Do I Need a HIMS Neuropsychological Evaluation or Only the CogScreen (2026)?
- May 28, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 24
If the FAA has flagged your medical certificate for psychological testing, you might be wondering whether you’re facing a full HIMS neuropsychological evaluation or just the CogScreen-AE Pro. These two terms are often used interchangeably, but they’re not the same. Knowing which path you're on can save you time, money, and frustration.
Learn more about what full FAA neuropsychological evaluations involve.
CogScreen-AE Pro: What It Is...and Isn’t
The CogScreen is a computerized test of attention, memory, psychomotor speed, and executive function. It’s often required if you’ve:
Taken ADHD medication in the past
Reported a head injury or loss of consciousness
Had psychiatric treatment that may affect cognition
Been involved in a substance-related incident
The CogScreen is usually just one part of the process and you will want to be cautious in using CogScreen preparation services. If you’ve had recent stimulant use, psychological treatment, or cognitive concerns, the FAA often requires a full neuropsychological battery, including clinical interviews, standardized paper-and-pencil tests, and a narrative report from a HIMS-qualified psychologist.
You'll notice in your letter that the specific tests are not listed. That is done to protect test security. Talking to a HIMS neuropsychologist can help you quickly learn whether the battery is simple or complex. For example, not all protocols include the CogScreen.
How to Tell Which Path You Are On
The FAA letter will not list your specific tests, but the reason for your referral usually predicts how involved the evaluation will be. A clean ADHD history with no other complicating factors often routes toward the ADHD Fast Track evaluation. If you have an ADHD diagnosis, have been off stimulant medication for the required period, and have no other items in your history that concern the FAA, your path is usually the more streamlined one.
A history with additional factors tends to require the full HIMS neuropsychological evaluation. These factors include a substance-related incident or DUI, psychiatric hospitalization, SSRI or antidepressant treatment, traumatic brain injury or loss of consciousness, or a prior FAA deferral. When one or more of these is present, the FAA generally wants the comprehensive battery: clinical interview, full neuropsychological testing, record review, and a narrative report from a HIMS-qualified neuropsychologist. The CogScreen-AE Pro may be one part of that battery, but it is not the whole of it.
Recent stimulant use changes the picture as well. If you have taken ADHD medication within the past four years, you are not eligible for the ADHD Fast Track and the FAA requires the full ADHD standard track evaluation instead.
The fastest way to know which path applies to you is to have a HIMS neuropsychologist review your situation before you schedule anything. A short conversation about your history and the language in your letter is usually enough to map whether you are facing a fast track evaluation or the full battery, and what that means for your timeline and cost. You can learn more about how to prepare for an evaluation here.
FAA Flowcharts Can Help
For example, the FAA publishes an ADHD pathway chart (PDF) and an ADHD disposition table that outline when full testing is required. Most pilots find these documents confusing.
Need help figuring out which evaluation applies to you?
If you are navigating FAA certification and unsure whether Fast Track applies to you, you can review the FAA ADHD Fast Track overview here.
Related resources
Written by Jason Olin, PhD, Licensed Clinical Psychologist and Neuropsychologist.
Dr. Olin provides psychological and neuropsychological evaluations for high-stakes testing and licensing decisions, including FAA-related evaluations. He sees clients onsite in Newport Beach, California, and by telehealth across 43 PSYPACT states and New York.