Appendix C. Master of Public Health. Practicum Guidelines

Transcription

1 Appendix C Master f Public Health Practicum Guidelines 0

2 Gergia State University, Schl f Public Health Master f Public Health Practicum Guidelines Fr mre infrmatin, cntact Jessica Hwell Pratt, MPH Practicum & Career Crdinatr jpratt@gsu.edu r Phne: An integral part f the MPH curriculum is a required practicum. The gal f the practicum is t prvide students with the pprtunity t apply public health academic thery and acquired skills frm their specialty areas (cncentratins) t cmmunity-based research and service in a practice setting. The practicum has the fllwing learning bjectives: apply and test public health cncepts and theries in practice settings; implement ne r mre f the ten essential public health services 1 ; utilize prblem-slving skills t assess and analyze public health issues and prpse and implement effective interventin strategies; justify the imprtance f interdisciplinary teamwrk t address public health prblems; and, learn t functin successfully as a public health prfessinal in a wrk setting. ADEMIC REQUIREMENTS Length and Credits Students must register fr tw (2) academic credits, which represent 240 hurs f field-based wrk and a mnthly in-class cmpnent. Field-based wrk can be perfrmed in a cncentrated fashin within ne semester r carried ut in tw cnsecutive semesters. The in-class meeting cntent cnsists f career and prfessinal develpment-based instructin, student-led seminars sharing practicumbased learning, and the student s develpment and presentatin f the final practicum pster. Credits will be awarded by demnstrating achievement f all related requirements as utlined in this handbk, including thse described in Sectin IV (Rles and Respnsibilities). Psitining within the MPH prgram Students are eligible t begin practicum cursewrk fllwing successful cmpletin f the fllwing cre classes: PH7011, PH7017, PH7140, PH7150, and PH7160; and at least tw (2) classes in the selected specialty track r cncentratin. Practicum Tpic Selectin The practicum tpic selectin prcess is a cllabrative effrt invlving the student, the practicum crdinatr, and the preceptr. The tpic must relate t the student s chsen specialty track r cncentratin and divisin faculty can serve as cnsultants in the selectin prcess. Practica may either be fcused n practice-based research r a public health-riented prject. Relatinship t Culminating Experience (Thesis r Capstne Prject) Althugh the practicum and the culminating experience are tw distinct MPH curriculum requirements, the tw may be linked. Fr example, a public health practice riented practicum can be develped int a central thesis 1 1 The 10 Essential Public Health Services website: was last accessed n August 15, 2014.

3 theme. Hwever, a full presentatin dcumenting the results f the practicum remains a separate and distinct requirement. Likewise, a research-based practicum can yield a specific research aspect sufficiently rbust fr the develpment f a thesis. The resulting thesis wuld be distinct frm the required final practicum presentatin. Decisins regarding thesis and capstne develpment are further specified in the Graduate Student Handbk. Enrllment and Grades fr the Practicum In rder t begin the practicum, students must enrll in PH7960 (Public Health Practicum) fr a ttal f tw (2) hurs. The practicum is an academic curse; students register fr the curse, pay tuitin, and receive academic credit that applies tward the degree requirements. Students nly register nce fr the practicum and credit hurs are nly applied nce. If the practicum is nt cmpleted in ne semester, the student is permitted t cntinue the fieldwrk fr tw additinal semesters until the hurs are cmpleted. University rules state that n letter grades will be given fr a practicum except S (satisfactry), U (unsatisfactry), r IP (in prgress). An IP grade indicates that the student is cntinuing fieldwrk fr an additinal semester. An IP will be assigned fr a maximum f tw semesters therefre, hurs must be cmpleted within three semesters r student will receive a U. Using the practicum evaluatin and in-class prgress reprting, the practicum crdinatr will evaluate student wrk and determine the apprpriate grade fr the practicum perid under review. Enrllment Exceptins If a student prpses a practicum experience that will span mre than ne semester, the student will be permitted t register in the secnd semester f wrk. The student, preceptr, and practicum crdinatr must sign ff n the prpsed timeline. If the student fails t register fr the practicum in the secnd semester, he r she will nt be allwed t cunt the hurs accumulated in the first semester tward the ttal hurs. 2

4 PRACTICUM SITES Site Selectin Criteria Expsure f future public health prfessinals t practice relies t an imprtant extent n the cllabratin f a diverse set f public, private, and nt-fr-prfit rganizatins engaged in public health and ther related disciplines. Eligible rganizatins are thse that ffer practice settings with the fllwing characteristics: Field experiences that are cmmensurate with the student s specialty track r cncentratin; Well-defined activities that enable students t apply academic thery in real wrld situatins; Engagement f experienced preceptrs r practicum supervisrs as utlined in the practicum plan; and A wrk envirnment, including wrk space, cnducive t successful perfrmance. Affiliatin Agreement A memrandum f understanding (MOU) cncerning affiliatin f students fr applied learning experience, n file at GSU, establishes a frmal relatinship between the University and the practicum placement rganizatin and articulates the terms and cnditins fr the practicum experience. Each prspective practicum site will be required t enter int an MOU with GSU. Students shuld check with the practicum crdinatr t determine if an MOU is already in place r if ne must be initiated. Preceptr Selectin Skilled practitiners wh are willing t serve as preceptrs r practicum supervisrs represent a critical cmpnent f the practicum experience. Effective preceptrs are thse that pssess the fllwing qualificatins: Extensive experience in public health, health care r a related discipline; Engaged in wrk that fulfills the requirements f the practicum; Experience as a mentr r supervisr; Ability t spend the required time with the student; and Ability t prvide peridic feedback and guidance t the students thrugh frmal evaluatins, regularly scheduled meetings and ther means as described in the practicum plan. OLES AND RESPONSIBILITES Student and preceptr will develp an individualized practicum plan using the prescribed frms. The parties will wrk tgether t fulfill the expectatins set frth in the practicum plan, which will identify jint respnsibilities f the practicum prject; tangible, measurable practicum learning bjectives; and available technical and prgrammatic supprt t achieve the bjectives. Student In cllabratin with the practicum crdinatr, the advisr, and apprpriate specialty track faculty, students are respnsible fr the fllwing: Identify ptential practicum sites based n the practicum tpic, area f specializatin, previus experience, career interests, and career gals. The MPH prgram will prvide a list f apprved practicum sites that ffer diverse and effective placement pprtunities. In sme instances students may prpse a practicum site; it is the student s respnsibility t establish cntact with that rganizatin, identify a prspective preceptr and prpse the site and specific practicum plan t the prgram crdinatr fr review. The practicum site can nly be apprved by the MPH prgram after a frmal agreement has been signed between the MPH prgram and the respective practicum site. 3

5 Develp a practicum/prject plan including learning bjectives, a timeline, milestnes, and final deliverables and secure apprval f the plan by the preceptr and the practicum crdinatr. Where indicated, the student s faculty advisr r a faculty member in the student s specialty track may be invlved. Purchase Gergia State University Prfessinal Liability Insurance. The purpse f Prfessinal Liability Insurance is t cver yu frm alleged mistakes that may ccur while yu are cmpleting yur practicum in a place f emplyment. Students wh already have cverage must prvide dcumentatin; therwise, students may purchase insurance fr a ne-time fee f $13.00 thrugh the GSU web stre ( Prvide written prgress reprts t the preceptr and practicum crdinatr. Participate in seminar series and student presentatins Maintain prfessinal cnduct such as keeping regular wrking hurs, being punctual and respectful, and fllwing dress cdes Submit a final practicum pster describing the prject, activities undertaken, results, findings and recmmendatins. Cnduct a midterm and final evaluatin f the practicum experience. Practicum Crdinatr The practicum crdinatr prvides verall management f the MPH practicum prgram. In this rle, the crdinatr, in cllabratin with ther faculty, is engaged in the fllwing activities: Identifies prspective sites in cllabratin with MPH faculty Facilitates the develpment f frmal agreements between the MPH prgram and the practicum rganizatin Serves as the liaisn t the prgram, the student and the rganizatins frmally apprved as practicum placement sites Prvides advice t students regarding site selectin, the develpment f the specific practicum plan, and reviews verall prgress f the student during the practicum prcess Facilitates any in-class cmpnent that accmpanies the fieldwrk Practicum Sites Fllwing the develpment f a frmal agreement, practicum sites are expected t accmplish the fllwing actins: Identify prspective preceptr(s) wh have expertise in the prpsed practicum tpic and will serve as the rganizatin s representative and mentr fr the student Allw the preceptr adequate time t serve as a mentr and supervisr Prvide wrkspace and ther wrkplace attributes t fster successful student perfrmance Prvide peridic feedback t the MPH prgram thrugh frmal evaluatins, rganized meetings etc. Preceptr Once selected t serve as preceptr, the preceptr s respnsibility includes the fllwing: Prvide technical and administrative versight t the student thrughut the practicum perid Prvide peridic feedback and guidance t the student in writing and thrugh meetings Review the student s prgress thrugh frmal mid-term and final evaluatins Cllabrate with the practicum crdinatr t address verall prject issues 4

6 PRACTICUM EVALUATION Evaluatin f the MPH practicum experience invlves the student, preceptr, and practicum crdinatr. Infrmal evaluatins will ccur ne-n-ne with the practicum crdinatr and during the in-class sessins. Frmal evaluatin will be cnducted thrugh midterm and final evaluatins cmpleted by the student and the preceptr. The evaluatin will assess student accmplishments r practicum gals and demnstratin f MPH cmpetencies. The student will als prvide feedback n the preceptr and practicum site verall. PRACTICUM FORMS Frms fr practicum students and preceptrs are available frm the Practicum Crdinatr r n the Schl s website PRACTICUM WAIVER Fr MPH students wh are admitted t the Schl f Public Health pssessing extensive public health experience, the fieldwrk experience may be waived withut credit. Fr mre infrmatin n this ptin, cntact the Practicum Crdinatr r visit the Schl s website 5