What Are Board-Certified Providers for ADHD?

What Does Board Certified Mean?

Medical school is a rigorous process that involves years of education and training. Physicians graduate from these programs prepared to treat patients and prescribe medications.

However, certain specialties require additional education and training. For these areas of medicine, physicians can opt to complete that extra work and achieve the highest level of accreditation within the specialty: board certification.

Board certification isn’t mandatory for physicians. Instead, they opt to do it in order to further their mastery within a certain specialty. This typically involves postgraduate training, followed by written and oral examinations that are reviewed by peers in their chosen specialty. If they complete these steps and successfully prove their competency and knowledge, they receive board certification.

Physicians aren’t the only ones who go through a board certification process, however. Nurse practitioners must also complete years of education and training before undergoing a rigorous board certification process in their chosen specialty, such as Psychiatric-Mental Health Nurse Practitioners (PMHNPs).

‍

Why Is it Important to See a Board-Certified Provider for ADHD?

ADHD is a highly complex neurodevelopmental disorder. It’s not something that can be easily diagnosed with a simple test. Instead, it involves a detailed assessment with a wide variety of factors to take into account. This is where being board certified can make a significant impact on the level of care that you receive when seeking a diagnosis.

Importantly, clinicians must be able rule out other possible conditions that may cause ADHD-like symptoms before formulating a diagnosis. For example, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, depression, anxiety and certain medical conditions can all have symptoms that appear to be similar to ADHD.

A board-certified provider, on the other hand, will know precisely how to evaluate your symptoms with detailed assessments, interviews with close family or friends, psychological testing, and more. Their advanced level of expertise in their specialty allows them to make an informed and confident diagnosis about whether you have ADHD and get you on the right track with a personalized treatment plan.

‍

Which Board Certifications Are Best for Treating ADHD?

There are numerous board certifications available for medical professionals. Board certification does not automatically make a clinician more qualified to treat ADHD. Instead, it's important to look for clinicians with a board certification which makes them an expert in your specific condition.

When it comes to treating ADHD, board-certified clinicians are generally the most qualified option available. These professionals have extensive training in psychiatry, so they have a much deeper level of knowledge not only regarding ADHD, but also other psychiatric conditions like bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder, and addiction and substance abuse disorders. This is important in ensuring an accurate diagnosis, especially when ADHD symptoms present along with another psychiatric diagnosis.

Besides psychiatry, neurology is another field of specialty that can be beneficial for ADHD treatment because the condition involves biological differences in the brain and may have overlapping symptoms with some neurological issues, such as sleep apnea and migraines. However, training in ADHD isn't a given in neurology the way it is with psychiatry. Many board-certified neurologists specialize in brain injuries and diseases affecting the brain and spinal cord, so it's important to make sure any neurologist you see has a reasonable level of ADHD expertise.

‍

Are Done Clinicians Board Certified?

Yes! The clinicians for our ADHD telehealth clinic are licensed and board-certified medical practitioners who have the necessary expertise to diagnose and treat ADHD. Every one of our clinicians has been fully vetted and has considerable education and training in ADHD diagnosis and treatment.

When you reach out to us at Done, you’ll start with a quick, one-minute online assessment to make sure Done can help you. Next, you’ll get a 30-minute appointment with one of our licensed clinicians. They’ll be able to provide a full evaluation and use their ADHD expertise to give you the correct diagnosis. Then, if you choose to become a Done member, your clinician will help with setting up a treatment plan, including prescribing ADHD medication that works for your needs.

If you want to make sure you get the best level of care, connect with our board-certified and licensed ADHD clinicians at Done today.