Fieldwork Information Session

Fieldwork Information Session March 20, 2013

Fieldwork Information Session Overview Faculty Major players What is fieldwork Time line and tasks Possible fieldwork strategies IRB needs Forms and Handbook Questions

PH 737 Faculty Summer 2013, Fall 2013 COMHE –M. Crum EOHS – F. Mirer EPI/BIOS – L. Thorpe HPM – L. McDowell NUTR – C. Platkin/ A. Spark

Major Players & Responsibilities Student Preceptor (aka fieldwork supervisor) Academic advisor Fieldwork faculty member

Why Fieldwork The Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) requires that all MPH students in its accredited programs demonstrate the application of basic public health concepts through a practice experience that is relevant to the students’ areas of specialization. In the SPH, fieldwork experience provides MPH and MS students with the opportunity to demonstrate their ability to use the knowledge gained during their graduate coursework.

Fieldwork and Capstone“The Relationship” • Fieldwork is a prerequisite for Capstone. Students may start Capstone course only when they have completed their fieldwork. • There are now didactic sessions that complement the Field experience. In the Summer, there will be two (2) one day sessions (one at the beginning of the summer and one at the end). In the fall, there will be seven required class sessions (Wednesdays from 8Pm to 10PM). • During the fieldwork semester, students submit: • a rapid literature review and formal literature review, • a project plan, • compose a short essay summarizing reflections on their fieldwork experience (which will be incorporated in the student final portfolio submitted during Capstone) , • apply for IRB approval (if applicable)and • submit a Capstone proposal.

Fieldwork and Capstone“The Relationship” • The Capstone paper may or may not be developed based on the fieldwork experience. • Practice/project papers must be based on fieldwork. • Research papers may or may not be based on fieldwork. • Master’s essays and theses may or may not be based on fieldwork

Possible Fieldwork Strategies • For those with 9-5 jobs with limited flexibility: • Explore feasibility of a public health project in your workplace that enhances institution’s goals but would not be done otherwise • Identify field data collection opportunities that can occur nights and weekends • Seek out faculty with interests in your area and devise an academic-based fieldwork project on non-traditional time • For those who are completely undecided on what to do: • Fill out ‘prospective fieldwork student’ form (see website) and discuss with your fieldwork faculty member • Look at the listserv for your track for potential sites/positions • Consider formal training opportunities with the NYC Health Dept (HRTP) • Look for fieldwork opportunities in East Harlem to help the school contribute to neighborhood health

Prerequisite for Fieldwork • Completion of 18 credits toward the master's degree. • Including: • at least 3 required core courses (biostatistics, epidemiology, and the course most relevant to your specialization) • and at least 2 courses in students' specialization.

Fieldwork Site Selection • Provide appropriate public health experience as it relates to the student’s career goals and area of concentration. • Provide support and space for the student appropriate for the experience. • The environment of the site is safe for the student’s field practicum experience. • An available preceptor who is qualified and able to spend time with the student and provide guidance. • The preceptor has an understanding of the educational needs of public health students, and to increase responsibility and independence gradually. • If fieldwork is to be performed in a student’s own current job setting, the student must engage in substantially different assignment outside the scope of his or her usual activities. Activity must be approved by fieldworkfaculty.

Fieldwork Preceptor • Educational requirements of preceptor • Assist the fieldwork student in determining specific, mutually- agreeable, written fieldwork objectives & deliverables to the agency. • Orient the student to the field organization’s mission, programs, policies, protocols. • Commit time for instructional interaction & dialogue w/ student. • Provide supervision of the student’s activities. • If indicated, resolve conflicts w/ agency or organization policy. • Prepare an evaluation of the student, and discuss it with the student prior to sending it to the fieldwork faculty member. • Transmit the student’s final evaluation to the student’s fieldwork faculty member. • Share any comments and/or suggestions about the field experience with the course fieldwork faculty.

Fieldwork Site Examples • Federal agencies, such as the USDHHS, VA, CDC, USDA, OSHA • State, county or city health departments or social service agencies • Managed care organizations • Neighborhood health centers and community clinics • Hospitals (public, nonprofit, for profit) • Extended care facilities or community mental health centers • Environmental health consulting companies • Industrial settings • Multi-specialty medical practices • Head Start, public schools, private schools, nursery schools • Academic or other non-governmental research institute • Be sure to look at the listserv for opportunities

Fieldwork Expectations and Deliverables Expectations • Strong Experience / Not Just Clerical • Keep Fieldwork Faculty Member Updated Throughout (using Formstack Fieldwork Survey Forms) Deliverables • Fieldwork Contract • Project Plan • IRB Determination Form • Evaluations • Student’s Evaluation of Fieldwork • Preceptor’s Evaluation • Literature Review (both rapid and formal) • Reflections on Fieldwork • Fieldwork Status Surveys • Capstone Proposal • Online Forms (http://cuny.edu/site/sph/hunter-college/campus-resources/fieldwork.html)

Fieldwork Timeline • Steps are needed at each of the following junctures: • The semester before your planned PH737 Fieldwork experience • Just before and during the fieldwork semester • End of the fieldwork semester

The Semester Before PH 737(Pre-Fieldwork) Notify your program advisor of your intention to register for PH 737. Discuss eligibility and possible fieldwork options you are considering. Make an appointment with your track Fieldwork faculty. Have a good sense of what your intended project or organization is by the time you register for the next semester’s PH737 course. If you are eligible to do a Master’s essay, find a faculty sponsor and discuss options for both Fieldwork and a project.

Just Before & During the First 2 Weeks of PH 737 Fieldwork • Finalize details of project site, preceptor and project. • Develop a written work plan, including the “fieldwork contract.” • Must have discrete deliverables and acknowledge the use of the work for the Capstone class. • Secure approval of fieldwork faculty member and preceptor.

On-going Through the Semester Undertake fieldwork Meet w/ fieldwork faculty member & preceptor as arranged Keep a daily log of activitiesand submit Fieldwork status surveys throughout the Fieldwork assignment

End of Semester Submit these written materials to your fieldwork faculty member: • Your fieldwork evaluation • Preceptor’s evaluation of your performance (sent directly to Fieldwork Advisor, however please make sure that it is sent) • Reflections for your portfolio • Brief literature review (for your capstone paper) • IRB approval (if applicable) • Capstone Proposal

Fieldwork Forms and Handbook Preceptor’s Evaluation of Fieldwork Student Student’s Evaluation of Fieldwork Experience Fieldwork Log (if applicable) Fieldwork Handbook available at: http://www.cuny.edu/site/sph/hunter-college/campus-resources/fieldwork.html

Two Important Requirements to Graduate All CUNY SPH Master’s students must complete a fieldwork project and either a Capstone projector a Master’s essay To comply with CUNY and Hunter College requirements, Capstone or Master’s essay projects must be assessed for their impact on human subjects by Hunter’s Institutional Review Board (IRB)

When Do I Submit My Fieldwork/Capstone Paperwork to CUNY/Hunter IRB? Fieldwork Capstone/Master’s Essay

Requirements to Graduate • All CUNY SPH Master’s students must complete a fieldwork project and either a Capstone project or a Master’s essay • To comply with University requirements, Capstone or Master’s essay projects must be assessed for their impact on human subjects by Hunter’s Institutional Review Board (IRB)

…But Not All Capstone/Essays will Require a Full IRB Submission How do I know what IRB level my project will require? How long does this process take? When do I submit IRB-related forms?

(1) How Do I Know What IRB Level My Project Will Require? • ALL students must submit a simple “Human Subjects Research Determination Form” as soon as they have a reasonably clear idea of what they’d like to do for their Capstone or Master’s essay (more on this soon….) • The CUNY/Hunter IRB will review this form and either approve it as: • Not research • IRB exempt • Requiring a full IRB protocol submission

CUNY/Hunter CollegeInstitutional Review Board • http://www.hunter.cuny.edu/irb/ for general information • www.IRBNet.com for locating forms and submitting all IRB documentation • Research Determination Form is short and easy! • It’s less than one page of writing • It is advantageous to submit it as early as possible • It is very importantto not falsify or skirt over details

IRBNet Website – Under “Forms”

Determination Form Content Two sections are most important - Sections II and IV

Determination Form Content

What is Typically IRB Exempt? Non-identifiable data (Data that have never been labelled with individual identifiers or from which identifiers have been permanently removed) Analysis of de-identified, public use or administrative data (e.g. analysis of CDC BRFSS data) Analysis of de-identified secondary data that was already IRB approved (e.g. analysis of a de-identified dataset maintained by a faculty researcher) Collection/analyses of information used to improve program quality only (e.g. not intended to be published for generalizable knowledge) Literature reviews

(2) How long does this process take? • Research Determination Form is relatively quick (≤ 1 month) • Full IRB protocol submission should be timed to meet IRB office deadline for that month’s meeting (see website). • 1-3 months, depending on questions that arise (more questions, more back and forth…..) • A well-written IRB Protocol will generate many fewer questions and be much more likely to pass the first time around without questions from the IRB Board • Have someone familiar with IRB review your proposal • When in doubt, provide more detail as opposed to less (Also true for Research Determination Form)

Timeline in Terms of Actual Months Research Determination Form <1 month Prep of full IRB submission 1-2 weeks Full IRB protocol review 1-3 months If collecting original data or working with data that has identifiers, presume process should start 4-5 months prior to actual semester you work on Capstone/Essay analysis If absolutely sure data are not identifiable and public use, can presume 1-2 months If somewhere in between….presume the worst!

(4) Might it Slow Down My Graduation Date? • Yes…..if you wait until the last minute • No…if you are careful and plan ahead • Some worst case scenarios: • Held in holding pattern by IRB office, unable to collect data until IRB-approved; still answering questions last minute • Submit to IRB after data were collected; not allowed to publish findings • Falsified work to IRB and risk fines PLUS Federal retribution against CUNY as a research institutions (several universities had IRB offices temporarily closed and all research stopped)

Questions?

Fieldwork Information Session