Distinguished Service to the Profession of Psychology

• Tell us about your current professional roles and activities.

I am a clinical neuropsychologist in the Department of Neurology at Emory University in Atlanta, with work spanning clinical care and research. Clinically, I conduct comprehensive neuropsychological evaluations for patients with a wide range of neurological conditions, including neurodegenerative disorders, cerebrovascular disease, and epilepsy. I work closely within multidisciplinary teams, collaborating with neurologists, neurosurgeons, and other specialists to inform diagnosis and treatment planning. As an academic neuropsychologist, I also actively contribute to a variety of clinical research projects, the most significant of which is the Emory Healthy Brain Study (Goetz et al., 2019).

• What do you enjoy most about your job?

What I find most rewarding is clinical research that integrates neuropsychology into real-world medical decision-making including establishing the cognitive treatment risks associated with surgery (Loring, 2010), neuromodulation (Loring, Kapur, Meador, & Morrell, 2015), and pharmacotherapy (Hermann & Loring, 2020). I have been involved in research demonstrating distinct cognitive and behavioral risks across antiseizure medications (Loring et al., 2020;   Loring, Williamson, Meador, Wiegand, & Hulihan, 2011). We have established that valproate use during pregnancy is associated with greatly increased neurobehavioral risks compared to other medications (Meador et al., 2009), contributing to revised FDA labeling and changes in clinical care standards. Clinical research studies such as these allow direct contributions to patient management through quantification of tradeoffs, facilitation of informed consent, and improved outcomes. It is very rewarding to contribute neuropsychological expertise that shapes how both clinicians and patients conceptualize risk in ways that are measurable and clinically actionable.

My recent work on the Rey Complex Figure has focused on improving its psychometric efficiency and clinical sensitivity across several fronts: a streamlined scoring system (Loring et al., 2024) and a freely available enhanced Complex Figure recognition task (Loring, Goldstein, Lah, & Bolt, 2025), both of which have normative data (Hale, Spencer, Lah, Goldstein, & Loring, 2026). My involvement in cross-institutional collaborations, including the National Neuropsychology Network (Loring et al., 2021), has encouraged critical discussion of how clinical context shapes the interpretation of neuropsychological test performance (Loring et al., 2025).

• What inspired you to get board certified?

Pursuing board certification was driven by a desire to formally and publicly demonstrate the highest level of clinical competency in neuropsychology. Unlike licensure alone, board certification represents a rigorous, peer-reviewed validation of one’s knowledge base, clinical reasoning, and applied skills, serving as an objective standard that signals to patients, colleagues, and institutions that the most rigorous expectations of neuropsychology training have been met.  Board certification fosters trust and confidence in my clinical work.

• How has board certification contributed to your professional activities?

Board certification has been critical for establishing credibility within an academic medical center, where it aligns neuropsychology with the expectations placed on physician colleagues. At many institutions, including Emory, board certification is effectively required for clinical faculty and serves as a benchmark for professional standing. It facilitates interdisciplinary collaboration by reinforcing that neuropsychologists meet comparable standards of clinical rigor and accountability.

• What advice would you give to psychologists or trainees interested in pursuing board certification?

I view board certification as the culmination of formal neuropsychological training and should be approached with that goal in mind, not as an optional credential for the highly motivated, but as the expected standard marking the transition to independent practice. While doctoral training and postdoctoral fellowship establish the foundation for neuropsychological practice, board certification completes it. Familiarity with board certification expectations helps guide training and professional growth, ultimately preparing individuals to practice at the highest level.

• In what ways does your work advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in your specialty? 

Questions of diversity, equity, and inclusion take on particular importance in neuropsychological assessment where the reduction of complex cognitive performance to percentiles or categorical labels shapes diagnoses and treatment decisions. My clinical work is context sensitive, recognizing the influence of cultural, educational, linguistic, and socioeconomic factors on cognitive performance.

I am particularly attentive to how different frameworks for characterizing performance may be required across individuals and settings rather than relying on a single normative standard. This perspective is grounded  in part by the historical misuse of psychological testing, including its role in early 20th century immigration policy and the eugenics movement (Loring & Hermann, 2026). It is critical to minimize bias, avoid overgeneralization, and ensure that neuropsychological data are applied in a way that is both clinically accurate and equitable.