The Next Generation of Psychologists: An Irish Perspective on Competency Development in Research and Clinical Practice

The development of clinical and research competencies is central to readying the next generation of psychologists for professional practice. To meet emerging professional demands, training programmes must also now consider skill development beyond traditional research and clinical practice to equip graduates with contemporary competencies, including skills such as science communication. In this chapter, we discuss an Irish perspective on approaching this challenge, drawing on innovative methods we use to optimise competency development in undergraduate and postgraduate psychology education related to clinical topics. We explore how capacity-building in evidence synthesis methods and science communication can prepare students to facilitate the responsible and informed use of research evidence by others. Alongside this, we examine the clinical competency framework through examples and critically appraise considerations for training future psychologists. The discussion will highlight recommendations for training psychological scientists for the evolving professional landscape.