Pathways to Board Certification
The American Board of Sports & Performance Psychiatry now provides three distinct pathways for psychiatrists seeking board certification in Sports & Performance Psychiatry
Pathway A
Experienced Sports Psychiatrist Board-Certification
Pathway B
General Psychiatrist Certification
MOST COMMON
Pathway C
Created for psychiatry residents and fellows enrolled in ABSPP-approved training programs
Pathway A
Experienced Sports Psychiatrist Board-Certification Pathway
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The American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry wishes to establish an additional pathway for experienced sports psychiatrists to obtain Board-Certification from the American Board of Sports & Performance Psychiatry. This would provide an alternative pathway for general board-certified psychiatrists, who already have significant experience in the field, to obtain board-certification. The eligibility requirements are listed below.
A. Education/Certification/Licensure:
Graduation from an accredited allopathic or osteopathic school of medicine with a doctorate of medicine (M.D.), osteopathic medicine (D.O.), or Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree.
Successful completion of training in an accredited Adult and/or Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Program.
ABPN, AOBNP, or NBPAS Board certification in General and/or Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Active licensure to practice medicine in at least one state in the United States.
B. Professional Experience:Three years or more of extensive post-residency clinical experience with at least 20% time on average dedicated to the care of athletes, coaches, high-performers (athletes, tactical military/law enforcement units, competitive performers, musicians), and/or teams OR completion of a sports psychiatry fellowship OR equivalent training across the course of your residency training (equivalent cumulative training of 1 year).
Two letters of recommendation by coaches, teams, and/or sports clinicians to indicate extensive clinical experience in the field.
Provide an updated resume with clinical experience.
C. Knowledge of the Field: this is evidenced by extensive reading of sports psychiatry books or published articles and/or attendance at or participation in sports psychiatry seminars, workshops, courses, and/or society meetings.
Expected continuing education in sports and performance-related conferences.
Successful completion of the ABSPP 30-question open book examination once the remainder of the application requirements have been met.
D. Achievement in the Field/Mentorship:Presentation of sports psychiatry in three or more lectures, workshops, seminars, discussion panels at local, regional, national, or international meetings and/or the publication of sports psychiatry books, book chapters, journal articles, manuals, and/or blogs.
Additionally, supervision, mentorship, and/or peer consultation with other general or sports psychiatrists or other sports practitioners (e.g. sports psychologist).
E. Ethics: must adhere to the principles and standards of the American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry’s Ethics Code and must not have lost medical licensure or health systems credentialing due to professional misconduct.
MOST COMMON
Pathway B
General Psychiatrist Certification Pathway
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The American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry (ABSPP) has established an ongoing pathway for general psychiatrists who do not meet the criteria for Pathway A to obtain certification in sports and performance psychiatry. The eligibility criteria and requirements for this pathway are outlined below.
A. Education/Certification/Licensure:Medical Degree: Graduation from an accredited allopathic or osteopathic school of medicine with an M.D., D.O., or an MBBS degree.
Psychiatry Residency: Successful completion of training in an accredited Adult and/or Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Program.
Board Certification: Current board certification in General and/or Child & Adolescent Psychiatry by the ABPN, AOBNP, or NBPAS.
Active Medical License: Active licensure to practice medicine in at least one U.S. state.
B. Knowledge in the Field:
Curriculum Completion: Successful completion of the ABSPP curriculum within 10 months of enrollment (on a rolling admission). This curriculum includes a mixture of assigned articles and required live mentorship sessions.
Open-Book Examination: Passing the 30-question, open-book examination after completion of mentorship hours.
400 Hours of Logged Activity: A total of 400 hours of sports and performance psychiatry-related activities must be documented. Examples include attending or delivering sports-related lectures, conferences, clinical work, or other relevant CME and field experiences. 100 of these hours must be in clinical or clinically-related activities.
Reattempt Policy: If an applicant fails to complete the curriculum or pass the examination on the first attempt, they may do so in a subsequent cycle without additional fees. After a second failed attempt, applicants must re-apply after one year and pay the original fee again.
C. Achievement in the Field:
You must demonstrate a professional contribution to the field through one of the following:
One publication (book, book chapter, journal, or manual) in sports psychiatry, or
Two independent presentations (lectures, workshops, seminars, discussion panels) at regional, national, or international meetings within the last three years.
D. Achievement in Mentorship:Mentorship Requirement: Complete 10 hours of 1:1 mentorship with an ABSPP-approved Sports Psychiatry Mentor (cost of mentorship not included in Curriculum Fee). These meetings focus on case discussions, clinical insights, and specialized sports psychiatry applications.
E. Ethics: All applicants must uphold the ABSPP Ethics Code and must not have lost their medical licensure or health systems credentialing due to professional misconduct.
To learn more about enrolling in the ABSPP Board-Certification Program, you can find more information here. Upon signing up, you will receive a list of ABSPP-approved mentors.
Pathway C
For psychiatry residents and fellows enrolled in ABSPP-approved training programs
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The American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry wishes to establish an additional pathway for experienced sports psychiatrists to obtain Board-Certification from the American Board of Sports & Performance Psychiatry. This would provide an alternative pathway for general board-certified psychiatrists, who already have significant experience in the field, to obtain board-certification. The eligibility requirements are listed below.
A. Education/Certification/Licensure:
Graduation from an accredited allopathic or osteopathic school of medicine with a doctorate of medicine (M.D.), osteopathic medicine (D.O.), or Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) degree.
Successful completion of training in an accredited Adult and/or Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Residency Program.
ABPN, AOBNP, or NBPAS Board certification in General and/or Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.
Active licensure to practice medicine in at least one state in the United States.
B. Professional Experience:Three years or more of extensive post-residency clinical experience with at least 20% time on average dedicated to the care of athletes, coaches, high-performers (athletes, tactical military/law enforcement units, competitive performers, musicians), and/or teams OR completion of a sports psychiatry fellowship OR equivalent training across the course of your residency training (equivalent cumulative training of 1 year).
Two letters of recommendation by coaches, teams, and/or sports clinicians to indicate extensive clinical experience in the field.
Provide an updated resume with clinical experience.
C. Knowledge of the Field: this is evidenced by extensive reading of sports psychiatry books or published articles and/or attendance at or participation in sports psychiatry seminars, workshops, courses, and/or society meetings.
Expected continuing education in sports and performance-related conferences.
Successful completion of the ABSPP 30-question open book examination once the remainder of the application requirements have been met.
D. Achievement in the Field/Mentorship:Presentation of sports psychiatry in three or more lectures, workshops, seminars, discussion panels at local, regional, national, or international meetings and/or the publication of sports psychiatry books, book chapters, journal articles, manuals, and/or blogs.
Additionally, supervision, mentorship, and/or peer consultation with other general or sports psychiatrists or other sports practitioners (e.g. sports psychologist).
E. Ethics: must adhere to the principles and standards of the American Board of Sports and Performance Psychiatry’s Ethics Code and must not have lost medical licensure or health systems credentialing due to professional misconduct.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Consider involvement with ISPP or similar organizations.
Attend lectures and conferences specialized in sports and performance mental health which can include general sports medicine conferences as well as mental health specific conferences.
Check back for educational offerings (link to the CME events page)
Explore training programs and fellowships around the country that offer special tracks and training for sports and performance psychiatry.
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If applying through pathway B, the hours are required to be post graduation.
If applying through pathway C, these hours would be counted from approved programs.
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Our mentorship list is carefully vetted to ensure that applicants are getting the best exposure to experienced sports and performance psychiatrists.
If you know someone who might be qualified to serve as a mentor or you yourself believe you would be a high quality mentor, please encourage let us know.
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There are not membership or pathway discounts for application.
However, receipts for the application and mentorship sessions are available which can be submitted in most cases as a professional development fee.
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Currently, there is no category 1 CME awarded for the curriculum.
It would be eligible for Category 2 CME.
Our Mission
Our mission is to empower and credential sports and performance psychiatrists who demonstrate excellence in the comprehensive care of athletes and performers, fostering mental well-being and optimal performance. Through the certification of board-certified sports and performance psychiatrists, we aim to enhance the mental health and well-being of athletes, performers, executives, and individuals striving for peak performance in their personal and professional lives.