How to become A Neuropsychologist

• Brain Disorder Psychologist
• Clinical Neuropsychologist

What do Neuropsychologists do?

A Neuropsychologist would typically need to:

• Fulfill job duties specific to working either in a laboratory or in a clinical setting, as well as carry out activities common to both work environments
• Devise and conduct experiments in the lab with healthy as well as unhealthy human and non-human subjects to shed light on the functioning of the brain and to devise experimental treatments for specific brain injuries
• Track the progress of participants receiving the experimental treatment in the lab and report on methods, findings and successful therapies in respected publications
• Collect and analyze lab results as well as preliminary data to better understand brain-based conditions that impact cognitive, emotional and behavioral functioning
• Perform diagnostic tests in a clinical setting to differentiate a neurogenic disorder from a psychogenic ailment so as to help assess and evaluate persons who either overtly display symptoms of brain injuries or are suspected of having abnormal brain functioning
• Oversee clinical testing that uses positron emission tomography (PET scan), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and other sophisticated brain scans
• Provide counseling sessions, psychotherapy, and behavioral therapy in the clinic to patients with neurological ailments
• Design and implement rehabilitation strategies in the clinic for patients with cognitive challenges, and establish standards for tracking their recovery progress, updating them on their mental health condition and providing expert advice on how to recover
• Develop measures, both in the lab and clinical setting, for tracking long term cerebral illnesses as well as standards for ensuring recovery
• Consult with pharmaceutical companies that develop drugs affecting the central nervous system, perform evaluative duties in a forensic context, in addition to supervising and guiding the activities of psychology trainees and interns in both the lab and clinical setting

Neuropsychologists may work in a lab or a clinical setting. Patients feel most comfortable with Neuropsychologists who are dressed in business casual, conservative clothing. Wearing a white lab coat might intimidate the patients who are in a vulnerable state.

Neuropsychologists employed in hospitals or other healthcare facilities may have evening or weekend shifts. Most have full-time schedules during regular business hours.

Those in private practice often set their hours; many work part-time as independent consultants. You may work evenings or weekends to accommodate clients.

You may choose to open a private practice and treat patients in your office or work as consultants.

Neuropsychologists are generally employed by:

• Private or Government Research Facilities
• Universities
• Mental Health Clinics
• Hospitals
• Physicians’ Offices
• Pharmaceutical Companies
• Insurance Companies

Neuropsychologists are members of professional organizations that advocate for the profession, support high standards, promote community wellbeing, and are dedicated to providing benefits to support members.

• An overemphasis on the biological basis of behavior as well as an emphasis on quantitative and evidence-based practices which fail to capture “the whole person”
• Lack of consensual definitions for various domains of interest, which hinders research, poses communication challenges, or impedes the accumulation of knowledge about human behavior
• Impact of technology on practice and continued professional development

Most degree programs require the completion of many practicums and an internship or mentorship, most likely with a practicing Neuropsychologist. You may also be required to complete and present a doctoral dissertation.

Employers generally seek candidates with relevant work experience, including supervised internships where students perform relevant duties such as brain scans, working on a research team conducting drug tests, and teaching a Neuropsychology course as a graduate student.

Most students begin with a four-year bachelor’s degree in Psychology, pre-med, biology, or Neuroscience from a fully accredited college or university. The majority of aspiring Neuropsychologists will not be able to secure employment until they have earned a PhD in either Neuropsychology or Clinical Neuropsychology.

Most doctoral programs will accept candidates with a bachelor’s degree. An alternative is to earn a PhD in Clinical Psychology and follow up with a postdoctoral certificate program in Neuropsychology. It is also possible to study medicine before specializing in Neuropsychology in your final year.

Certification is not a compulsory requirement to work in Neuropsychology, but it will undoubtedly help your career advancement and earning potential. Where licensure is needed, typically graduation from a doctoral program, a certain amount of practical experience, and passing specific exams may be mandatory.

A qualified Neuropsychologist may specialize in Clinical, Experimental, Forensic, or Educational Psychology. You can conduct research either as a participant in a PhD program or as an employee of a research lab. You may get promoted to organize and lead research projects at universities.

Teaching is also an option. You may also choose to serve as a Product Design Consultant or Forensic Consultant. You may advise and consult with pharmaceutical companies on the development of drugs that could affect the central nervous system.

Candidates with a doctoral or education specialist degree and postdoctoral work experience will have the best job opportunities. There will be better opportunities for psychologists who specialize in working with the elderly and in rehabilitation psychology.

Neuropsychologists typically advance in their careers after establishing a large client base or receiving research grants. Neuropsychologists can enhance their opportunities by certifying with certain boards and academies.

To become certified, you would typically need to satisfy training requirements, pass an oral and written test, and complete a work evaluation sponsored by the relevant organization. Neuropsychologists in private practice may be required to satisfy licensing requirements in the location where they reside.

Specializations and Work Settings

Neuropsychology is a broad field with a wide range of choices for specializations and work settings. The majority of Neuropsychologists engage in research on the human brain, and how its physiological state affects social cognition and behavior. The research focuses on improving the diagnosis and treatment of currently known neurological disorders.

Some Neuropsychologists work alone, doing independent research, consulting with clients, or counseling patients. Others work as part of a healthcare team, including physicians, nurses, physical and occupational therapists, speech therapists, social workers, and the like.

And the Twine do Meet

There are a few responsibilities expected of a Neuropsychologist that are not exclusive to a lab or clinical setting. Neuropsychologists in either context may perform evaluative duties in a forensic capacity and mentor trainees and interns. They may consult with pharmaceutical companies that develop drugs affecting the central nervous system and devise measures to track long term cerebral illnesses and standards to ensure recovery.

Conducting Tests

Neuropsychologists may conduct tests on patients to measure mental faculties such as recall and recognition, follow directions, concentration, mood, personality, and language and mathematical skills. They do not cause any type of injury for experimental purposes. Neuropsychology studies those injuries that the patient has already sustained or the ones that resulted from surgeries.

Are you feeling tired? Go ahead and yawn. Yawning cools down the brain, research suggests. Sleep deprivation raises brain temperature.

A curious mind, a belief in change, and a caring personality make for a good Neuropsychologist. You may complain about the workload, but you will stand fast because discovering how the human mind works is the ultimate frontier. What’s more, when you act as if what you do makes a difference to those who need you - it does.

Don't become a mere recorder of facts; try to penetrate the mystery of their origin. Therapy is different from just having a chat with a buddy for 45 minutes; it’s an exhausting process emotionally as people lean on you heavily.