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Clinical Neuropsychologists

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.
  • Summary

  • Details

  • Work Activities

    • Design or implement rehabilitation plans for patients with cognitive dysfunction.
    • Diagnose and treat neural and psychological conditions in medical and surgical populations, such as patients with early dementing illness or chronic pain with a neurological basis.
    • Participate in educational programs, in-service training, or workshops to remain current in methods and techniques.
    • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in neuropsychology.
    • Educate and supervise practicum students, psychology interns, or hospital staff.
    • Identify and communicate risks associated with specific neurological surgical procedures, such as epilepsy surgery.
    • Provide psychotherapy, behavior therapy, or other counseling interventions to patients with neurological disorders.
    • 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.
    • Consult with other professionals about patients' neurological conditions.
    • Diagnose and treat pediatric populations for conditions such as learning disabilities with developmental or organic bases.
    • Diagnose and treat psychiatric populations for conditions such as somatoform disorder, dementias, and psychoses.
    • Interview patients to obtain comprehensive medical histories.
    • Establish neurobehavioral baseline measures for monitoring progressive cerebral disease or recovery.
    • Conduct neuropsychological evaluations such as assessments of intelligence, academic ability, attention, concentration, sensorimotor function, language, learning, and memory.
    • Distinguish between psychogenic and neurogenic syndromes, two or more suspected etiologies of cerebral dysfunction, or between disorders involving complex seizures.
    • Design or implement rehabilitation plans for patients with cognitive dysfunction.
    • Identify and communicate risks associated with specific neurological surgical procedures, such as epilepsy surgery.
    • Compare patients' progress before and after pharmacologic, surgical, or behavioral interventions.
    • Provide education or counseling to individuals and families.
    • Read current literature, talk with colleagues, and participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in neuropsychology.
    • Write or prepare detailed clinical neuropsychological reports, using data from psychological or neuropsychological tests, self-report measures, rating scales, direct observations, or interviews.

    Skills

    • Operation and Control
      • Using equipment or systems.
    • Equipment Maintenance
      • Planning and doing the basic maintenance on equipment.
    • Systems Analysis
      • Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
    • Critical Thinking
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different ways to solve a problem.
    • Service Orientation
      • Looking for ways to help people.
    • Judgment and Decision Making
      • Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
    • Social Perceptiveness
      • Understanding people's reactions.
    • Instructing
      • Teaching people how to do something.
    • Reading Comprehension
      • Reading work-related information.
    • Systems Evaluation
      • Measuring how well a system is working and how to improve it.
    • Operations Monitoring
      • Watching gauges, dials, or display screens to make sure a machine is working.
    • Programming
      • Writing computer programs.
    • Learning Strategies
      • Using the best training or teaching strategies for learning new things.
    • Monitoring
      • Keeping track of how well people and/or groups are doing in order to make improvements.
    • Complex Problem Solving
      • Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
    • Repairing
      • Repairing machines or systems using the right tools.
    • Quality Control Analysis
      • Testing how well a product or service works.
    • Negotiation
      • Bringing people together to solve differences.
    • Equipment Selection
      • Deciding what kind of tools and equipment are needed to do a job.
    • Mathematics
      • Using math to solve problems.
    • Troubleshooting
      • Figuring out what is causing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs to not work.
    • Science
      • Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
    • Persuasion
      • Talking people into changing their minds or their behavior.
    • Management of Financial Resources
      • Making spending decisions and keeping track of what is spent.
    • Coordination
      • Changing what is done based on other people's actions.
    • Installation
      • Installing equipment, machines, wiring, or computer programs.
    • Active Learning
      • Figuring out how to use new ideas or things.
    • Active Listening
      • Listening to others, not interrupting, and asking good questions.
    • Writing
      • Writing things for co-workers or customers.
    • Speaking
      • Talking to others.
    • Technology Design
      • Making equipment and technology useful for customers.
    • Operations Analysis
      • Figuring out what a product or service needs to be able to do.
    • Management of Material Resources
      • Managing equipment and materials.
    • Time Management
      • Managing your time and the time of other people.
    • Management of Personnel Resources
      • Selecting and managing the best workers for a job.

    Abilities

    • Mathematical Reasoning
      • Choosing the right type of math to solve a problem.
    • Perceptual Speed
      • Quickly comparing groups of letters, numbers, pictures, or other things.
    • Inductive Reasoning
      • Making general rules or coming up with answers from lots of detailed information.
    • Visualization
      • Imagining how something will look after it is moved around or changed.
    • Static Strength
      • Lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying.
    • Category Flexibility
      • Grouping things in different ways.
    • Flexibility of Closure
      • Seeing hidden patterns.
    • Time Sharing
      • Doing two or more things at the same time.
    • Near Vision
      • Seeing details up close.
    • Stamina
      • Exercising for a long time without getting out of breath.
    • Gross Body Equilibrium
      • Keeping your balance or staying upright.
    • Far Vision
      • Seeing details that are far away.
    • Speed of Closure
      • Quickly knowing what you are looking at.
    • Explosive Strength
      • Jumping, sprinting, or throwing something.
    • Dynamic Strength
      • Exercising for a long time without your muscles getting tired.
    • Problem Sensitivity
      • Noticing when problems happen.
    • Multilimb Coordination
      • Using your arms and/or legs together while sitting, standing, or lying down.
    • Speech Recognition
      • Recognizing spoken words.
    • Written Comprehension
      • Reading and understanding what is written.
    • Oral Expression
      • Communicating by speaking.
    • Trunk Strength
      • Using your lower back and stomach.
    • Extent Flexibility
      • Bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Glare Sensitivity
      • Seeing something even if there is a glare or very bright light.
    • Gross Body Coordination
      • Moving your arms, legs, and mid-section together while your whole body is moving.
    • Peripheral Vision
      • Seeing something to your side when your are looking ahead.
    • Memorization
      • Remembering words, numbers, pictures, or steps.
    • Finger Dexterity
      • Putting together small parts with your fingers.
    • Number Facility
      • Adding, subtracting, multiplying, or dividing.
    • Spatial Orientation
      • Knowing where things are around you.
    • Speed of Limb Movement
      • Quickly moving your arms and legs.
    • Speech Clarity
      • Speaking clearly.
    • Dynamic Flexibility
      • Quickly and repeatedly bending, stretching, twisting, or reaching out with your body, arms, and/or legs.
    • Visual Color Discrimination
      • Noticing the difference between colors, including shades and brightness.
    • Auditory Attention
      • Paying attention to one sound while there are other distracting sounds.
    • Depth Perception
      • Deciding which thing is closer or farther away from you, or deciding how far away it is from you.
    • Hearing Sensitivity
      • Telling the difference between sounds.
    • Fluency of Ideas
      • Coming up with lots of ideas.
    • Information Ordering
      • Ordering or arranging things.
    • Originality
      • Creating new and original ideas.
    • Rate Control
      • Changing when and how fast you move based on how something else is moving.
    • Wrist-Finger Speed
      • Making fast, simple, repeated movements of your fingers, hands, and wrists.
    • Sound Localization
      • Noticing the direction that a sound came from.
    • Control Precision
      • Quickly changing the controls of a machine, car, truck or boat.
    • Response Orientation
      • Quickly deciding if you should move your hand, foot, or other body part.
    • Reaction Time
      • Quickly moving your hand, finger, or foot based on a sound, light, picture or other command.
    • Night Vision
      • Seeing at night or under low light.
    • Written Expression
      • Communicating by writing.
    • Selective Attention
      • Paying attention to something without being distracted.
    • Manual Dexterity
      • Holding or moving items with your hands.
    • Deductive Reasoning
      • Using rules to solve problems.
    • Arm-Hand Steadiness
      • Keeping your arm or hand steady.
    • Oral Comprehension
      • Listening and understanding what people say.

    Knowledge

    • Telecommunications
      • Knowledge of transmission, broadcasting, switching, control, and operation of telecommunications systems.
    • Psychology
      • Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
    • Foreign Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of a foreign (non-English) language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition and grammar, and pronunciation.
    • Sales and Marketing
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems.
    • Economics and Accounting
      • Knowledge of economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data.
    • Food Production
      • Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
    • Customer and Personal Service
      • Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
    • Design
      • Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
    • Medicine and Dentistry
      • Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
    • Therapy and Counseling
      • Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
    • Administrative
      • Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
    • Mathematics
      • Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
    • Administration and Management
      • Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
    • Physics
      • Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
    • Philosophy and Theology
      • Knowledge of different philosophical systems and religions. This includes their basic principles, values, ethics, ways of thinking, customs, practices, and their impact on human culture.
    • Transportation
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for moving people or goods by air, rail, sea, or road, including the relative costs and benefits.
    • History and Archeology
      • Knowledge of historical events and their causes, indicators, and effects on civilizations and cultures.
    • Fine Arts
      • Knowledge of the theory and techniques required to compose, produce, and perform works of music, dance, visual arts, drama, and sculpture.
    • Public Safety and Security
      • Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
    • Personnel and Human Resources
      • Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
    • Building and Construction
      • Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads.
    • Engineering and Technology
      • Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
    • Sociology and Anthropology
      • Knowledge of group behavior and dynamics, societal trends and influences, human migrations, ethnicity, cultures, and their history and origins.
    • Geography
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life.
    • Education and Training
      • Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
    • English Language
      • Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, and rules of composition and grammar.
    • Law and Government
      • Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
    • Computers and Electronics
      • Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
    • Communications and Media
      • Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.
    • Biology
      • Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
    • Chemistry
      • Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
    • Production and Processing
      • Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
    • Mechanical
      • Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance.

    Education

    Education
    Master's degree
    Work Experience
    No work experience
    Training
    Internship/residency

    Pay

    Washington Annual Salary
    120080/yr
    Washington Hourly Wage
    57.73/hr

    Washington Employment Trends

    Currently Employed
    19,280
    Yearly Projected Openings
    1560

    Personality

    Investigative: People interested in this work like activities that include ideas, thinking, and figuring things out. They do well at jobs that need:
    • Concern for Others
    • Analytical Thinking
    • Integrity
    • Attention to Detail
    • Achievement/Effort
    • Dependability

    Tools

    • Cognitive or dexterity or perceptual or sensory evaluation or testing products
    • Desktop computers
    • Electromyography EMG units
    • Galvanic or faradic stimulators
    • Laser fax machine
    • Laser printers
    • Notebook computers
    • Personal computers
    • Photocopiers
    • Respiratory monitoring kits
    • Therapeutic pegboards or activity boards

    Technology

    • Analytical or scientific software
    • Calendar and scheduling software
    • Data base user interface and query software
    • Electronic mail software
    • Internet browser software
    • Medical software
    • Office suite software
    • Presentation software
    • Spreadsheet software
    • Word processing software