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At the completion of the public health internship, the student will demonstrate competency in entry-level public health generalist skills:
As demonstrated in the practice setting:
- Demonstrate professional workplace behavior.
- Communicate in oral and written formats appropriate to professional and academic settings.
- Interact with individuals, groups, and/or communities across diverse settings.
- Participate as a member of a professional workplace team.
As demonstrated by the capstone paper:
- Utilize Use conceptual frameworks, theory, and scientific evidence to shape public health practice.
- Evaluate and synthesize public health and other scientific information to improve population level health.
- Think critically about public health problems.
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The agency’s role is to help students develop in public health roles and skills. Progressive increases in tasks and student involvement should occur as the student’s workplace skill proficiency and knowledge of the agency increases. Tasks for students may involve data collection, writing informational brochures, program planning and program development, implementation assistance, evaluation of conferences or programs, and direct contact with community clients. The agency must must have the capacity to provide meaningful work in which a student can be productive by applying skills or learning new ones, and by providing supervision and guidance consistent with a student’s needs and progress. Public health interns are productive assets, capable of assuming responsibility and fulfilling tasks. The internship experience also provides the agency an opportunity to observe the student as a prospective employee in the field of public health.
All public health interns are required to design and implement a capstone project that demonstrates a contribution to the placement agency and public health. The agency must have the capability to support this requirement. The agency site supervisor, along with the internship placement coordinator, will assist in guiding the process.
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- Participate in the formal communication processes with the internship placement coordinator and student prior to student initiation of the experience.Review and sign off on the student’s learning objectives.
- Prepare a schedule outlining job duties and supervision before the student begins the experience.
- Participate, if appropriate, in the students’ interview process.
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- Plan an orientation for the intern to the agency’s physical setting, policies, services, and links with other service delivery systems in the local community, region, state, or nation.
- Provide clear communication to the intern regarding day-to-day expectations.
- Enrich the intern’s learning opportunities through carefully selected educational experiences.
- Hold a supervisory conference (with the student) of at least one hour of “protected time” per week, in addition to “normal” interaction throughout the weeks.
- Assess regularly the intern’s level of knowledge, educational needs and interest in collaboration with the internship placement coordinator.
- Review and sign the student’s time sheets.
- Participate in the evaluation of Intern Performance:
- Situations in which the student’s performance brings into question the student’s ability or willingness to meet minimally acceptable standards are communicated to both the student and the internship placement coordinator. Obvious examples are erratic attendance patterns, failure to keep appointments or other obligations, inappropriate behavior in the professional role, violation of the ethics or laws, and refusal or failure to carry out policies or procedures that are vital to the organization’s functioning. It is especially crucial that any performance deficiency be brought to the student’s attention as soon as it has been observed. Only in this way do the student and the site supervisor and internship placement coordinator have full opportunity to initiate timely corrective steps.
- Provide the internship placement coordinator with a written evaluation of the intern’s performance at the mid- and end of term. PHP 422 Internship Evaluation Forms will be provided in advance to the site supervisor.
- Discuss the mid-term evaluation with the intern and internship placement coordinator at a scheduled meeting.
- Intern activities which may be evaluated may include but are not limited to: review of work products (brochures, education materials, literature reviews), oral presentations, participation in group meetings, and fulfillment of daily responsibilities.
Intern Responsibilities
The intern, with the support Prior to the beginning of the internship placement coordinator, has major responsibility for his/her own learning, and is expected to actively participate in the formulation and implementation of the internship placement experience. Responsibilities center on the use of supervision, the use of organization resources and materials and participation in self-evaluation. While in placement, the intern is expected to maintain the same ethical standards and practices as the professional staff.
Use of Supervision:
The intern is expected to prepare for and participate in regular conferences with the site supervisor, focusing on the student’s :
- Complete pre-planning steps, as outlined in “Preparing for PHP 422 Senior Capstone Internship” section in this handbook.
During the internship:
- Engage in public health practice, in accordance with professional and ethical values of the field.
- Completion of all PHP 422 assignments as stated in course syllabus.
- Completion of required internship hours. Students who do not complete at least 70% of their required hours will receive an “F” grade in the course.
- Actively communicate with internship coordinator to discuss any concerns or issues with the internship placement and/or academic assignments of PHP 422.
- Participate in regular conferences with their site supervisor, focusing on student learning and application of public health concepts.
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Use of Organization Material:
There should be a clear understanding among the organization, the intern and the department about the student’s use of an organization’s material in the classroom. In some cases, the organization may require the intern to sign a “non-compete” clause that prohibits the student from sharing proprietary materials outside of the internship site.
The Intern as a Member of the Organization:
The intern takes responsibility for becoming a part of the placement setting and participates as a responsible member of the staff. Attendance at meetings and conferences in the organization and community encouraged. The student should take advantage of appropriate opportunities to broaden the learning experience within the setting consistent with educational and service obligations. Students need to understand and accept the importance of planning their time, keeping appointments, maintaining office routine, and of maintaining professional demeanor. Variations in schedule are worked out between the intern and the site supervisor, with the internship placement coordinator being kept informed.
Use of Collaborative Problem Solving:
The public health program respects the right of the intern to raise and pursue issues regarding his/her placement. Such concerns should be brought by the intern to the internship placement coordinator. The first step in most cases involves the internship coordinator coaching the student on possible ways to resolve the problem him/herself. The process of problem solving on one’s own behalf is an important part of professional development. If this fails, the intern, internship placement coordinator and site supervisor initiate a joint meeting to further assess and enact problem resolution strategies.
Protection of Confidentiality
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- Take responsibility for acting as a member of the placement organization and participate as a responsible member of the staff, with particular attention to timekeeping, professional demeanor, and communication with site supervisor.
- Understand and act accordingly based on placement site policy regarding confidentiality, use of materials, etc.
Faculty Advisor Role
- Mentor advisee throughout academic career to help identify interest areas that will help shape internship placement.
- Review professional resume and approve PHP 422 application during PHP 422 planning phase.
- Act as consultant to internship placement coordinator.Approve the placement sites suggested by the student and internship placement coordinator.
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- Mentor student throughout academic career to achieve career goals and provide guidance and support relative to the students’ potential.
- Develop internship opportunities through contacts in practice and service activities.Assist students with drafting learning objectives.
- Arrange for placement of students with agencies congruent with student career and/or academic interests, and ability level.
- Serve as a liaison among the student, the internship site and academic advisor.
- Conduct periodic internship site visits.
- Meet or communicate with the student intern throughout planning and placement to facilitate a successful and productive placement experience.
- Evaluate students’ attainment of internship objectives.
- Grade student portfolios and capstone projects.
- Instruct PHP 422 seminar classes.
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