What does a Neuropsychologist Do?
Comprehensive Cognitive and Neuropsychological Testing
Comprehensive assessment is central to neuropsychology. This process typically involves several hours of standardized testing with validated instruments to measure cognitive domains such as memory, attention, processing speed, language, visuospatial skills, and executive functions like planning, flexibility, and problem-solving.
A skilled neuropsychologist interprets the results in the context of your age, education, background, medical history, and concerns, providing a nuanced understanding of your brain function.
Diagnosis and Treatment Recommendations
After the assessment, your neuropsychologist provides a comprehensive written report outlining the findings, diagnoses (if applicable), and specific recommendations. These may include referrals to other specialists, cognitive rehabilitation strategies, workplace or academic accommodations, or consultation with your physician regarding medication.
The goal is to provide clear answers. A thorough evaluation replaces uncertainty with accurate information, helping you understand your strengths and challenges and offering practical recommendations for treatment and future planning.
Collaborating with Your Healthcare Team
Neuropsychologists collaborate with other healthcare professionals. Their findings inform the work of neurologists, psychiatrists, primary care physicians, occupational therapists, physiatrists (PM&R), occupational health providers, pain management specialists, speech and language pathologists, physical therapists, mental health counselors, and more. Whether you are managing a complex condition, recovering from injury, or seeking clarity when standard treatments have not worked, a neuropsychological evaluation provides your care team with a comprehensive understanding.
The Training Path: How Neuropsychologists Develop Their Expertise
Doctoral Education and Specialized Internships
The path to becoming a neuropsychologist begins with a doctoral program, usually in clinical psychology, that lasts five to seven years and includes coursework, extensive clinical training, and a dissertation. Unlike medical doctors, who complete academic training before clinical work, psychology doctoral students integrate clinical training throughout graduate education. By the time a student reaches their predoctoral internship, they have often completed four or more years of hands-on clinical experience across multiple settings, conducting assessments and providing therapy to patients across the lifespan, and have accumulated about 1,000 supervised clinical hours before the internship begins.
The predoctoral internship, typically one year, serves as a final apprenticeship for clinicians who have already built substantial experience. Rather than introducing clinical work for the first time, it prepares future neuropsychologists for independent licensure, refining judgment and competency under close supervision. Not all states require a postdoctoral fellowship for licensure; some psychologists enter independent practice after internship. Fellowship is advanced, specialized training required for neuropsychology, but not for general psychology practice.
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Neuropsychology
After internship, a two-year postdoctoral fellowship is required. This stage transitions clinicians from generalists to specialists, emphasizing the interpretation of test results in the context of each individual’s daily life and care. Achieving this level of expertise requires significant time and experience.
Board Certification: The Highest Standard of Specialty Practice
After completing training and obtaining licensure, some neuropsychologists pursue board certification, which demonstrates advanced expertise. Fewer than one-third of neuropsychologists in the U.S. hold this certification, representing the highest standard in the field.
Why Board Certification Matters for Your Care
What the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology (ABN) Certification Process Involves
The American Board of Professional Neuropsychology (ABN) offers one of the recognized pathways to board certification in clinical neuropsychology. The process involves a rigorous application review, a challenging written examination that most candidates spend six to twelve months preparing for, submission and peer evaluation of practice samples and case materials, and an oral examination conducted by senior board-certified colleagues. Candidates must demonstrate advanced competency across the full scope of neuropsychological practice.
The American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) offers a parallel credential through its Clinical Neuropsychology specialty, which is also recognized as a gold standard in the field. Both pathways require candidates to move beyond basic licensure and submit to expert peer examinations of their clinical work.
Board-certified neuropsychologists are committed to ongoing education. They remain current with advances in brain science, research, and emerging treatments.
How Board Certification Protects Patients
When making decisions about brain health for yourself or a loved one, board certification offers meaningful assurance. It indicates that an independent panel of experts has reviewed the clinician’s work and confirmed advanced competency. This credential is earned, not simply claimed, and because of the rigor of the process, the average neuropsychologist takes two to three years to complete it.
For many professionals and families seeking care at Idaho Neuropsychology, this distinction is important. High standards are expected in all areas of life, and brain health deserves the same level of attention.
Board-certified neuropsychologists are relatively rare, especially in Idaho. To find verified board-certified providers, consult the American Board of Professional Neuropsychology directory at www.abn-board.com/find-a-doctor or the ABPP directory at www.abpp.org/directory (select Clinical Neuropsychology). These databases allow you to verify credentials directly.
Idaho Neuropsychology’s founder, Dr. Audie Black, is one of the few neuropsychologists in Idaho with American Board of Professional Neuropsychology board certification, a distinction reflecting peer-reviewed excellence in specialized brain-behavior assessment. For patients seeking expert, trustworthy care, this credential is a significant marker of quality.
When you need answers about memory, cognition, or brain function, expertise matters. Reach out to Idaho Neuropsychology to learn how Dr. Black’s board-certified neuropsychological evaluation can give you the clarity you’re looking for.
