Research and Study : The Work of a Neuropsychologist

Research and Study : The Work of a Neuropsychologist

A neuropsychologist is a scientist who specializes in research, testing and treatment related to the relationship between behavior and the brain. Neuropsychologists often perform tests on patients to determine if they suffer from brain injuries, both as part of a treatment plan and in order to testify as expert witnesses in court. Many neuropsychologists are also involved in research to learn more about how the functioning of the brain influences behavior in humans.

Neuropsychologists are doctors of psychology, not medicine. Their field of study overlaps in some areas with the science of neurology and psychiatry. Some of the areas in which neuropsychologists conduct testing and research include studies related to memory, attention span and concentration, reasoning ability and the brain's control of the body through motor function.

Neuropsychologists often work in fields such as academia, performing research studies to learn more about the way the brain functions and how various injuries affect the brain. Research neuropsychologists perform their work in laboratories where they conduct studies to determine what effect various things have on individual's behavior.

Some neuropsychologists work in clinics or hospitals where they treat patients who have experienced trauma to the brain as a result of an illness or injury. They work with these patients to develop a treatment program that will enable the patient to lead a full life.

A day in the life of a neuropsychologist usually involves testing, whether the neuropsychologist is working with patients or in a research laboratory. Neuropsychology is a scientific study, and its main focus is on testing to determine relationships between the brain and behavior.

Some of the tests frequently used by neuropsychologists include the Halstead-Reitan Battery and the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised. Patients are often tested not only for intelligence IQ, but also verbal and performance IQs. This gives the neuropsychologist a better idea of whether any brain injuries exist as different areas of the brain are responsible for different things, so testing for cognitive intelligence only is not enough to get a clear picture of what is going on inside the brain.

The average salary for a neuropsychologist is between $70,000 and $80,000 per year. This is a highly specialized career area with only a handful of practitioners compared to other careers in psychology. According to the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN), there were only 641 board certified clinical neuropsychologists throughout the US, Canada and Mexico as of May 2008.

Those who wish to pursue neuropsychology as a career should earn a bachelor's degree in psychology, pre-med or biology and then continue on to complete a doctoral degree in psychology. Following completion of the doctoral program, a residency or internship may be required before the student is ready to gain employment as a neuropsychologist. Although certification with ABCN is not required by law to enter into a career in neuropsychology, many prospective employers require applicants to be certified.

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