CAQ-Psychiatry

It is an ABPN Certification of Added Qualifications, a subspecialty credential earned on top of primary psychiatry certification. ABPN lists continuing certification examinations in Consultation-Liaison, Geriatric, Forensic, and Addiction Psychiatry. Confirm the specific subspecialty and its requirements on ABPN's own pages, since this page is independent study material.

The source material available to us does not state the item count, time limit, or format for the CAQ examinations, so we do not publish a figure. ABPN administers computer-based testing at Pearson; see the ABPN Computer-Based Testing at Pearson FAQs and the ABPN Exam Schedule for authoritative details before you plan your test day.

Treat it as a subspecialty-level examination written for fellowship-trained psychiatrists, not a repeat of general psychiatry boards. Difficulty concentrates in applying guidelines and evidence to complex cases rather than recalling isolated facts. Build depth in your declared subspecialty and expect questions that require clinical judgment under time pressure.

The retrieved source does not state a retake policy, number of attempts, or waiting period, so we cannot give a figure. Check the ABPN Initial Certification FAQs and your Physician Portal record for the rules that apply to your examination. Plan your first attempt as if it is the only one until you have confirmed otherwise.

Deadlines are examination-specific. ABPN's homepage currently lists 11/23 deadlines for March 2027 continuing certification examinations in Consultation-Liaison, Geriatric, Forensic, and Addiction Psychiatry, all based on 11:59 pm CT. Confirm your own subspecialty's deadline and application window on the ABPN Exam Schedule rather than relying on this summary.

Starting in 2025, the required number of article exams in the Article-Based Continuing Certification (ABCC) Pathway is 20 every three years for each certification. ABPN describes this as simplifying tracking for diplomates holding two or more certifications. See the ABCC FAQs for how article exams are assigned and recorded.

Start with the content blueprint for your subspecialty, then work through a major subspecialty textbook section by section while running practice questions on each topic you finish. Add recent guidelines and landmark trials late in preparation, then shift to timed mixed blocks in the final weeks to build stamina and expose weak areas.

Studying general psychiatry broadly instead of the subspecialty blueprint, reading passively without question practice, and ignoring guideline updates are the usual culprits. Others include never rehearsing timed blocks, misreading multi-part vignettes, and applying for a date before confirming eligibility and deadlines in the ABPN Physician Portal.

The retrieved source does not state a validity period for CAQ certificates. ABPN diplomates maintain certification through Continuing Certification requirements, which are described in the CC Program FAQs and tracked in the Physician Portal. Verify your certificate's status and expiration using ABPN verifyCERT rather than assuming a fixed term.