Postdoctoral Training in Neuropsychology: A Review of the History, Trends, and Current Issues

Clinical neuropsychology is a specialty within professional psychology that involves the scientific study of brain-behavior relationships and the application of this knowledge to the evaluation and treatment of individuals with known or suspected central nervous system dysfunction. Training guidelines for clinical neuropsychology began to be developed in the 1970s and were refined during a national conference in the 1990s (i.e., the Houston Conference), which identified a two-year post-doctoral residency as a required part of training and the capstone experience for independent practice. The Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) was formed in the early 1990s to promote and maintain training standards in clinical neuropsychology. Specialty accreditation in clinical neuropsychology by the American Psychological Association is also available but not widely pursued at this time. Despite the strong organizational structure of postdoctoral training in clinical neuropsychology, problems remain within the field. This article describes the history and status of postdoctoral training in clinical neuropsychology, defines problems facing the specialty, and outlines future areas to be addressed.