Overview of CPHD 509A: Organizational Experience, Orientation & FAQs for MPH Students

1. CPH 509AOrganizational Experience Orientation and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions (Please read Syllabus first)

2. What is CPH 509A? • Final integrative experience in the PHCHD Track (i.e., “culminating”) • Worth six credits, total • To be taken following completion of all required coursework (excludes electives, but includes core courses and track required classes)

3. What is the purpose? • To provide a final, culminating, applied, integrative experience • Allows students to apply knowledge acquired in program to field settings • Chance to work in new professional environment • Opportunity to reflect on learning relative to career options

4. Who takes CPH 509A? • All PHCHD MPH students (no exceptions)

5. What are the prerequisites? • Complete all required core/track coursework • Acquire and read internship syllabus at least 1 ½ terms prior to your planned CPH 509A term • Meet with faculty advisor to discuss your interests, potential activities, and relevant sites for a CPH 509A internship • Contact faculty internship coordinator for assistance with application and registration • Submit internship proposal and related paperwork no less than1 term prior to start if research based or international, ½ term prior if not.

6. Research-based or international field placements • See CPH 509A Syllabus for important procedures relative to each type of experience • Plan to submit IRB proposal for all field work involving human research; this must occur before beginning the project • Off Campus Activities Authorization may be required • Paperwork will need to be filed and approvals obtained prior to leaving for an international experience • Plan one full term for approvals and paperwork, prior to beginning experience

7. What is involved in CPH 509A? • Competency-based, applied experience • All learning objectives linked to track competencies • Placement negotiated by student to meet individual career and learning objectives • 6 credits = 2 days per week over one quarter or 1 day per week over two quarters (200 total hours) plus research (summary of 15 professional journal articles) and writing time • Submit to internship coordinator the final product relevant to setting and an Internship Summary Report, complete Internship Site Evaluation • Graded Pass/Fail – all competencies must be met to receive passing grade.

8. How do I find a placement? • Your own contacts • Suggestions from your faculty advisor or other faculty • Information on program listservs • Postings on www.oregonmph.org website • Informational interviews • A special project arrangement at your place of work (Note: this may not include regular duties and/or job; is subject to approval)

9. How do I determine a relevant project? • Something of interest to you professionally and • Something of interest and relevance to the field site • Work that integrates across the curriculum and demonstrates the track competencies • Can be completed within time frame available • Within skill set developed during program

10. Can I get paid? • Not expected/required • May be negotiated between student and field supervisor • Not a condition of establishing the CPH 509A experience • University is not involved in any such arrangements

11. What needs to be done prior to starting internship? • Get CPH 509A Syllabus and meet with faculty advisor • Find a placement and internship preceptor • Negotiate project(s) and expectations between faculty, student and preceptor • Complete all elements of the learning contract in draft, email to faculty, receive feedback, revise, and get signed by student and preceptor • Submit revised draft by email to CPH 509A faculty, complete final revisions • Sign contract; internship preceptor signs; complete registration; deliver original to CPH 509A faculty • Obtain any necessary approvals (e.g., IRB, Off-campus Activities Authorization, International travel)

12. What are the specific documents to submit? • Unofficial transcript of classes to date • Current resume • Career goals -- now and 5 years • Learning competencies for CPH 509A, linked to internship objectives with specific metrics/deliverables • Listing of MPH courses completed • Signed learning contract • Inter-institutional contract if providing patient care • Follow checklist at end course syllabus

13. Why is the learning contract so important? • Allows you to define a relevant learning experience and how objectives will be met • Builds upon your own career, skills, and graduate education • Defines your expectations, those of the internship preceptor and internship faculty • Protects you • Basis for final reflection and evaluation

14. How do I write career objectives? • Articulate what you want to do in the near-term • Articulate where you want to be, professionally, in five years • Consider potential: • Titles • Settings • Responsibilities

15. How do I write learning competencies? • What will be different about you as a result of what you learn/do in the field experience? • State in terms of new/enhanced skills (i.e., “competencies”) • Must incorporate all track competencies, • Define measurable tasks for each learning competency • Note that these are brief, specific statements of skill in the “Who will do How Much of What by When” format.

16. Writing learning objectives: • Learning objectives should: • Begin with an action verb that matches the means of performance assessment. • Describe the intended outcome or product, not the process. • Be specific, measurable, appropriate, realistic, and time limited (SMART) • Address a single activity in each objective.

17. Effective verbs for learning competency writing

18. Sample learning competencies: By completion of my field experience, I will have… • Developed recommendations for Board based on [assessment] regarding [topic] • Convened a minimum of three community assessment meetings among [groups] • Developed [tools] for implementation in [activity] • Analyzed X data to look for patterns of Y. • Prepared a report of [specific results] for [stakeholders] • Conducted literature review of [topic] in Medline indexed journals • Evaluated [specific outcomes] of [project]

19. What kind of work description is expected? • Define the setting, organization, supervisor • With the internship preceptor, define the work to be done and articulate: • Skills • Experience • Expectations • Responsibilities • Specific for the work you will do during CPH 509A • Note: This must be a thorough and specific description. Incomplete or nonspecific descriptions will be returned for amendment.

20. What are the final products? 1: Weekly journal must be submitted 2: Objectives met and deliverables completed 3: Internship Summary paper based upon the experience • New insights into work, career directions • Outcomes and accomplishments • Processes and challenges • Thoughts about relevant coursework • Thoughts on accomplishment of objectives • Specific evidence of mastery of each of the track competencies, via your individual learning competencies

21. How do I register for CPH 509A? • Consult with your faculty advisor re: project & site • Complete all required coursework, learning contract, and special registration/approval form(s) • CPH 509A faculty coordinator signs and files contract • Register through regular course registration processes • May register for 6 credits in one quarter, or 3 credits each in two consecutive quarters

22. What are the deadlines? • Must file paperwork by the 5th week of preceding quarter if non-research/non-international experience • Must file paperwork full term in advance if research-based or international experience or student will be providing patient care • To receive a final grade, must submit all final products to CPH 509A Coordinator no later than the last day of the term (Week 10)

23. What are the deadlines? • All IRB files must be complete and closed before grade will be filed and graduation clearance provided • Incompletes will be assigned if final products are not received by the due dates specified • May complete CPH 509A in summer and still participate in June graduation ceremonies

24. How is the grade determined? • Graded Pass/Fail: • Pass: Satisfactory report documenting work and products and thorough written reflection on: • Demonstration of all learning competencies • Preceptor’s recommended assessment of student’s progress • Fail: Insufficient documentation; failure to demonstrate mastery of all stated competencies; complete all internship required assignments as noted in Syllabus

25. Most important things to remember: • Plan ahead to select placement • Your first draft of the contract may need revision for clarity • Allow time to revise contract prior to starting internship • Allow time for IRB and/or international placement paperwork and approvals • Allow adequate time to conduct, complete, document, and your project(s) in time for deadlines