Interview With a Board Certified Specialist

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Associate Professor in the Department of Pediatrics in the University of Toronto School of Medicine, and the Director of Psychology at the Hospital for Sick Children.  She has 25 years of experience providing clinical neuropsychological services to children with cancer and her research program addresses the late neuropsychological effects of treatment for childhood cancer.  Her professional service and leadership has focused on ABPP, and ABCN in particular.  She attained ABCN board certification in 1996, became an oral examiner for ABCN in 2003, was elected to the ABCN board in 2005, served as Vice President from 2007-2011, and as President of the Board from 2011-2013.  She has been closely involved with the creation of the first subspecialty within ABPP, ABCN’s pediatric neuropsychology subspecialty, and currently serves as the chair of the subspecialty practice sample review committee.

Q. What motivated you to seek board certification in neuropsychology?
A.  My mentor was ABCN board certified and so it was a natural career goal for me.  There were few ABPP boarded neuropsychologists in Canada when I moved here in the mid-1980s, so I wanted to bring board certification to light as an important credential for neuropsychologists in my new home country.  This is an ongoing challenge!  For many years, I was engaged in part time private practice conducting medical-legal assessments with children who had sustained brain injuries in motor vehicle accidents so I knew it would be an important credential should I ever have to testify in court. But most important, it remains clear that clinical neuropsychology is a highly specific specialty within psychology and if we seek to practice shoulder-to-shoulder with our medical colleagues, we need to attain board certification in an analogous manner.

Q. Looking back, what misconceptions did you have about the ABPP/ABCN credentialing and examination process that you would like future applicants to know?
A.  For a long time, there was a ‘myth’ that ABCN board certification was not pediatric-friendly.  Future applicants should understand that every attempt is made to ensure that the process is fair and open for those who specialize in pediatrics.  This has become increasingly true over the years since I became board certified.  Having said that, I continue to believe that it is important for all neuropsychologists to be educated about life span issues that affect the brain and behavior; i.e., knowledge of adult conditions is important for pediatric neuropsychologists as we learn more about early aging in long-term survivors of childhood conditions.  And vice versa, adult practitioners must understand the etiology and natural history of pediatric conditions in order to assess, diagnose and treat adult survivors.

Q. What advice would you give to a candidate for board certification in neuropsychology?
A.  Don’t be devastated if you have to repeat a step (if you don’t pass the written exam the first time, for example).  Just study up, or re-do your practice samples and have another go!  Anxiety is your worst enemy.  The oral examiners are well-trained to help you ‘strut your stuff’. 

Q. ABCN encourages applications from under-represented minority groups in neuropsychology.  What advice would you give a minority applicant?
A.  Find a mentor who you trust and with whom you feel comfortable to guide you through the process. 

Q. What did you learn about yourself, or in what ways do you see yourself differently having completed the board certification process?
A.  My struggle with ‘impostor syndrome’ was reduced after I became board certified.  I proved to myself that I really did know a lot about brain development, brain injury, and behavior!

Q. What have you found most valuable or rewarding about board certification?
A.  It allowed me to take on leadership positions locally and nationally, experiences that have led to many new friendships, much learning and the opportunity to make a difference for my profession.

Q. How has your professional life changed since attaining board certification?
A.  I have grown as a leader as a result of the opportunities that have opened up for me.  My confidence has increased as a professional.

Q. What is the most interesting/challenging/rewarding/fulfilling aspect of your work as a neuropsychologist?
A.  The opportunity to help children, families, teachers and medical teams understand the impact of medical conditions and their treatment on brain development, behavior, learning and psychological adaptation.  I’ve had the honor of working with many incredible families over many years and sometimes still hear from some of my (now adult) patients. That is the most rewarding experience of all!

Q. What would readers be most surprised to learn about you?
A.  I passed the oral exam on my SECOND try!