Recursos formales

Overview: The DMU MPH field experience takes place in “MPH 658: internship”. The MPH internship is designed to be completed near the end of the Program of study.Students are eligible to enroll in the Internship course after they have completed all tier one and tier two courses, and a minimum of 24 credit hours including “MPH 653: Public Health Administration and Management”. Because the MPH Program is not a cohort Program, students may begin the internship at any point, therefore the course is offered every term. Students enroll in the course for only one term, but are allowed up to three consecutive terms to complete their 180-hour experience. A minimum of 160 hours must be spent in hands-on involvement, and 20 hours may be used to develop the e-portfolio. See e-resource 2.4.a for the MPH internship syllabus. At the end of the MPH

internship, students submit an e-portfolio.

Site Selection: the Internship Coordinator maintains a list of sites that have successfully been used as Internship sites that students can review. Because we have distance learning students, they are given many suggestions as to general categories of sites that they are encouraged to pursue to develop an Internship project. For example, local, state, and federal health departments, non-profit organizations, health care facilities, University research institutions, and private businesses often serve as Internship sites.

Students are encouraged to work with their advisors, the Internship Coordinator and the potential Internship Preceptor to develop an Internship proposal. To allow for flexibility for our working adult students, and accommodate the

geographic distance of our students, the ultimate responsibility for securing an internship site is the students. Students are allowed to conduct an internship in their place of employment only if the experience is outside of their regular job duties, and their preceptor is not their direct supervisor.

To provide more assistance to students, beginning in 2014, the MPH Program began signing affiliation agreements with public health organizations throughout Iowa. These organizations agree to host MPH students, which reduces some barriers for students (e-resource 2.4.a.2). The initiative to secure standing internship sites continues, and we hope to expand to regional sites as well. Additionally, all of these agencies have agreed to host and supervise distance students as well, so these opportunities are equally available to local and distance students in the MPH Program.

Methods for approving preceptors: Potential preceptors are either identified by the standing affiliation agreement, or invited by the student. Students are

encouraged to ask potential preceptors to meet / interview to begin discussing internship objectives. Once the student and preceptor have agreed upon a public health project(s), they complete the Internship Initiation Form, a comprehensive document outlining host organization information, preceptor’s resume, type of organization, and whether it is a public health agency (and if not, how it will specifically broaden the student’s public health knowledge).

The following criteria are used to determine the adequacy of the preceptors’ qualifications:

1. A graduate degree in public health or closely related field; or extensive public health work experience relevant to the proposed learning

experiences

2. Time to support the students’ experience

3. Professional and timely communication skills that demonstrate engagement in the students’ learning

4. Shared goals for the experience that benefit the student and the host organization

5. Willingness to complete the necessary responsibilities outlined in the Internship Preceptor Guide (see e-resource 2.4.a)

Opportunities for orientation and support for preceptors: All preceptors receive communication from the Internship Coordinator regarding their upcoming roles and responsibilities as a preceptor. An 18-page “preceptor Manual” (e- resource 2.4.b) provides an overview of the Program, the purpose of the internship experience, the Program’s expectations of the student, and detailed guidance for the preceptor. This includes an overview of the steps for initiating the student experience, and then also ongoing assessment, meetings, feedback, etc. Finally, the preceptor is given guidance on the culmination of the internship, in which the student submits an e-portfolio including evidence of competence, activities, and learning milestones.

At the beginning of the internship experience, the internship coordinator emails all new preceptors with the preceptor manual, copies of the evaluation materials, and given contact information for the coordinator and Program staff.

Approaches for faculty supervision of students: The MPH internship

coordinator is the instructor for the field experience course, and is responsible for the general oversight of the experience for all internship students. Many students seek guidance for selecting a site and determining a best fit for the students’ experience and the Program’s requirements. The internship coordinator is available to guide students with suggestions and strategies for securing a meaningful internship, and for determining final learning objectives that fit the scope of the experience. While students are completing their field experience,

reflection of their learning. The student is also provided the opportunity to discuss barriers to success, and a plan for completing the final portion of hours. This report is signed by the preceptor, and reviewed by the internship coordinator. The faculty member also communicates directly with the preceptors to ensure that communication between the Program and the host organization is open and productive in the event there are concerns. Preceptors submit their final student evaluation directly to the coordinator, which allows for additional communication. The final submission in the internship is the students’ electronic portfolio. The e- portfolio includes: a detailed description of the internship experience, reflections of the internship and Program experience, artifacts that demonstrate progression through Program competencies, and a detailed self-assessment on each

Program competency. After the student has completed their experience and submitted their e-portfolio, the internship coordinator reviews the portfolio, evaluates all artifacts and reflection writing, and reviews the preceptors’ evaluation of the student in determining a final course grade. Sample student internship portfolios are included in e-resource 2.4.e.

Means of evaluating student performance: Students’ performance is evaluated by the internship coordinators’ review of all required materials:

students’ mid-experience report, e-portfolio, students’ evaluation of the preceptor / host organization, and the preceptors’ evaluation of the students’ performance. Overall, the student is evaluated on their successful attainment and

demonstration of Program competencies throughout the internship experience. All materials are evaluated to determine an overall grade. The MPH internship is graded as pass/fail, where “pass” represents an 80% or higher achievement of syllabus requirements.

Means of evaluating practice placement sites and preceptor

qualifications: Students are provided an opportunity during their mid- and end- project reports to comment on the preceptor and host organization. Students are encouraged to discuss any difficulties or concerns with the MPH internship

coordinator, who is then able to reach out to the preceptor to discuss. In addition, students are given an end-course evaluation in which they can provide feedback to the Program about their experience, including the preceptor and/or host organization. Overall, the Program has had very positive experiences with host organizations and preceptors, however, should a student not have a positive experience, the internship coordinator would guide students toward alternative sites.

Criteria for waiving, altering or reducing the experience if applicable: No students receive waivers for the field experience / MPH internship.

2.4.b. Identification of agencies and preceptors used for practice