The question of the delinkage of certification and membership in the American Psychoanalytic Association is being discussed at a time when many factors fuel our concern for the maintenance of standards in our profession.

Many groups here and abroad express an interest in psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic training, but sometimes enthusiasm is admixed with unrealistic ideas and expectations. It is our difficult task to assess particular situations while remaining receptive to all the positive aspects of new developments. I believe that the specific issue of certification and membership in the American deserves itself some delinkage from these broader concerns.

The standards for graduation from the local component institutes are generally such that graduates qualify for membership. If there is some concern about maintenance of standards, our Association has a tradition of using existing institutional “tools” to address and redress such issues. As in other areas of specialization, certification can be a prerequisite for those who wish to undertake certain educational functions, but membership in The American should be available to all graduates of component local institutes.