Neuropsychology--How to get on track?

[TATCARD12M]

Hello everyone,

I am in a bit of a predicament and could use your guidance. I am a fifth-year counseling psychology Ph.D student who has developed a very strong interest in neuropsychology late in my training and would like to pursue a neuropsychology postdoc following internship. This interest formed at my current practicum site where I am providing neuropsych assessments for children and adolescents (public school setting). I absolutely love it—it is the perfect combination of my undergraduate engineering degree and my counseling background. The practicum started in October and this is my first assessment prac (previous pracs were college counseling, which had no assessment). By June, I will have around 330 total hours at the prac, with around 15-20 integrated reports.

In a terrible timing of events, the assessment prac started when I submitted APPIC applications. Therefore, I did not think to apply to APPIC sites with neuropsychology tracks. I interviewed at four college counseling sites (none of which offer neuropsych or assessment) and two VAs. There is a strong chance one VA could offer a few hours/week of neuropsych. The other VA is entirely psychotherapy with some inpatient; however, there are neuropsychologists at this VA that I could try to build connections with.

At the moment I am feeling a bit discouraged that it took so long to find the work I am truly passionate about. I am willing to take an extra year to gain more neuropsych experience if I do not match.

What advice would you have for someone who wants to specialize in neuropsychology later in their training and may not have a strong background in neuropsych before applying to postdocs? Should I try to get involved in research? Should I find a summer neuropsych prac? How can I get on track to be a competitive postdoc candidate?

Thank you for the advice!

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[WisNeuro]

Honestly, since you came in late to the game, you really need an internship that can give you substantial neuro experiences, like 50% of your clinical time. You will also need letters from neuropsychologists at the internship site. Also, I assume you have no neuro research experience. These are things that the good neuro postdoc sites are looking for. By the time someone gets to the postdoc level, they don't want to have to train people in foundational material. All in all, if you have a good CV in spite of this, you can probably get into a "neuro" postdoc, but the quality of said postdoc most likely won't be what I would see as readying you for board certification and competent practice.

In the end, you have to do what you have to do. If it were me, I may forgo the match this year, beef up my neuro related clinical and research if I could, and apply next year to more neuro heavy sites on internship that would help me land a good postdoc.

 

[Therapist4Chnge]

In the end, you have to do what you have to do. If it were me, I may forgo the match this year, beef up my neuro related clinical and research if I could, and apply next year to more neuro heavy sites on internship that would help me land a good postdoc.

This is, by far, the more prudent option. Being able to secure significant neuro training during internship can be difficult because there are not that many places that offer significant formal exposure, and they tend to be at competitive placements.

 

[AcronymAllergy]

This is, by far, the more prudent option. Being able to secure significant neuro training during internship can be difficult because there are not that many places that offer significant formal exposure, and they tend to be at competitive placements.

Agreed. It might seem disheartening to put off internship for another year, particularly after having gone through most/all of the interview process already. However, given that you actually have to ability to get additional formalized training, and to then re-apply to internships with a greater neuropsychology focus, that would be the optimal course, and the one that would best position you for attaining an appropriate postdoc.

 

[TATCARD12M]

Thanks everyone for the advice. I will most likely postpone internship for another year. If you have any ideas on what makes a competitive neuropsychology candidate for internship year, I would love your input. I'm shifting my dissertation to focus more on neuropsychology and am trying to get a hospital practicum that hopefully has access to research opportunities.