About This Career

Assesses and diagnoses 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. Recommends treatment after diagnosis, such as therapy, medication, or surgery. Assists with evaluation before and after neurosurgical procedures, such as deep brain stimulation.

This career is part of the Human Services cluster Counseling and Mental Health Services pathway.

A person in this career:

• Interviews patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories.
• Writes or prepares detailed clinical neuropsychological reports, using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct observations, or interviews.
• Conducts neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory.
• Diagnoses and treats 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.
• Diagnoses and treats pediatric populations for conditions such as learning disabilities with developmental or organic bases.
• Provides education or counseling to individuals and families.
• Distinguishes between psychogenic and neurogenic syndromes, two or more suspected etiologies of cerebral dysfunction, or between disorders involving complex seizures.
• Diagnoses and treats neural and psychological conditions in medical and surgical populations, such as patients with early dementing illness or chronic pain with a neurological basis.
• Consults with other professionals about patients' neurological conditions.
• Reads current literature, talks with colleagues, and participates in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in neuropsychology.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would sit most of the time. There's some walking and standing. You may have to lift and carry things like books, papers or tools weighing 10 lbs. or less.
• Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Regular working hours and limited travel