Information on Continuing Education at APM e. V.
The Academy for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy (APM) e. V. is an association of authorized physicians recognized by the Berlin Medical Association. It provides continuing medical education leading to specialist recognition as a Specialist in Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy as well as the additional qualifications Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis in accordance with the guidelines of the Berlin Medical Association. In addition, the APM provides the medical qualification Basic Psychosomatic Care.
The APM provides those components that are not offered by the respective training institution itself, such as theoretical instruction, external supervision, Balint groups, and self-experience.
Essentials:
Theory: Free of charge and during working hours.
Supervision: Free of charge, during working hours, and at the training institution.
The APM regards the continuing education regulations as a legal safeguard for physicians in training. Under current regulations of the Medical Association, the required training content in a medical specialty must be offered and completed within the framework of employment subject to social security contributions, with a position of at least 50%.
Accordingly, specialist training at the APM takes place during regular working hours at the training institution (practice or clinic). In principle, outsourcing mandatory components of specialist training to activities outside regular employment is not permitted and, following individual review, requires approval by the Medical Association in order to be recognized. Optional acquisition of knowledge may, of course, be pursued in consultation with the authorized training physician according to individual preferences and personal interests, but cannot be credited toward the requirements stipulated in the continuing education regulations.
Registration with the APM must take place before the planned training period begins. Upon registration, physicians are added to the APM email distribution list and thus receive timely information about relevant training dates and events.
Participation is documented in the APM's annual logbook. The logbooks are maintained and kept personally by the physicians in training. The documented content forms the basis for the final certificate issued upon completion of training, which is required for registration for the examination with the Berlin Medical Association.
The authorized physicians cooperating within the APM inform physicians in training about the structure and content of the current continuing education regulations of the Berlin Medical Association.
Physicians in training should participate continuously and regularly in the lectures and seminars offered as part of the curriculum. Collegial exchange among participants is encouraged. Any changes to the content or schedule of the curriculum will be announced on the APM website (www.apm-berlin.de) and can be viewed there at any time.
Theoretical instruction as well as regular and continuous personal internal supervision are provided free of charge.
The authorized physicians ensure that physicians in training can participate continuously and regularly in the lectures and seminars of the curriculum during their agreed working hours. Additional sessions in the evenings or on weekends are not required as part of standard specialist training. Such additional external activities may, of course, be pursued voluntarily without restriction.
Physicians in training should complete Balint group work, individual self-experience, and group self-experience with recognized APM instructors. We particularly recommend at least one year of co-therapy in group psychotherapy, where possible with the respective authorized training physician, as this is especially valuable for acquiring specialist knowledge, experience, and skills.
Physicians in training receive appropriate remuneration based on applicable collective pay scales. The aim is to avoid additional personal financial burdens or to reduce them to a minimum.
As a general rule, only training content completed during the registered period within the framework of the APM and with appropriately recognized instructors can be officially recognized and certified.
The physicians cooperating within the APM see it as their responsibility to ensure high-quality medical training and to prepare physicians in training as effectively as possible for their future independent medical practice in patient care.
