APA and ABPN: The Beginnings
Abstract
APA and ABPN: The BeginningsLucy Ozarin, M.D., M.P.H. Many of todayâs psychiatrists have passed through the rite of âtaking the boards,â a process marked by intense preparation and the stress of taking oral and written examinations. Today the examination, administered by the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology (ABPN), is an integral part of a psychiatristâs education, but its origins 70 years ago were controversial and acrimonious. In 1928 Dr. Adolph Meyer, in his presidential speech to the APA membership, proposed the creation of a diploma in psychiatry. âThe fate of progress depends on minimal standards,â he said in recommending that intensive training should lead to the rewarding of a diploma for special proficiency. Qualifying boards in some medical specialties already existed in Great Britain and in the United States. They had been established in ophthalmology (1916) and otolaryngology (1924), and boards in obstetrics and gynecology (1930) and dermatology (1932) came after Dr. Meyerâs speech. For several years after Dr. Meyerâs proposal, APA took little action on the matter, although a committee had been appointed to investigate certification. Meanwhile in 1932 the New Jersey Medical Society had begun a state program of specialty certification. Interest was shown by