Practical training completed by clinical psychology Master’s students commencing their internship at 1 Military Hospital: a preliminary study

Abstract

Psychology in South Africa continues to develop within the changing socio-historical context. Domains of competence are anticipated to develop over the course of the career of a clinical psychology student and professional. Guidelines from the Health Professions Council of South Africa stipulate that the internship year should be dedicated to developing functional competences. It is also required that students provide psychological services to a wide spectrum of patients to prepare for the mental health care needs of the diverse South African population. This preliminary study set out to describe the nature of practical training completed by clinical psychology students that may aid in the development of functional competence domains. Surveys assessing practical training during Master’s coursework were completed by clinical psychology students (n = 20) during the first week of their internship. Interns placed at 1 Military Hospital for the years 2018, 2019, and 2020 participated in the study, and the completed surveys were examined. Results indicated a variance in the number of patients consulted, the hours spent consulting patients as well as the diversity of patient exposure. Some students reported limited to no practical training in psychological tests, which is a cause for concern. Students also rated their perceived competence in report writing as average, which may reflect socially desirable responses. Study outcomes suggest a need to develop agreement among psychology trainers at various stages of the training process regarding the priority to be placed on different practical training aspects. This may assist in training clinical psychologists who can adequately provide much-needed community-based services.