Earn an associate’s degree or a post-graduate certificate in neurodiagnostic technology or clinical neurophysiology technology to pursue a career as a neurodiagnostic technologist studying electrical and neurological anomalies of the brain. A graduate who wants to work as a neurodiagnostic technologist can gain competitive advantage in the job market taking an optional exam administered a national accredited board after earning such credentials. In most cases, local licensure is not required.
The associate degree career track is designed for aspiring technologists who do not have a bachelor’s degree. Trade schools, technical schools, medical centers, and universities all offer the two-year degree. A professional with a bachelor’s degree can pursue the certificate career track to become a neurodiagnostic technologist; this takes two years and appeals to adults looking for a second career or a post-layoff transition. While bachelor’s degrees in neurodiagnoistics are available, they are typically not for technologist jobs but rather for advanced positions in neurology. Students can prepare for both national board exams and first-tier employment as technologists with certificates and two-year degrees.
To become a neurodiagnostic technologist, students must complete a combination of classroom instruction and clinical observation or practice. The basic assessments used neurodiagnostic technologists to analyze electrical activity in the brain and distinguish a healthy brain from an abnormal one include pharmacology, brain physiology, polysomnography, and the interpretation of electroencephalograms (EEG). Students also learn about neurological disorders and the tests that can be used to diagnose them, such as nerve conduction studies (NCS), autonomic assessment, and evoked potentials (EPs).
After successfully completing a training program and earning board credentials, the graduate is ready to begin looking for a job as a neurodiagnostic technologist. Frequently, medical centers form partnerships with trade schools to recruit technologists for internships and clinical experience. Furthermore, many schools have job placement counselors who can help students find jobs in the neurodiagnostic field. Joining professional associations can also help you find new job opportunities.
A neurodiagnostic technologist’s responsibilities would include diagnosing brain anomalies such as seizures, dementia, multiple sclerosis, and comas if they were successful in their quest. Brain activity in narcolepsy patients is also studied scientists. A neurodiagnostic technologist’s daily responsibilities include monitoring brain activity of patients during surgery and evaluating the role of the brain in sleep disorders, in addition to diagnosing the presence and advanced state of neurological disorders.