ANCDS Certification FAQ

Q: Do I need to be ASHA certified in order to be board certified from ANCDS?

You need to be ASHA certified (CCC) or hold current licensure in speech language pathology in order to apply for board certification. Once you’ve achieved board certification, you can maintain it even if you let your ASHA certification lapse, as long as you satisfy the continuing education requirements for recertification every three (3) years.

Q: If I am a speech-language pathologist outside of the USA, can I apply for board certification?

Yes. Individuals from Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom may be eligible to apply for board certification. Click here for details. Speech-language pathologists from other countries may also be eligible, but will need to contact [email protected] for instructions on how to proceed with their application.

Q: What is the cost to apply for certification?

The application fee is $125 for members and $210 for non-members.

Q: When initially applying for certification, how many hours of continuing education do I need to submit with my application materials?

You will be required to submit 60 hours of continuing education that have been earned in the three (3) years leading up to your application.

Q: How long is the process once an application is submitted?

Once the application is submitted and approved, the candidate will have a total of two (2) years to complete the process. The chair of the Board of Clinical Certification will be in constant touch with the candidate to communicate the deadlines for each of the steps during the process starting from submission of first case (within three to four [3-4] months after the congratulatory email from the chair) to the completion of the last step (the oral defense). The timeline for each step between submission of cases and receiving responses from reviewers for initial submissions/requested revisions can vary between four to eight (4-8) weeks depending on various factors, and will be adjusted at the discretion of the chair.

Q: I am not yet a member but would like to become one and receive the discounted rate. How do I become an ANCDS member?

You can apply for membership here.

Q: What are some tips as I develop my case study?

We have provided some samples of case studies. Click here.

You may also find Episode 6 of the ANCDS podcasts helpful. This podcast covers the Board Certification process and helpful suggestions for writing a successful case study.

Q: Can I submit similar cases for both case studies?

Try to submit two different types of cases. For example, if the first case study was focused on AAC treatment for apraxia, the second could focus on AAC treatment for dysarthria.

Q: Can someone have access to a mentor? Or perhaps the committee could create a few short info videos to put on the site?

ANCDS does not have an official mentor program, but potential candidates can reach out to certified members who can mentor them until/before they decide to apply (they can’t be mentored during the process). Mentorship will focus on general details on how to select a case and about the process. Group mentorship by certified members will be announced periodically through ANCDS social media sites.

Q: What are the benefits of becoming certified?

While there may not be a large monetary benefit, some organizations will use the board certification for promotion purposes. By obtaining BC-ANCDS, you will be recognized as an authority in the field of neurogenic communication disorders, which will result in opening more doors such as ASHA presentations, being invited to present at local organizations, getting more referrals, etc.

Q: Is there a recertification process?

Learn more about the recertification process here.

For more information on the ANCDS board certification process, listen to the podcast: Board Certification Process.