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MISSION AND OBJECTIVES The mission of the Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN) is to foster the development of advanced postdoctoral education and training programs in clinical neuropsychology and to establish standards for residency programs in clinical neuropsychology that lead to the development of competency in this area of specialty practice. APPCN endorses the Division 40 definition of a clinical neuropsychologist. Thus APPCN supports the ABCN/ABPP diplomate as the hallmark of competency in clinical neuropsychology. Programs affiliated with APPCN seek to train residents in clinical competencies that will qualify them for ABCN/ABPP diplomate status. All member directors of APPCN are ABCN/ABPP diplomates. APPCN endorses the scientist-practitioner model of training. Thus APPCN programs provide research and academic experiences in addition to clinical training. APPCN is not an accrediting body. APPCN supports the activities of the Committee on Accreditation of the American Psychological Association (APA). Through the Clinical Neuropsychology Synarchy, APPCN consults to the Committee on Accreditation regarding the development of specialty standards for training in clinical neuropsychology. APPCN has developed training standards in clinical neuropsychology, specific ethical standards and a code of conduct, and a standard matching program for pairing residents and residencies. APPCN disseminates information about affiliated programs. APPCN remains active and vigilant in confronting other issues relevant to the development of training and practice in clinical neuropsychology. A BRIEF HISTORY APPCN grew out of the Midwest Neuropsychology Consortium, an organization founded in 1988 by postdoctoral neuropsychology training programs located in the Midwestern United States. The Midwest Neuropsychology Consortium was a membership organization of postdoctoral training programs that supported the training guidelines prepared by a joint task force of the International Neuropsychological Society (INS) and Division 40 of the American Psychological Association (APA). In 1992, the programs belonging to the Midwest Neuropsychology Consortium joined with neuropsychology postdoctoral programs from other parts of the United States to form APPCN. APPCN continued the Midwest Consortium’s mission of promoting postdoctoral training based on the INS-Division 40 guidelines. APPCN established bylaws and was incorporated in 1994 as a non-profit organization governed by a Board of Directors. In 1997, APPCN was a sponsor and participated in the further development of guidelines for education and training in clinical neuropsychology at the Houston Conference on Specialty Education and Training in Clinical Neuropsychology. In 2001, APPCN initiated a computerized match for resident selection similar to that already used by medical residencies and recently introduced by predoctoral internships. The APPCN match is operated by National Matching Services (NMS), which provides matching services for psychology internship programs and many other postgraduate educational institutions in North America. In 2002, APPCN decided to permit non-APPCN programs meeting certain criteria to participate in the Match. DEFINITION OF A CLINICAL NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST (1989) The following statement was adopted by the Executive Committee of Division 40 at the APA meeting on August 12, 1988. A Clinical Neuropsychologist is a professional psychologist who applies principles of assessment and intervention based upon the scientific study of human behavior as it relates to normal and abnormal functioning of the central nervous system. The Clinical Neuropsychologist is a doctoral-level psychology provider of diagnostic and intervention services who has demonstrated competence in the application of such principles for human welfare following:  A.  Successful completion of systematic didactic and experiential training in neuropsychology and neuroscience at a regionally accredited university;  B. Two or more years of appropriate supervised training applying neuropsychological services in a clinical setting;  C. Licensing and certification to provide psychological services to the public by the laws of the state or province in which he or she practices;   D. Review by one's peers as a test of these competencies. Attainment of the ABCN/ABPP Diploma in Clinical Neuropsychology is the clearest evidence of competence as a Clinical Neuropsychologist, assuring that all of these criteria have been met. References Boake, C., Yeates, K. O., & Donders, J. (2002). The Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology: Update and new directions. The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 16, 1-6. You may download the PDF of this article by clicking here. We are grateful to Taylor & Francis for their permission to download articles from their journal, The Clinical Neuropsychologist. Definition of a clinical neuropsychologist. (1989). The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 3(1), 22. Hammeke, T. A. (1993). The Association of Postdoctoral Programs in Clinical Neuropsychology (APPCN). The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 7(2), 197-204. Hannay, H.J. (1998). Proceedings of the Houston Conference on specialty education and training in clinical neuropsychology. Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology, 13 (2), 157-249. [Download PDF] Reports of the INS-Division 40 task force on education, accreditation, and credentialing. (1987). The Clinical Neuropsychologist, 1(1), 29-34. Important Match Dates for 2007-2008: For 2007-2008, the Rank Order List Submission deadline is February 29, 2008 Results of the Match will be released on APPCN Match Day: March 10, 2008 APPCN Match Policies   APPCN Home   Board of Directors Membership   Participating Programs Contact us updated 09-23-06