Anne C. Dobmeyer, PhD, ABPP
Clinical Health Psychology
Q. What is your practice like?
A. I am an active duty psychologist in the United States Public Health Service (USPHS). My current position is director of the Clinical Health Psychology (CHP) service at a large military medical center. My time is primarily devoted to training and supervising pre-doctoral psychology interns in clinical health psychology, and in providing direct clinical and consultative services to patients with medical and/or psychological problems in an internal medicine clinic.
Q. What motivated you to seek board certification in clinical health psychology?
A. Two mentors in my clinical health psychology post-doctoral fellowship strongly encouraged me to seek board certification in clinical health psychology as soon as I met eligibility requirements. They emphasized both the professional opportunities that might develop as a result of becoming board certified, as well as the financial benefits of board certification as a member of a uniformed service.
Q: What was the most challenging aspect of the board certification process?
A. My own expectations for the written work samples proved challenging in completing the board certification process. I had difficulty selecting two cases due to a desire to present the “perfect” work sample. Eventually I accepted that no work is without flaw, and hoped that the evaluating board would also agree! My discussion of my work in the written samples, including examination of what I might do differently and why, was more important than presenting an impossibly flawless assessment or intervention sample.
Q. What advice would you give to a candidate for board certification in clinical health psychology?
A. Do not let anxiety get in the way of pursuing board certification. Seek guidance and feedback from clinical health psychologists who have previously gone through the board certification process. Remember that the process is designed to allow you to demonstrate your expertise in clinical health psychology.
Q. What have you found most valuable about board certification?
A. Board certification streamlined the process of getting licensed in a new state when I changed positions. It has helped enhance credibility with medical colleagues and made it easier to get approved for health insurance networks. Being board certified also led to pay increases in a prior academic position, as well as in my current position in the USPHS.