Board Certification: Dr. David B. Adams is a board certified Atlanta psychologist. A license to practice does not mean that a doctor is board certified in his/her profession. The importance of board certification cannot be overstated. There are 48 board certified clinical psychologists in Georgia. Look for “ABPP” following Ph.D.
Quoting from the American Board of Professional Psychology on the importance of board certification:
“THE IMPORTANCE OF BOARD CERTIFICATION – The American public is accustomed to health care provided by physicians who are board certified. The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) serves the public need by providing oversight certifying psychologists competent to deliver high quality services in various specialty areas of psychology. Board certification (awarding of a Diploma in a specialty) assures the public that specialists designated by the ABPP have successfully completed the educational, training, and experience requirements of the specialty, including an examination designed to assess the competencies required to provide quality services in that specialty. Psychologists board certified through ABPP have undergone review of education, training, experience, often additional written testing, and have had samples of their work peer-reviewed by board certified psychologists. They have also passed a face-to-face examination by board certified psychologists in the specialty in which they seek board certification. This process serves to address the competency of the psychologist, not just knowledge.”
The process of licensing psychologists, as with many professions, is based on a review of education, training and experience. It involves taking and passing a written test of knowledge of the field of psychology. The licensure process is intended to address those areas, but it is not designed to assess competency of the professional psychologist in applying what she or he knows. That is why board certification is important.
And “The American Board of Professional Psychology was incorporated in 1947 with the support of the American Psychological Association. The ABPP is a unitary governing body of separately incorporated specialty examining boards which assures the establishment, implementation, and maintenance of specialty standards and examinations by its member boards. Through the ABPP Central Office, a wide range of administrative support services are provided to ABPP Boards, Board Certified Specialists, and the public.”