Career Overview
Assess and diagnose patients with neurobehavioral problems related to acquired or developmental disorders of the nervous system, such as neurodegenerative disorders, traumatic brain injury, seizure disorders, and learning disabilities. Recommend treatment after diagnosis, such as therapy, medication, or surgery. Assist with evaluation before and after neurosurgical procedures, such as deep brain stimulation.
Also Known As
- Clinical Neuropsychologist
- Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychologist
- Pediatric Neuropsychologist
- Staff Psychologist
Alternate Job Titles
- Adult Neuropsychologist
- Aviation Neuropsychologist
- Board Certified Clinical Neuropsychologist
- Clinical Neuropsychologist
- Neuropsychology Medical Consultant
- Pediatric Clinical Neuropsychologist
- Pediatric Neuropsychologist
- Staff Psychologist
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Interview patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories.
- Write or prepare detailed clinical neuropsychological reports, using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct observations, or interviews.
- Conduct neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory.
- Diagnose and treat conditions involving injury to the central nervous system, such as cerebrovascular accidents, neoplasms, infectious or inflammatory diseases, degenerative diseases, head traumas, demyelinating diseases, and various forms of dementing illnesses.
- Diagnose and treat pediatric populations for conditions such as learning disabilities with developmental or organic bases.
- Provide education or counseling to individuals and families.
- Distinguish between psychogenic and neurogenic syndromes, two or more suspected etiologies of cerebral dysfunction, or between disorders involving complex seizures.
Emerging Responsibilities
As this field evolves, you may also:
- Provide feedback to patients and their families on the results of neuropsychological evaluations and recommendations.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Psychology
- Therapy and Counseling
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Biology
- Customer and Personal Service
- Mathematics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Active Listening
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Social Perceptiveness
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Speaking
- Complex Problem Solving
- Writing
- Active Learning
- Service Orientation
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Deductive Reasoning
- Inductive Reasoning
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
- Category Flexibility
- Speech Recognition
- Speech Clarity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Attention to Detail
- Integrity
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 2 years, up to and including 4 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- IBM SPSS Statistics
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Auditory stimulation equipment
- Block pattern sets
- Computer laser printers
- Desktop computers
- Facial electromyography equipment
- Grip testing devices
- Laptop computers
- Laser facsimile machines
- Pegboards
- Personal computers
- Photocopying equipment
- Pocket smell tests
- Respiration measurement equipment
- Skin conductance testing equipment
- Visual stimulation test equipment
Work Environment
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Freedom to Make Decisions
- Spend Time Sitting
Salary & Job Market
Wages reported for the broader Psychologists, All Other occupational group (BLS 2024), which includes Clinical Neuropsychologists.
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $51,410 |
| Median | $117,580 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $163,570 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 17,790
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Neuropsychologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: $117,580
Psychiatrists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
Neurologists
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: >$239,200
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
Pediatricians, General
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: $210,130
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.