Neuroimaging Training Among Neuropsychologists: A Survey of the State of Current Training and Recommendations for Trainees

Abstract

Neuroimaging has gained widespread use in neuropsychological research and practice. However, there are neither established guidelines on how neuropsychologists might become competent researchers or consumers of neuroimaging data, nor any published studies describing the state of neuroimaging training among neuropsychologists. We report the results of two online surveys, one of 13 expert neuropsychologist-neuroimagers whose responses informed the formulation of a second, larger survey to neuropsychologists-at-large that were a random selection of a third of the members of the International Neuropsychological Society and American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology. A total of 237 doctoral-level neuropsychologists, or 15.3% of potential participants, provided complete responses. Most respondents (69.2%) received training in neuroimaging, mostly at the post-doctoral level, largely through independent study, clinical conferences, instruction by clinical supervisors, and individualized mentoring, on topics such as neuroimaging modalities in neurology, neuroanatomy, and the appropriate information to glean from neuroradiology reports. Of the remaining respondents who did not receive training in neuroimaging, 64.4% indicated that such training would be very or extremely beneficial to one’s career as a neuropsychologist. Both neuropsychologist-neuroimagers and neuropsychologists-at-large provided specific recommendations for training. Findings from this initial effort will guide trainees who seek to develop competence in neuroimaging, and inform future formulations of neuropsychological training.