AOBNP Neurology & Psychiatry study guide
AOBNP Neurology & Psychiatry · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The American Osteopathic Board of Neurology and Psychiatry (AOBNP) is an AOA specialty certifying board that offers initial primary board certification in Neurology and in Psychiatry, listed on its site alongside subspecialty pathways including Neurophysiology, Child/Adolescent Psychiatry, Geriatric Psychiatry, and conjoint certificates in Addiction Medicine, Hospice/Palliative Medicine, and Sleep Medicine. Candidates are osteopathic physicians completing the AOBNP certification process, which the board describes as including required exams and eligibility criteria; eligibility details, board policies, test accommodations, and remote exam preparation information are published on the board's own pages. The initial Neurology and initial Psychiatry exams are administered on April 15, 2027, with the application window running October 15, 2026 through March 15, 2027. Certification is maintained afterward through Osteopathic Continuous Certification (OCC), whose components include a longitudinal assessment. Topics on this exam: Neurology and Psychiatry. The AOBNP Neurology & Psychiatry study guide has 2 sections and about 568 words.
01Neurology: Localization, Vascular Syndromes, and Emergencies
The neurology section rewards a disciplined anatomic localization before any diagnostic leap. Work top-down: mental status and language, cranial nerves, motor (tone, power, reflexes), sensory, coordination, and gait. Distinguish upper vs lower motor neuron signs (spasticity, hyperreflexia, Babinski vs atrophy, fasciculations, areflexia). Know the classic stroke syndromes: middle cerebral artery (contralateral face/arm weakness, aphasia if dominant), posterior circulation (vertigo, diplopia, dysarthria, crossed findings), and lacunar patterns (pure motor, pure sensory).
281 words, about 1 min02Psychiatry: Diagnosis, Risk Assessment, and Treatment Selection
Psychiatry questions test syndromic reasoning and safety . Know the defining features of major depressive disorder (≥2 weeks, depressed mood/anhedonia plus neurovegetative symptoms, impairment), bipolar I vs II (mania vs hypomania, no psychotic features in hypomania), schizophrenia (≥6 months with ≥1 month active symptoms, functional decline), and anxiety disorders. Understand substance withdrawal timelines (alcohol and benzodiazepine withdrawal can be life-threatening; opioid withdrawal is distressing but rarely fatal). Be comfortable with first-line pharmacotherapy and its risks: SSRIs for depression/anxiety (serotonin syndrome, hyponatremia, discontinuation), mood stabilizers for bipolar (lithium toxicity, renal/thyroid effects; valproate teratogenicity), and antipsychotics (metabolic effects, EPS, NMS).
287 words, about 1 min