Location
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Event Date
3-31-2026
Abstract
Objective: The objective of this discussion is to highlight the value of networks and connections across institutions for students, early researchers, and clinicians to support their careers in neuropsychology and the neurosciences. Participants and Methods: Since 2020, two independent institutions, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC; academic medical center) and the Institute for Human Neuroscience (IHN) at Boys Town National Research Hospital (research facility), in Nebraska have partnered to support UNMC graduate students' (pursuing PhD and MD/PhD in various disciplines) master's and doctoral level work. More specifically, a clinical neuropsychologist from UNMC collaborated with researchers at IHN to support student-led projects being conducted at IHN. Results: Under the supervision of a clinical neuropsychologist at UNMC, graduate students and research assistants acquired hands-on experience with neuropsychological test administration and scoring in normal to clinical research samples. Collaborations between institutions led to publications tying functional neuroimaging outcomes (oscillatory dynamics) and structural neuroimaging with clinical neuropsychological findings, and comparison of gold standard neuropsychological assessments to computerized assessment. Such collaborations have also fostered completion of multiple theses and dissertations involving neuropsychological assessment for students not primarily pursuing neuropsychology (and otherwise would likely not have had exposure to neuropsychology). Further, multiple research assistants gathered adequate experience with neuropsychology to support their applications to graduate school for psychology. Conclusions: Due to collaboration between two major midwestern institutions, students and staff from various disciplines acquired exposure to clinical neuropsychology and the opportunity to work closely with vulnerable and marginalized populations. Involvement of a clinical neuropsychologist in a primarily research setting enriched ongoing projects, fostering connections between applied neuroscience to the clinical realm, as well as influenced career trajectories towards neuropsychology. To foster the next generation of neuropsychologists and consumers of neuropsychology, continued reliance on cross-institutional and multidisciplinary collaborations will be key.
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Included in
The Value of Establishing Connections between Clinical and Research Settings for the Next Generation of Neuropsychologists and Neuropsychology Consumers
University of Nebraska Medical Center
Objective: The objective of this discussion is to highlight the value of networks and connections across institutions for students, early researchers, and clinicians to support their careers in neuropsychology and the neurosciences. Participants and Methods: Since 2020, two independent institutions, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC; academic medical center) and the Institute for Human Neuroscience (IHN) at Boys Town National Research Hospital (research facility), in Nebraska have partnered to support UNMC graduate students' (pursuing PhD and MD/PhD in various disciplines) master's and doctoral level work. More specifically, a clinical neuropsychologist from UNMC collaborated with researchers at IHN to support student-led projects being conducted at IHN. Results: Under the supervision of a clinical neuropsychologist at UNMC, graduate students and research assistants acquired hands-on experience with neuropsychological test administration and scoring in normal to clinical research samples. Collaborations between institutions led to publications tying functional neuroimaging outcomes (oscillatory dynamics) and structural neuroimaging with clinical neuropsychological findings, and comparison of gold standard neuropsychological assessments to computerized assessment. Such collaborations have also fostered completion of multiple theses and dissertations involving neuropsychological assessment for students not primarily pursuing neuropsychology (and otherwise would likely not have had exposure to neuropsychology). Further, multiple research assistants gathered adequate experience with neuropsychology to support their applications to graduate school for psychology. Conclusions: Due to collaboration between two major midwestern institutions, students and staff from various disciplines acquired exposure to clinical neuropsychology and the opportunity to work closely with vulnerable and marginalized populations. Involvement of a clinical neuropsychologist in a primarily research setting enriched ongoing projects, fostering connections between applied neuroscience to the clinical realm, as well as influenced career trajectories towards neuropsychology. To foster the next generation of neuropsychologists and consumers of neuropsychology, continued reliance on cross-institutional and multidisciplinary collaborations will be key.