FORMATION OF PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCE OF STUDENTS OF THE SPECIALTY «MEDICAL PSYCHOLOGY» BY MEANS OF THE DISCIPLINE «FUNDAMENTALS OF HIGHER SCHOOL PEDAGOGY» AND ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATION

Abstract

The article explores the formation of professional competence in students specializing in «Medical Psychology» through the study and practical application of the course «Fundamentals of Higher Education Pedagogy». The relevance of the research is driven by the increasing demands for well-prepared medical psychologists, the need to ensure a high level of professional competence, the integration of pedagogical knowledge into professional practice, and the development of communication, ethical, and reflective skills. The aim of the study was to theoretically substantiate and experimentally verify the effectiveness of fostering professional competence in students of the «Medical Psychology» specialty through the implementation of the «Fundamentals of Higher Education Pedagogy» course. A combination of research methods was employed, including literature analysis, questionnaires, pedagogical observation, competence-level assessment, and statistical analysis using the Student’s t-test and comparison of mean values. The study involved 86 fourth-year students, divided into an experimental group (n = 44) and a control group (n = 42). The results demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in professional competence in the experimental group compared to the control group (p < 0.05), confirming the effectiveness of active, practice-oriented teaching approaches. The scientific novelty of the research lies in the first experimental verification of a systematic pedagogical approach to developing professional competence in future medical psychologists. The practical value of the findings is in their applicability for designing educational programs and methodological recommendations in higher medical education institutions.