Become a Neuropsychologist

Neuropsychologists are responsible for studying the relationship between the brain and people's behavior, combining behavioral and psychological methods to evaluate a given patient in relation to both healthy and unhealthy central nervous system performance. Typically, neuropsychologists work in a variety of settings and treat or study patients suffering from various types of brain injury, including, but not limited to, strokes, genetic disorders, and cancer. There is a fair amount of variance from one country to another with regards to the educational and training requirements necessary to become a practicing neuropsychologist. In America, the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) is the primary institution that grants board certification. If you are unsure what the requirements are for your country, you can find out more information by searching online for psychology boards in your region. Learning the educational and training requirements to become a neuropsychologist can help get you started in a highly-rewarding field.

Steps

Getting an Education

1. Take relevant classes in high school. If you're considering a career in neuropsychology, it's important to begin your education as early as possible. If your high school offers courses in psychology or statistics, those may be useful, as you will need to take coursework in those fields in college.
2. Learn about neuropsychology. If you think you'd like to pursue a career in neuropsychology, it's a good idea to read relevant books on the subject to ensure you're interested in the field. Some good sources (which are often used in college programs) include:
   • Neuropsychological Assessment by Lezak, Howieson, Bigler, & Tranel. The book is currently in its fifth edition and has been an educational staple since the first edition was published in 1976.
   • Clinical Neuropsychology by Kenneth M. Heilman & Edward Valenstein. The book, also in its fifth edition, covers most of the neurobehavioral syndromes likely to be encountered by practicing neuropsychologists.
3. Earn a bachelor's degree. Many students wishing to pursue a career in neuropsychology begin by majoring in psychology or clinical psychology, though some students choose to major in pre-med, neuroscience, or biology during their undergraduate studies. If you wish to go on to specialize in neuropsychology, it's important that you take relevant courses during your undergraduate education. Anyone looking for undergraduate or graduate programs in American may find Careers In Psychology's comprehensive program database very helpful, though any online search engine will help prospective students find a program in any region. Sample coursework should involve classes in:
   • clinical psychology
   • neuroscience
   • behavioral psychology
   • cognitive psychology
   • psychological research and assessment
   • statistics
4. Earn a master's degree. Some doctoral programs allow students to go from undergraduate studies directly to doctoral studies, but many require students to earn a master's degree first. Psychology Career Center's website offers a comprehensive listing of university programs that specialize in neuropsychology.
   • If you're planning on going on for a doctoral degree (which you most likely will need to), it may be worth looking at the requirements for programs you're interested in. If you find a doctoral program that interests you, look at their requirements to see if you need a master's degree, or if you can enter the program directly from an undergraduate program.
   • Talk to faculty members you've worked with in the Psychology Department, either in your undergraduate or master's program, and let them know about your interests. They may be able to offer you guidance on how to find a program, and what that program's requirements are.
5. Find a doctoral program. Some students may be able to secure employment in the field of neuropsychology after earning a master's degree, but the majority of students will need to earn a doctoral degree. You can find accredited doctoral programs by searching online, or by using National Register of Health Service Psychologists's listing by state/province for North American universities.
   • Make sure that the doctoral program you choose is accredited by either the American Psychological Association or the Canadian Psychological Association.
6. Earn a doctoral degree. The two most common doctoral degrees leading to a career in neuropsychology are a PhD in clinical psychology or a Psy.D in clinical psychology. Students wishing to specialize in neuropsychology should take plenty of neuroscience courses during their doctoral studies.
7. Complete an internship in neuropsychology. The location and type of post-doctoral internship you choose will vary considerably, depending on whether you wish to specialize in research or clinical work. Make sure that the chosen internship meets the American Psychological Association's (APA) terms of eligibility. Students residing or studying in other parts of the world should ensure that the internship and experience accrued after earning a degree satisfy their regional certification board's requirements. In general, internships can be found by searching through an accredited institution or certification board's website, such as The Association of Psychology Postdoctoral and Internship Centers (APPIC). The APA requires that all internships:
   • specialize in psychology
   • provide a broad spectrum of experience that will meet the intended goals and objectives of an eligible training program
   • be an integral part of the institution or agency where the internship takes place
   • offer an equivalent of one year's worth of full-time training, taking place over the course of at least 12 months (10 months for internships in school psychology) but not to exceed 24 months
   • teach students respect and understanding for cultural as well as individual diversity
   • provide interns with the institution's written policies and procedures, requirements, performance evaluation and feedback, and generally adheres to staff and interns' rights and responsibilities

Passing the EPPP and Getting Licensed

1. Understand for the EPPP. After completing the educational requirements and the post-doctoral internship, you will have to pass the Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP). The EPPP is a broad examination that is required for anyone wishing to practice in any field of psychology and is mandatory for anyone wishing to practice in any of the 62 jurisdictions in the United States and Canada.
   • As of 2011, the EPPP consists of 225 multiple-choice questions, 175 operational questions, and 50 pretest items. All answers are supported by Practice Analyses.
   • Prospective neuropsychologists who wish to take the EPPP must pay a $450 exam fee and a $65 fee to the testing center where the EPPP is taken.
2. Study in all eight content areas. There are eight primary content areas covered in the EPPP. Prospective neuropsychologists must become well-versed in each content area in order to pass the exam. Experts recommend prioritizing study materials, as prospective candidates will invariably have a greater knowledge in some areas of content than in others.
   • Biological Bases of Behavior - this content area covers biological and neural sources of behavior. It may include the use and abuse of drugs, pharmacological and somatic applications in treating a variety of mental disorders, and how a range of factors (including cultural, environmental, and experiential) can affect an individual in conjunction with certain biological factors.
   • Cognitive-Affective Bases of Behavior - this content area covers behavior influenced by cognition. It may include various models and theories of learning, motivation, and memory, as well as psychosocial influences as factors that influence behavior.
   • Social & Cultural Bases of Behavior - this content area covers social cognition and perception as influences on behavior. It may include social interaction and group dynamics, evolutionary theories regarding social behavior, and social-cultural issues such as gender, race, ethnicity, disability, and sexual orientation.
   • Growth & Lifespan Development - this content area covers the normal growth and development of healthy vs. unhealthy individuals. It may include various theories of development, as well as interactions between genetics and environment in influencing healthy and unhealthy individuals.
   • Assessment & Diagnosis - this content area covers psychometric theory, assessment theories, as well as the ways psychologists may select assessment methods and interpret data.
   • Treatment, Intervention, Prevention, & Supervision - this content area covers contemporary theories and models of intervention and supervision, as well as consultation models and processes available to practicing psychologists.
   • Research Methods & Statistics - this content area covers best practices for sampling and collecting data, designing and implementing research, and analyzing/interpreting statistics.
   • Ethical, Legal, & Professional Issues - this content area deals with the ethical principles and codes of conduct outlined by the APA/CPA.
3. Pass the EPPP. Test takers have four hours and fifteen minutes to complete the exam. In order the pass the EPPP and become certified, prospective neuropsychologists must receive a minimum score of 500, which is earned by answering about 70% of the exam questions correctly.
4. Document relevant didactic experiences. Didactic learning experiences usually involve the student being given both verbal and written feedback on his treatment methods. Applicants in neuropsychology must document didactic experience in eight core knowledge areas, most of which will have been fulfilled during the course of the applicant's graduate education. Additional sources of didactic experience include educational activities like seminars and conferences. The relevant documentation must be submitted to the American Board of Professional Psychology to attain specialty certification in neuropsychology. The eight core knowledge areas are:
   • basic neurosciences
   • functional neuroanatomy
   • neuropathology
   • clinical neurology
   • psychological assessment
   • clinical neuropsychological assessment
   • psychopathology
   • psychological intervention
5. Maintain certification. All neuropsychologists who become board certified on or after January 1, 2015 must work toward maintenance of certification (MOC) by engaging in continued education and professional activities, and must complete a self-evaluation once every ten years.
   • Examples of continuing education include approved online courses (on topics like professional development, ethics, etc.), or by taking APA examinations based on articles, books, or newsletters.
   • Examples of qualifying professional activities include teaching and research projects.
6. Find work as a neuropsychologist. Neuropsychologists who have completed board certification can find job listings on the Association for Psychological Science's Employment Network's website, as well as other online resources for practicing psychologists.

Getting Certified Outside of North America

1. Learn how to get certified in Europe. EuroPsy, the board certification standard for European psychologists, has its own set of educational and professional requirements. Psychologists who wish to apply for EuroPsy certification may contact their country's National Awarding Committee (NAC) for specifics on EuroPsy requirements and the certification process.
2. Learn how to get certified in Australia. The Psychology Board of Australia is the board certification standard for Australian psychologists. Australian psychologists must take the National Psychology Exam in order to become certified. Applicants have three and a half hours to complete the exam, which consists of 150 multiple choice questions. The exam covers ethics, assessment, intervention, and communication strategies. The exam will effectively test the applicant's knowledge in assessment approaches, selecting and implementing intervention strategies, communication and reporting skills, and ethical/professional reasoning.
   • Applicants must get at least 70% of the questions correct in order to pass the examination.
3. Learn how to get certified in smaller countries. Certain smaller nations, including New Zealand, do not have specific post-graduate programs specific to neuropsychology. Instead, graduates who have completed a graduate program (earning either a masters degree or a doctoral degree) in Clinical Psychology must then complete training, research, and internships with a specialization in neuropsychology.

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