The proportion of members in the American Psychoanalytic Association who are not certified is growing steadily and is likely to become a majority in the near future. The annual decrement in the total number of certified members seems to be growing rapidly, primarily due to the fact that we are an aging membership; loss of older members from death, resignation, and suspension means loss from a group wherein most are certified.
The following data have been provided by Joan Abramowitz and Brian Canty of the APsaA central office. From 1991 through 1994, there were approximately 80 new graduates from adult training each year from all institutes combined, of whom approximately 60, or 75 percent, applied for membership, approximately 30 applied for certification, and approximately 26 (87 percent) were certified.
The average loss of certified members for each of the last two years was 52. Therefore, the average net decrement per year in the total number of certified members was 52 minus 26, or 26. In 1996-97, 43 certified members were lost from death, resignation, and suspension. Nineteen were newly certified in that year so the net decrement was 24. The average decrement of 26 is approximately two percent of the total of 1,531 certified members in 1997. While this loss is not cause for alarm in the short term, since the annual loss grows rapidly (the loss in 1993 was 29, the loss in 1994 was 40, and the loss in 1996-97 was 91) and the number of newly certified members remains approximately constant, or may be decreasing (only 19 were newly certified in 1996-97), there is cause for concern for the longer term.
The increase in non-certified members may accentuate the problematic two-tier character of our membership and reduce the number of applicants for training analyst status. Concern for the future of our organization leads me to suggest an investigation of recently appointed members. Comparing those who have applied for certification with those who have not and do not intend to do so, we can identify the difficulties that underlie the lack of interest in applying for certification and can strive to address the relevant issues.
Joseph Schachter