Postgraduate Training in
Clinical Neuropsychology
Clinical Neuropsychology
• From The APS College of Clinical
Neuropsychologists:
– “Clinical neuropsychologists study changes in
thinking and behaviour that may arise from brain
dysfunction such as head injury, epilepsy,
neurological disease and stroke, drug and alcohol
disorders, learning disabilities, attention deficit
disorders, dementia and psychiatric disorders.
– They deal with the cognitive, emotional and
behavioural problems related to brain dysfunction
through assessment, rehabilitation, education and
psychological therapy.”
http://www.psychology.org.au/community/specialist/clinicalneuro/
Clinical Neuropsychology
• Provide evaluations to assist
– Diagnosis (e.g., ADHD or dementia)
– Treatment planning (e.g., ability to return to
work, succeed in school, live alone, manage
finances)
– Criminal forensic decisions (assist court with
information regarding competency to stand
trial, mental state at the time of offense)
– Civil forensic issues (opinions regarding
damage to cognitive abilities, cause and
prognosis)
Clinical Neuropsychology
• Provide rehabilitation treatment based
on evaluation
– Identify cognitive strengths & weaknesses
– Assist patient with identifying and
implementing compensatory strategies &
devices
– Provide education to patient, family &
support system
– Work with schools and voc rehab services
Clinical Neuropsychology employment
– Work in a wide variety of settings: public
health sector, hospitals and rehabilitation
centres, private practice, medical schools,
psychiatric hospitals & clinics, correctional
facilities, academia, etc.
– Work with a wide variety of patient
populations: Rehab (strokes & TBI),
neurologic (tumors, dementia, multiple
sclerosis), psychiatric (schizophrenia),
children (ADHD), forensic (prisons &
forensic psychiatric)
Training options at UWA for 2012
• MPsych (Clinical Neuropsychology)/PhD
– Approximately 4 years full time
• DPsych (Clinical Psychology, Neuro
track)
– Approximately 3 years full time
In common: Specialist training in
Clinical Neuropsychology
• Neuropsychology Coursework
– (neuroanatomy, neuropsychopathology,
neuropsychological assessment and
rehabilitation)
• Neuropsychology placements
– (Neurosciences Unit, Shenton Park, State Head
Injury Unit, Next Step, Princess Margaret
Hospital, Fremantle Older Adult Mental Health
Service, internal prac, interstate options)
• Research project relevant to CN
What’s different: Complementary skills
• MPsych/PhD
– Includes a PhD-level research thesis on a topic
relevant to neuropsychology
– That is, specialist training in CN, plus higher level
research training
• DPsych
– Includes coursework and placements for specialist
training in Clinical Psychology
– Research thesis is a one year project. If specialist
endorsement in both CCN and CCP is a goal, then
the research topic must be relevant to both specialist
areas
College Endorsement
• MPsych/PhD is the only route currently
in place to CCN endorsement
• Dpsych (Clinical, Neuro Track)
– CCP endorsement in place
– All required coursework, thesis in place for
CCN (double) endorsement
– Will need approx 1 additional specialist
neuro placement
– Formal pathway (e.g., via 6 month grad
cert) is planned
Selection
• Selection process similar to other
psychology postgraduate programs
• Up to 6 students in the MPsych/PhD
For further information
• Australian Psychological Society College
of Clinical Neuropsychologists:
– http://www.psychology.org.au/community/
specialist/clinicalneuro/
• International Neuropsychological Society
– http://www.the-ins.org/
• National Academy of Neuropsychology
– http://www.nanonline.org
• Contact Program Coordinator
– michael.weinborn@uwa.edu.au