Why should psychiatrists become certified? Board certification today is not just a mark of excellence that qualifies psychiatrists for more pay; it also has become a necessityArequired by hospitals, managed care providers, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The third edition of this eminently practical volume offers a proven roadmap for successfully navigating one of the most stressful events of the psychiatrist's professional lifeAPart II of the ABPN examination, the live patient interview. During this ordeal, candidates must put away their accustomed mantle of authority and, within a rigid time limit and under the spotlight's glare, obtain a body of information, formulate and defend a diagnosis, and discuss etiology, prognosis, and therapy. Because the ABPN serves the public and is evaluative rather than educational, it is not prepared to offer the assistance candidates require. Instead, candidates look to individuals, psychiatric training programs, organizations such as the APAAand now, the third edition of this meticulously detailed and, above all, proven guide to passing this often-traumatic exam. The authors have called on virtually every available resource in updating this new edition, including interviews with dozens of candidates and examiners. An important inclusion is the ten most common reasons why candidates fail, and the authors explain in detail how to overcome these pitfalls: 1. Inadequate mock board experience 2. Low level of concern for patient's feelings and well-being 3. Poor follow-up on cues 4. Insufficiently broad differential diagnosis 5. Lack of broad-based treatment plan (biopsychosocial) 6. Poor time management (so data isn't obtained for some areas ) 7. Inadequate case formulation 8. Examination anxiety 9. Allowing patient to control the interview 10. Inadequate familiarity with diagnostic criteria Meticulously referenced and indexed, with 13 chapters (one of them an actual recorded MBE) and 5 appendixes, this indispensable guide will be welcomed by ABPN candidates everywhere as an invaluable aid to passing this most rigorous of examinations.
James Morrison, M.D., is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon.
