Interview With a Board Certified Specialist

Desiree A. Byrd, PhD, ABPP
Clinical Neuropsychology

Is on the faculty in the Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry at Mount Sinai School of Medicine and practices at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. She earned her doctorate from the University of California San Diego and did her internship at Brown University and her fellowship at Columbia University. Dr. Byrd’s research is in HIV-associated cognitive dysfunction and the influence of culture and ethnicity on neuropsychological test performance.

Q. What motivated you to seek board certification in neuropsychology?
A. I considered board certification in neuropsychology a natural progression in my professional training.  Many mentors, including my dissertation chair, were board certified and communicated to me the importance of gaining certification. In my graduate program, it was an implicit expectation. As such, I always planned to gain board certification in neuropsychology.

Q. Looking back, what misconceptions did you have about the ABPP/ABCN credentialing and examination process that you would like future applicants to know?
A. I misperceived ABPP/ABCN as an older, elite and exclusive group that was not very interested in extending membership to young professionals. However, what I learned about ABPP/AACN members via firsthand experience couldn’t have been farther from the truth! Members, including examiners, were very interested in expanding the number of board certified neuropsychologists and were exceptionally supportive of applicants.

Q. What was the most challenging/interesting/surprising aspect of the board certification process?
A. The entire process was more challenging than any other process I had encountered in my training. This was especially true for the oral examination.  Gaining board certification is not for the faint of heart or for persons who cannot dedicate significant amounts of time to preparation. What surprised me most was how much I appreciated the knowledge gained from my preparation at each stage. The refinement and expansion of my skill as a neuropsychologist was tangible at each step, so much so that I knew that even if I did not pass, I was already a better neuropsychologist than I was at the outset of the application process. I was also pleasantly surprised at the number of smiling faces among the examiners at the orals.

Q. What might you consider doing differently based on what you learned?
A. I would have started the examination process much earlier than I did. Persons considering board certification now can take advantage of a wonderful early entry application opportunity for which they can qualify as early as graduate school.

Q. What advice would you give to a candidate for board certification in neuropsychology?
A. I would advise an informed, early, group-centered approach.  There are many resources for candidates to take advantage of including mentorship programs, a terrific book, the BRAIN listserve, manuscripts, etc.  By tapping into existing resources and forming a study group, candidates can gain a realistic perspective on the requirements and demands of the examination process and increase their chances of passing all steps the first time.

Q. ABCN encourages applications from under-represented minority groups in neuropsychology.  What advice would you give a minority applicant?
A. Trust that the examination process is fair and standardized. Unlike some other settings, I honestly had not a single worry that my skin color impacted my chances of becoming board certified. Also, be inspired by the knowing that they are setting a wonderful example. Of all my mentors, Dr. Tony Wong, an Asian-American neuropsychologist, was the most aggressive about ensuring that I gained board certification and I honor his memory for that. He knew that this was important for all professionals but especially for ethnic minorities to demonstrate to consumers and students our level of expertise. Tony never let a chance meeting go by without asking me about where I was in the process and making me promise that I would complete it.

Q. What did you learn about yourself, or in what ways do you see yourself differently having completed the board certification process?
A. Even though I received a high quality graduate and post-graduate education in neuropsychology, the board certification process revealed weaknesses in my training that were strengthened through the examination process. I was also reminded of the need to take personal charge of refreshing my knowledge base in the discipline. All too often we become content in just knowing what we already know.  

Q. What have you found most valuable or rewarding about board certification?
A. I value the mere fact of earning the right to join the ranks of so many of my mentors. Board certification is an honor that is not granted but earned only after very hard work. It has also been beneficial to see an immediate increase in referrals and consultation requests. The ability to increase my private practice fees didn’t hurt either.

Q. How has your professional life changed since attaining board certification?
A. Becoming board certified has significantly enhanced my level of practice and the quality of my reports. I have also noticed increased respect from colleagues and referrals from new sources. 

Q. What is the most interesting/challenging/rewarding/fulfilling aspect of your work as a neuropsychologist?
A. I get the most reward from introducing people, adults and children alike, to the science and practice of neuropsychology. Sadly, our discipline is not well publicized so the general public misses out on the opportunity to consider brain-behavior relationships in healthcare and in everyday life.

Q. What would readers be most surprised to learn about you?
A. I am a pretty good rollerblader! Helmeted, of course.