Before you look for a Boston Neuropsychologist, I recommend that you review information about the training standards and guidelines for becoming a neuropsychologist. This information may help you identify a qualified professional to work with you.
Defining a Neuropsychologist is not always as simple as it seems like it would be.
Many definitions focus on what Neuropsychologists “DO” as a way to define them. However, in defining a Neuropsychologist, it seems more important to start with the education and training standards that one should meet before practicing as a Neuropsychologist. What Neuropsychologists “DO” will be discussed in a future post.
While Neuropsychologists are also Psychologists, very few Psychologists are Neuropsychologists. Neuropsychology is a specialty area of psychology that requires extensive education, training and experience to obtain an acceptable level of competency to practice. Professional organizations in neuropsychology have delineated minimal standards for education and training that should be met in order to call oneself a Neuropsychologist and to practice clinical neuropsychology.
Understanding these minimal standards can be important for patients and referring parties as doing so may increase the likelihood of locating a neuropsychologist who meets minimal training standards to practice neuropsychology. It should be noted, however, that since neuropsychology is relatively new field, many of the current standards did not exist prior to the late 1990’s. As such, these standards should not be applied to clinicians who completed training prior to mid to later 1990’s.
Training Standards & Guidelines:
In Neuropsychology, guidelines set forth by a committee of neuropsychologists at what is known as the Houston Conference are considered by many to be the gold standard for training neuropsychologists. The Houston Conference committee was comprised of 37 clinical neuropsychologists and 5 additional delegates who attended as representatives of the sponsoring neuropsychological organizations. The committee members and delegates convened in Houston in September1997, ultimately generating minimal training standards for neuropsychology known as the Houston Conference guidelines.
The Houston Conference guidelines include the following requirements:
- Doctoral level training in clinical neuropsychology at a regionally accredited institution.
- A pre-doctoral internship (usually one full-time year) at an internship program that has been approved by the American Psychological Association or the Canadian Psychological Association and that includes specific training in clinical neuropsychology.
- A two-year, post-doctoral residency (fellowship) in clinical neuropsychology.
- Note that exit criteria from residency include:
- Eligibility for state or provincial licensure or certification for the independent practice of psychology.
- Eligibility for board certification in clinical neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.
Another frequently cited position paper on training standards in clinical neuropsychology comes from a national professional neuropsychology organization: National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN). NAN set forth the following minimal training standards for those psychologists completing training in 2001 or later:
1. A doctoral degree in psychology from an accredited university training program.
2. An internship, or its equivalent, in a clinically relevant area of professional psychology.
3. The equivalent of two full-time years of experience and specialized training, at least one of which is at the post-doctoral level, in the study and practice of clinical neuropsychology and related neurosciences. These two years include supervision by a clinical neuropsychologist.
4. A license in his or her state or province to practice psychology and/or clinical neuropsychology independently, or is employed as a neuropsychologist by an exempt agency.
These guidelines may aid patients and referring parties in identifying a neuropsychologist who meets minimal training standards. Determining whether a provider meets the Houston Conference guidelines or the guidelines put forth by NAN may be one step in the process of identifying a suitable neuropsychologist.
If you are looking for a clinical neuropsychologist in the greater Boston, MA or Newton, MA areas, Commonwealth Psychology Associates (CPA) may be able to help. CPA employs only neuropsychologists who meet the Houston Conference and NAN guidelines. To learn about CPA’s neuropsychological testing services in Boston or Newton, please visit the CPA website. Also, you can read more about each of the Neuropsychologists at CPA on the same website.
If you would like to visit a similar website with additional information about neuropsychology and neuroscience, visit our sister site at Neuropsychology Boston.
