How to find a qualified Neuropsychologist
Clinicians who complete neuropsychological evaluation services have variable training and experience. It’s important that you do your homework to select the right clinician for your child. You don’t want to waste time, money, and resources.
An easy way to see your clinician’s training and experience is to find their CV on their website. It is common practice to make this available.
Consider these factors for the clinician:
- Training and experience – here are the expected stages of training to become a neuropsychologist:
- Required education – The clinician first completes graduate studies to earn a PhD or PsyD within the field of Psychology.
- Supervised clinical training – After completing a doctoral degree, the clinician begins full-time, supervised patient care, and this should focus on neuropsychology services. Both a Predoctoral Internship and Postdoctoral Fellowship are required (2-3 years). If your child has a medical condition, be sure the clinician has experience in pediatric healthcare or a hospital.
- Board certification in neuropsychology – Once a clinician has finished a Postdoctoral Fellowship and psychology licensure requirements, they are eligible to practice neuropsychology independently. Although not required, some clinicians become certified by a national board in neuropsychology. This is a rigorous process in which the clinician must take a written exam, oral exam, and submit work samples to experts in the field of neuropsychology.
There are different boards in neuropsychology (and some competition among them!). When a clinician is certified, sometimes they are called a diplomate. You can visit the main boarding websites to learn more, and two have directories to search by location or name:
- American Board of Professional Psychology – Clinical Neuropsychology (ABPP-CN), also called American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN)
- American Academy of Professional Neuropsychology (ABN)
- American Board of Pediatric Neuropsychology (ABPdN)
- No directory at this time
You can also ask the clinician questions to get a sense of how they approach the evaluation. Some may be open to talking to you by phone or email in advance of a first appointment.
Consider these factors for the evaluation:
- Test selection – too much testing can be stressful for your child. It’s important that your clinician selects the right tests to answer questions and concerns. A well-trained clinician can complete the evaluation efficiently because they understand the sensitivity and specificity of the test measures they give. They don’t need to administer extra testing.
- Cost – Be sure to ask your clinician about how cost is determined, as this will allow you to decide if it’s a good fit for your family. Cost can be related to the amount of testing, and/or the amount of time it takes to write the final report. Know what you are paying for and ask questions.
Neuropsychological interpretation, not neuropsychological tests!
- It is a common misconception that it is the tests included in an evaluation that define the evaluation as neuropsychological. The most important factor is how the tests are interpretated. Even a short battery of tests can be very valuable to a well-trained neuropsychologist.
- Test results need to be interpreted within the context of behavioral observations, developmental/medical/educational history, family environment, and other variables.
- There are expected and unexpected patterns in the test results that should be explained in the report. And the risks and protective factors for developmental delays, differences, and disorders need to be identified as well.
Do your homework before your first appointment with a neuropsychologist. And during your first parent meeting, be curious and ask your questions. You want to feel a connection with the clinician, and you need to trust their expertise!
Book a consultation with one of our training neuropsychologist here: https://pedneurocenter.com/contact/
