your colleagues at exam time, whether for part I, part II, or for the clinical skills evaluations. Do well!
