PUBLICHEALTH
CLAREMONTGRADUATEUNIVERSITY
SCHOOLOFCOMMUNITY&GLOBALHEALTH
SUPERVISEDFIELDTRAININGEXPERIENCE
PRECEPTORGUIDE
FOR
MPHINTERNSHIPANDDRPHADVANCEDPRACTICUM
EFFECTIVESPRING2016
INTRODUCTION
TheroleofthefieldtrainingsupervisorishighlyvaluedinourMasterandDoctoralprogramsin
publichealthandwehopetobuildanongoingrelationshipbetweenfieldtrainingsupervisors,host
siteorganizations,andourprograms,alongwithcurrentandfuturestudents.
Classroomlearningaloneisnotsufficientpreparationforstudentscompletingoneofourdegree
programs.Aplanned,supervised,andevaluatedfieldplacementexperienceisaveryimportant
elementoftheClaremontSchoolofCommunity&GlobalHealth’s(SCGH)professionaldegree
programs.Thestudentmusthaveanopportunitytoparticipateinandobservetheactualconductof
publichealthandhealthserviceprofessionals.Aspracticinghealthprofessionals,FieldTraining
Supervisorshavetheopportunity,throughpracticeexperiences,toguideandshapethepreparation
andeducationoffuturepublichealthprofessionals.
Thegoalofastudent’sfieldtrainingexperienceistoprovidetheopportunitytoacquireskillsand
experienceintheapplicationofbasicand/oradvancedconceptsandspecialtyknowledgetothe
solutionofhealthproblems.Theoverallobjectivesofthefieldtrainingexperienceare:
• Expandknowledgeofbasicpublichealthandhealthservicespractices.
• Increaseawarenessofthecomplexityoftheproblemsandconcernsinvolvedinthepublic
healthandhealthservicesarena.
• Facilitateastrongerunderstandingoftherelationshipsamongpublichealthorganizations,
otherhealthserviceorganizations,andothergovernmentalentities.
• Affordtheopportunitytoprovidevaluableservice(s)tothehostsiteorganizationby
participatinginand/orcompletingprojectsorotherworkassignments.
• Increaseappreciationofculturaldifferencesinpopulationsservedbypublichealthand
healthservicesprofessionals.
• Provideanopportunitytoapplytrainingandconceptslearnedincoursework.
• Increaseself-confidenceasaprofessionalinthepublichealthandhealthservicesarena.
• Developopportunitiesforreferences,jobplacement,andprofessionalcontacts.
Whilenoteveryfieldtrainingexperiencewillserveoraccomplishalloftheaboveobjectives;
however,itisexpectedthattheexperiencewillincludemany,ifnotmostoftheseobjectives.The
specificobjectivesfortheexperiencethatrelatetotheseoverallprogrammaticobjectiveswilloccur
duringthecollaborativeprocessbetweentheFieldTrainingSupervisor,andthestudentand
his/herFacultyAdvisorwhiledevelopingascopeofworkthatispartofalearningcontract.
BEFORETHEFIELDTRAININGEXPERIENCE
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WhenastudentapproachesaFieldTrainingSupervisorregardingaplacementwiththe
organization,itisimportanttodiscussrealisticobjectivesandexpectationsandprobefordirection
he/shemayhavereceivedfromhis/herFacultyAdvisorand/ortheStaffCoordinator.IfaField
TrainingSupervisorelectstomoveforwardwiththestudent,he/shewillworkcollaborativelywith
thestudentandtheirFacultyAdvisorindevelopinganappropriatescopeofworkthatcontainsa
balanceofprofessionalexposure,skillapplication,realisticandmeaningfulobjectives,andthe
opportunitytoprovideavaluablecontributiontotheorganization.
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Thelearningcontract,whichincludesascopeofworkandstudentcompetencyinventory,isa
formalagreementofexpectationsfortheexperience;thatis,itservesacontractamongallthose
involvedregardingtheanticipatedactivitiesandoutcomes.Thelearningcontractmustbe
submittedandapprovedbythestudent,Supervisor,Facultyadvisorintheearlystagesofthe
placement.
Itisimportanttoensureotherpersonnelintheorganizationareorientedtofieldexperience
expectationsandthestudent’sspecificassignments.Adequateprovisionsshouldbeprovidedfor
thestudenttohaveaccesstoappropriateworkspaceandsupportservices.Ifappropriate,theField
TrainingSupervisorshouldensurethatpre-arrivalarrangementshavebeenmadewithother
offices(e.g.,humanresources,employeehealth,orientation,etc.)andthatthesearrangementshave
beencommunicatedtothestudent.
DURINGTHEFIELDTRAININGEXPERIENCE
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Oncethefieldexperiencehasbegun,theFieldTrainingSupervisorshouldassurethatthestudentis
orientedtotheorganization.Iffinancialcompensationispartoftheagreement,theSupervisor
shouldensurethatpayrollproceduresandworkexpectationsareclearlyunderstood(e.g.,time
cards,proceduresfortardinessandabsences,hoursofwork,worker’scompensationinsurance,
etc.).Ifaspecificskillsetisrequiredofthestudent,theSupervisorshouldarrangeforthenecessary
instructionandtraining.
FieldTrainingSupervisorshouldreviewthescopeofworkwiththestudentandarrangetohave
regular,scheduledcontactwithoraccesswiththestudent.Thesemeetingsmayalsobewiththe
Supervisor’sdesignee.Studentsshouldbeprovidedwithadequatespace,supplies,andcomputing
resourcestoperformhis/herfieldexperienceactivities.Typically,theseresourcesaremodest;
nevertheless,thestudentshouldbeabletoproduceandstorehis/herworkinasecureareaaswell
asreceiveandsendmail,phone,ande-mailmessages.
Allsupplies,materials,andcomputingresourcesprovidedduringthefieldexperienceremainthe
propertyofthehostorganization;thestudentisresponsibleforreturningtheaforementionedwork
relateditemspriortoorimmediatelyuponthecompletionofthefieldexperience.Thestudentmust
obtainpermissionfromthehostorganizationandtheirSupervisortokeepcopiesofanyofthe
organization’sreports,data,correspondence,orotherrelatedmaterial.
Ascalledforinthescopeofwork,andiffeasible,FieldTrainingSupervisorisaskedtoprovide
opportunitiesforthestudenttoattendavarietyofboard,group,community,orotherappropriate
meetings.Ifpractical,theopportunitytoobservetherelationshipbetweentheorganizationand
otherlocal,regional,and/ornationalorganizationsisappreciated.Providingopportunitiesforthe
studenttobecomefamiliarwiththerelationshipsbetweentheorganization,itsconstituents,
clientele,community,and/orspecificpopulationsservedisinstrumentalinprofessionalgrowth.
Attheendofthefieldexperience,theSupervisorshouldmeetwiththestudenttoevaluatehis/her
performance,andprovidevaluablefeedbackonhis/heractivitiesandoverallprofessionalism.
SupervisorshouldcompleteandreturntoSCGHtheFieldTrainingSupervisorEvaluationForm
furnishedbythestudent.AcopyofthisformisalsoavailabletodownloadfromtheSchools’
website.Amailingaddressisprovidedatthebottomoftheform.Ifappropriate,theSupervisormay
alsochoosetoincludealetterofrecommendationforthestudent.Awell-writtenletteratthistime
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maypreventnumerousrequestsforrecommendationinthefuture;thisletterwillbeveryusefulto
thestudentduringhis/hersearchforfutureemploymentopportunitiesoradvancededucational
pursuits.
ETHICALANDPERFORMANCECONCERNS
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If,atanytimeduringthefieldexperience,thereisanyissueorconcernrelatingtothestudent’s
performance,ethicalorprofessionalconduct,pleasecontacttheStaffCoordinatororthestudent’s
FacultyAdvisorimmediately.ThefollowingareguidelinesgiventoallSCGHstudentsregarding
expectationsforproperethicalconductduringthefieldtrainingexperience.Studentsareselected
intoourprogrambased,inpart,ontheirintegrityandstrengthofcharacter.However,wealso
recognizethatthesearestudentsandareintheprocessoflearningaboutprofessionalstandards
forethicalbehavior.FieldTrainingSupervisorsareaskedtojoinusinassuringthatstudents
understandtheimportanceofethicalbehaviorand,totheextentpossible,workcollaboratively
withusifanyissueorconcernwithprofessionalstandardsorethicsarisesduringafield
experience.
ETHICALGUIDELINESFORSTUDENTS
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Allinformationrelatedtoclientsofthehostagencyistoremainconfidential.
Studentsmustfollowstandardsofacademicintegrityasoutlinedintheirrespective
GraduateStudentHandbooksandreviewedduringnewstudentorientation.Anystudent
identifiedashavingengagedinanyactsofacademicdishonesty(including,butnotlimited
to,copyinginformationavailablethroughtheworksiteandpresentingitasthestudent’s
ownworktoeitherrepresentativesofthehostorganizationortheFacultyAdvisor)while
engagedinfieldexperienceactivitieswillbesubjecttothesamestandardsandreview
processoutlinedinthehandbooks,includingthepossibilityofdismissal.
Studentsshouldbeguidedbycodesofethicsmostcloselyassociatedwiththeprofession
andorganizationoftheirfieldexperience.
StudentsareencouragedtodiscusswitheithertheStaffCoordinatorortheirFaculty
Advisoranyactivitiestheybelievemaypotentiallycompromiselegalorethicalstandards.
Studentsmayundertakeonlythoseprogramactivitiesexplicitlyassignedorauthorizedby
hostsitepersonnelortheirFacultyAdvisor.
Studentsshouldimmediatelyreportanyharassmenttheymightexperiencewhile
participatingintheirfieldexperiencetotheSupervisor,FacultyAdvisor,Dean,and/orthe
StaffCoordinator.
Studentsmustreportanyunusualorinappropriatebehaviorbythehostagency,personnel,
orclientstotheFieldTrainingSupervisor,FacultyAdvisor,Dean,and/ortheProgram
Manager.
Studentsmaynotvisitclientssociallyduringregularworkinghourswithoutexplicit
approvaloftheFieldTrainingSupervisor.
Studentsmaynotcorrespondwithorforclientsregardingmattersofaprofessionalnature
withoutexplicitapprovaloftheFieldTrainingSupervisor.
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PERFORMANCECONCERNS
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Duringthecourseofthefieldexperience,iftheFieldTrainingSupervisor,FacultyAdvisor,orthe
StaffCoordinatordeterminesthatastudentishavingdifficultyfunctioninginaparticularsetting,
heorshemayreassignthestudentoraskhimorhertotaketimeoutuntilthenextsemester.Ifa
student’sbehaviorisdeterminedtobeunprofessional,unethical,oroutsidetherulesofthe
organizationoruniversity,thestudentmayfacecertainconsequences.Similarly,ifastudentfailsto
submittherequiredformsorcourseassignmentsintheagreeduponschedule,thesitemayrequest
terminationofthefieldexperience.Dependingonthebehavior,thestudentmaybeawardeda
gradeof“U”forthefieldtrainingexperience(thusnotreceivingacademiccredit).Likewise,if
duringthecourseofthefieldexperiencethestudentdeemsthattheiractivitiesareinappropriateor
notcontributingtotheireducationalexperience,thestudentmayrequestareviewofthe
circumstancebytheFacultyAdvisor.Ifthefieldexperienceisdeterminedtobeinconsistentwith
thephilosophyorguidelinesfortheinternship/practicumexperiences,thestudentwillbe
permittedtoaffiliatewithanotherorganizationtofulfillthepracticerequirement.
AFTERTHEFIELDTRAININGEXPERIENCE
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Wehope,followingthisexperience,FieldTrainingSupervisorswillwishtomaintaincontactwith
SCGHfacultyregardingfutureopportunitiesforotherstudents,waystoimprovethestudent
experienceorcontributiontotheorganization,andothermutualinterests.TheStaffCoordinator
and/orotherfacultyarekeycontactsregardingrequestsforstudentstoassistwithmeetingthe
organization’sspecificneeds,includingrequestsforstudentswithspecificskillstoassistwith
forthcomingprojects.
CONTACTINFORMATION
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Forquestionsconcerningthefieldtrainingexperience,pleasecontactSCGHadministration:
BreeHemingway,MPH
DarleenPeterson,PhD,MPH,MCHES
FieldTrainingCoordinator FieldTrainingFacultyAdvisor
bree.l.hemingway@cgu.edu darleen.peterson@cgu.edu
909-607-7292 909-607-6729
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