Can EQUIP competency training fit a university course?
Students and faculty at Makerere University found EQUIP competency-based training feasible and useful for pre-service clinical psychology education.
Source
Integrating EQUIP competency-based training into a university curriculum: a qualitative inquiry with students and faculty at Makerere University in Uganda
What they did
Researchers collected focus-group and interview data from students, faculty, and practitioners about a brief EQUIP competency-based training embedded around Makerere University's clinical psychology programme, including role-play assessments and feedback.
What they found
Participants judged the approach feasible and useful for standardising competence and addressing gaps left by unstructured curricula. Early concerns about rating tools such as ENACT eased as training progressed with practice and real application with students.
The limits
What it doesn't show
This qualitative feasibility study does not quantify client outcomes or prove superiority to other curricula in a controlled trial. Findings are tied to one university setting and a relatively short training dose.
Key terms
- EQUIP
- A competency-based training approach used here to structure clinical psychology skill development and assessment.
- Competency-based education
- Training organised around demonstrated skills and standards rather than seat time alone.
- Pre-service training
- Education for students before they enter full professional practice.
- ENACT tool
- A competency rating tool discussed by participants during EQUIP assessment practice.
- Role-play assessment
- Simulated clinical interactions used to observe and rate competencies with feedback.
Flashcards
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Quiz yourself
How many participants were interviewed/focus-grouped?
Common questions
How many participants provided qualitative data?
Twenty-seven participants.
What methods were used?
Focus groups and in-depth interviews.
How long were interviews?
About 20–45 minutes.
Was this only for working clinicians?
No—the study emphasises pre-service university students as well as faculty/supervisors.
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