2015‐2016MPHStudentHandbook
PHC6946Syllabus
PublicHealthInternship
Instructor
Eachstudent’sFacultyAdvisorservesasinstructorforPHC6946.FacultyAdvisorsareinvolvedin
selectionandapprovalofinternshipsitesandspecialprojects;developmentofdocumentsforIRB
approval,ifnecessary;supervisionoftheinternship;andassignmentofafinalgrade.
Purpose
ToenableMPHstudentstoapplyentry‐levelcompetenciesacquiredintheclassroomsettingto
public
healthpracticethroughexperientialactivities.
Description
Theinternshipprovidesanopportunityforeachstudenttoworkinapublichealthsettingina
position
thatcarriesresponsibilityandisofparticularinterest.Eachplacementisdifferent,butallofthem
dependuponcompletionofmostconcentrationcoursework,theabilitytoworkwithminimal
supervision,andpermissionofthestudent’sFacultyAdvisor.
Objectives
AtthecompletionofthePublicHealthInternship,thestudentwillbeableto:
1.Describenewlyacquiredknowledgeinoneormorespecificpublichealtharea
2.ApplyoneormoreMPHcompetencywiththeskillexpectedfromapracticalexperience
3.Applyoneormoreconcentrationcompetencywiththeskillexpectedfromapractical
experience
4.Demonstrateprofessionalworkhabits
Credits
OnlineMPHstudentsarerequiredtocomplete5internshipcredits.Onecreditrequires48contact
hours.
Grading
ThiscourseisgradedasPass/Fail(S/U).
Requirements
DuringtheSemesterBeforeYourInternship
CompletetheInternshipQuestionnaireandsubmitittotheMPHInternshipCoordinator
Updatetheself‐assessmentofcompetencies(bothMPHcoreandconcentration‐specific)inyour
MPHPortfolio
ViewallrequiredsessionsoftheInternshipPreparationseminarseries.Topicsinclude:
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

Selectinganinternshipsiteandaspecial
project
InstitutionalReviewBoard:WhatYou
MUSTKnow
AcademicIntegrity


PresentingResearchData
Preparationofthefinalpaperand
presentation
Competencies


ArrangetomeetwiththeInternshipCoordinatorandyourFacultyAdvisorindividuallyviaan
Internetmeetingortelephoneforideasandguidance.ThelistsofcompetenciesinyourMPH
Portfoliowillhelpyouidentifytheskillsandknowledgeareasyouwouldliketostrengthenduring
yourinternship.YourFacultyAdvisorisassignedtoyouuponpre‐approvalofyourinternshipsite
andproposedspecialprojectbytheInternshipCoordinator.TheFacultyAdvisorwillgivefinal
approvalontheinternshipproposalandworkplan.
Beginresearchingandcontactingpotentialinternshipsites,forexample
 NationalandInternationalOrganizations
 GovernmentOrganizations
 LocalDepartmentsofHealth
 CommunityCenters
 AmericanPublicHealthAssociation
 StatePublicHealthAssociations
UpdateMPHPortfolioandprepareforinterviews
 Createorreviseresumeorcurriculumvitae
 Selectwritingsamples
 Contactpossiblereferences
 Practiceinterviewskills
 Confirm,withtheInternshipCoordinatorandyourFacultyAdvisorhowyour5credithours
 willbedistributed‐withinonesemesteroracrosstwosemesters.1credit=48internship
 contacthours.
 BecomefamiliarwiththeMPHPreceptorHandbook
Contactfinalsiteselections:
 Submitaletterofinterest–Besuretoidentifyspecificprojectsyouwouldliketoworkonat
thatparticularsite
 Submitaresumeorcurriculumvitae
Theinterviewprocess:
 Discussgoals,objectives,competencies,possibleprojects,internalIRBrequirements,
timeframes,andexpectations.
ContacttheInternshipCoordinatorassoonaspossibleifthechoseninternshipsiterequiresa
formalcontractoraffiliationagreementwiththecollege.
MeetwithyourFacultyAdvisortodeterminewhetherornotyourinternshiporanypartofitwill
requireIRBapproval.InformationaboutIRBrequirementsmaybefoundat:
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http://irb.ufl.edu/education/trainreq.htm.NotethattherearedifferentIRBsatUFwithslightly
differentrequirements.
IfIRBapprovalisrequired,prepareandsubmitanapplicationasearlyinthesemesteraspossible.
Pleasekeepinmindthatwithsomeagencies,theremaybeadditionalapprovalsneeded.
CompletetheInternshipandSpecialProjectProposalForm:
 Thisincludesadescriptionoftheinternshipandprojectsthatwillbeundertaken
 Intheworkplan,describeindetailatleastonespecialprojectandprovidesufficient
informationtodeterminewhethertheprojectcanbecompletedinthetimeallottedtothis
internship.
 GoalsmustspecifythestrengtheningofatleastoneMPHcompetencyandone
concentrationcompetency
 SigntheInternshipProposalformandacquireoriginalsignaturesfromyourfacultyadvisor,
yourInternshipPreceptor,andtheMPHInternshipCoordinator.Digitalpdfsignaturesare
preferredbutformsmaybeprinted,signedandfaxedorscannedandemailedtothe
InternshipCoordinatorforasignature.
 Theformisavailableininteractivepdfformatathttp://online.mph.ufl.edu
RegistrationinPHC6946isrestrictedtostudentswithsignedInternshipandSpecial
ProjectProposalForms.
DuringthePublicHealthInternship
 Conductyourspecialproject
 Engageinotherprojectsattheinternshipagencyororganization
 Participateinmeetingsandallotherprofessionalactivitiesthatyourscheduleallows.
Learneverythingyoucanabouttheagencyororganization.
 Maintainalogofhoursworkedthroughouttheinternshipperiodandhaveitsignedby
yourpreceptoronaweeklyormonthlybasis.
 ContactyourFacultyAdvisorandpreceptoratleastaboutonceeachmonththroughout
thesemester(s)todiscussprogress,reviewplansforthefinalpaperandpresentation,
andreceivefeedback.
UponCompletionofPublicHealthInternship
 AskyourpreceptortocompletetheInternshipEvaluationForm
 CompletetheAgencyandPreceptorEvaluationForm
 Prepareashortfactualreportthatincludes:
o Asignedlogofhours
o Namesofprojects/assignmentsundertakenandwhethertheywerecompletedduringthe
internship
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