I want to know about a career in Neuropsychology
I am preparing for NEET and as a backup I want to know about a career in Neuropsychology. Which colleges in India offer this course and what is the salary in this area?
Rajendra Mishra
Neuropsychology is not something you can graduate in. It is a medical specialty within the discipline of clinical psychology. A neuropsychologist is a specialist in clinical psychology that tests for injury to the brain as a result of disease, disorder, injury, etc. A majority of them engage in research, studying the human brain and how its physiological state affects human cognition and behaviour.
A career in neuroscience requires long hours of study. Only those with patience can thrive in this field. Go for a degree in Psychology with Biology; after which you should go for masters, followed by a doctoral degree in clinical psychology, then specialize in neuropsychology as post-doctorate. So it’s not a shorter or easier way to your career in neuropsychology.
Some of the institutes are: Centre for Neuroscience, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore (cns.iisc.ac.in/home); School of Studies in Neuroscience, Jiwaji University, Gwalior (neuroscienceju.com); National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bangalore (nimhans.ac.in).
Dr Vibha Gupta, a feature writer, is a Ph.D. in Mathematics from IIT Roorkee. Her book Careers: A Pathfinder and articles in various publications are an attempt to guide students in choosing a career according to their natural strengths, talents and skills.
