As a graduate student, attaining board certification is likely to be the furthest thing from your mind. There are many more immediate things: comprehensive exams, externships, dissertation, internship, post-doctoral residency, and finally, the EPPP. When is there time to even think about board certification? 

As an early career psychologist, you just taking a breath and beginning to enjoy the fruits of your labor. More studying and another exam? Why put yourself through it?

At every stage of your professional life, board certification is for you.

Twelve benefits of an ABGP/ ABPP:

• Board certification in Psychology indicates specialty expertise which distinguishes you from other psychologists who work with patients with health issues.
• Board certification in Psychology distinguishes you on the job market!
• Uniformed psychologists with board certification who work at the Department of Defense or Public Health Service receive a monthly specialty pay bonus.
• Health care providers in other disciplines consider board certification as a minimum standard to document training and expertise for patient care.
• Board certification facilitates license mobility in most states.
• Many hospitals ask about board certification when applying for privileges.
• Some hospitals or medical centers require a board certification for approval of privileges, and others are moving towards this policy.
• Some academic and academic medical settings require board certification for promotion and tenure.
• Health insurance companies routinely ask about board certifications when applying to be part of their networks.
• Consumers of health/mental health services will increasingly ask about board certification, and can identify board certified psychologists on line.
• Access ABPP online resources for networking and referrals.
• Join other leaders in Psychology to define excellence in our field!

To continue with Applying for Certification, review The Candidate’s Path to ABGP for detailed instructions on what that process looks like.