Dear Division 20 LISTMATES: The ABPP-gero committee has been working on the minimum qualifications necessary to take the ABPP-gero oral examination. We are proposing the following education/training/experience requirements that will be consistent with other ABPP specialty standards. As a member of a geropsychology group that has provided financial support for the gero-ABPP initiative, we welcome your feedback. Please back-channel your comments to me by July 13: vmolinari@usf.edu
PROPOSED GERO-SPECIFIC ABPP REQUIREMENTS:
For those with under 15 years of professional experience:
1) Education: Evidence of at least one formal course in geropsychology at the pre-doctoral level OR at least 50 hours of documented education in geropsychology either at the internship/fellowship seminar level or through formal continuing education coursework;
2) Training: Evidence of at least 1000 hours (one-half year) of geropsychology training (half of which must be in directly supervised care) which can be satisfied by a fellowship in geropsychology or a related field (if in a related field, 50% of the work must be in geropsychology), or some combination of geropsychology rotations on internship or externship, or post-licensure supervision or peer consultation with a geropsychologist (minimum 1 hr/week of supervision/consultation conducted/facilitated by a licensed psychologist);
3) Experience: Self-identity as a geropsychologist with at least two years of full‐time post‐licensure employment (or its part-time equivalent) as a psychologist, with at least one year devoted to professional services to older adults. Such services may include direct independent provision of clinical services (e.g., being in private practice or employed by a geriatric consulting group doing assessment/treatment of older adults); teaching/in service education/supervision of students or geriatric mental health professionals (e.g., teaching gerontological courses in a university; consultation with a long term care institution regarding residents with behavior problems); administrative duties in a geriatric organization (e.g., director of an institute of gerontology; executive leadership within a gerontological organization); conducting applied gerontological mental health research; or other geriatric mental health services as deemed acceptable by the board.
For those with 15 years of professional experience or more:
4) Senior Psychologist option would require the minimum formal training as required for all ABPP applicants (APA- accredited doctoral program & internship or acceptable equivalents; licensure as a psychologist), and 15 years of geropsychology services provision as deemed acceptable by the ABPP board (e.g., working for long term care consulting group; teaching/in-service education/supervision; engaging in administrative duties such as director of a gerontology institute; conducting applied gerontological research).
I apologize for the cross-postings. Victor
Victor Molinari, Ph.D., ABPP
Professor
School of Aging Studies
University of South Florida
Tampa, Florida
(813) 974-1960
Email: vmolinari@usf.edu
