1. Preceptor Orientation
Oregon State University
Master of Public Health (MPH)
Internship/Organizational Experience
H 510/ H 506

2. What is an internship/organizational experience?
A practicum experience for students in the Oregon Master of Public Health (OMPH) program
An opportunity to demonstrate mastery of learning competencies
6 credits total (200 hours), during 1 term (20 hours/week/quarter = 200 hrs)

3. What is the purpose of the internship/organizational experience?
To demonstrate and apply knowledge and skills gained during the program in a real-world setting
To integrate theory and practice in a supervised, applied setting
Socialization into the field of public health
To reflect on learning competencies in the context of the field experience

4. Who participates in an internship/organizational experience?
Participation is required of all OMPH students who have successfully completed the required degree coursework and who have discussed the internship/organizational experience with their advisor before completing required paperwork and registering for H 510/ H 506 for the duration of the experience.

5. Required student preparation:
Complete MPH degree course work
Gain familiarity with internship/organizational experience opportunities
Discuss interests and possible sites with advisor and Internship coordinator before completing required paperwork

6. Required student preparation:
Register for H 510/ H 506 for entire duration of the internship/organizational experience
Complete a proposal (included in OSU OMPH handbook)
Write measurable learning competencies (see OSU OMPH handbook)

7. What does the internship/organizational experience involve?
Participation in a project addressing a public health issue, with guidance of a preceptor
Application of classroom experience, knowledge, and skills
Application of statistical software to analyze public health data, if applicable

8. What does the internship/organizational experience involve?
Preparation of a final report - see OSU OMPH handbook for format. (A more extensive report can be provided to the agency.)
Demonstration of measurable learning, track, and program competencies, which will be described in the student’s final report

9. What does the internship/organizational experience involve?
Important note: In order to ensure applicability to degree requirements, student intern must seek the internship coordinator’s approval for any proposed changes to tasks and timeline.

10. What is the role of the preceptor?
Helps develop and agrees to facilitate, the internship/organizational experience as described in the proposal
Supervises and guides the student through the internship/experience; confers with the internship coordinator, as necessary
Completes a student evaluation form, which is provided by the student, and sends it to the internship coordinator along with a recommended grade (Pass/No Pass).

11. What are the minimum qualifications for a preceptor?
The qualified preceptor possesses public health credentials, by virtue of training and/or experience, for purposes of mentoring the student in the application of the public health skills and knowledge developed during the MPH degree program.

12. Criteria used by the student to identify a relevant internship/project:
Public health project of interest
--AND--
Has direct relevance to the field site
Provides experience that integrates public health skills developed in course work
Provides an opportunity to demonstrate learning competencies
Can be manageably completed within 200-hour timeframe

13. Can students get paid? Payment is not required
May be negotiated between student and preceptor
Not a condition of establishing the H 510/ H 506 internship/organizational experience
University is not involved in arranging payment

14. Why is the Learning Contract important?
Specifies student’s learning competencies for the placement, and relates these to the MPH learning competencies
Identifies activities and roles student will fulfill
Lists the products student will develop during placement
Provides information about the site
Projects date of completion

15. What is the Internship Proposal?
A signed agreement between the intern student and the field placement site
Delineates roles, responsibilities, and institutional terms of placement
Tailored to each placement

16. What is the Internship Proposal?
Must be complete and on file prior to start date.
If IRB or off-campus approvals are needed, they must also be completed prior to start date.

17. What goes into the student’s Internship Proposal?
A detailed and complete proposal signed by the student, preceptor and internship coordinator
Specific, measurable learning objectives for internship/organizational experience
Description of the work student will complete by the end of the internship/experience

18. What goes into the student’s Internship Proposal?
Student is asked to list the setting, the organization, and the preceptor’s role, credentials, and contact information.
Objectives to be accomplished are defined with the assistance of the Preceptor.

19. Other processes?
Must obtain OSU Human Subjects approval if placement has research component, even if project has completed IRB process at non-OSU site or data are de-identified
Background check of student may be required for agency

20. What reports does the student submit at the conclusion of the experience?
1. Internship report with responses to report questions
Insights into experiences
Observations on outcomes, accomplishments, processes, challenges
Specific reflections on demonstration of learning competencies
2. Any other reports as prepared for the preceptor’s agency/organization

21. What reports does the preceptor submit at the conclusion of the experience?
An evaluation of the student by the preceptor on a form provided by the student. Submission of the evaluation form by the preceptor directly to the internship coordinator is required before the end of the academic term in which the internship/experience was performed.

22. Grading
Preceptor provides feedback to the student’s internship coordinator through direct communication during and after placement, and recommends a final grade on a student evaluation form, which is provided by the student and returned by the preceptor directly to the advisor.
The student’s internship coordinator and advisor reviews all submitted materials and provides final course grade

23. What determines a Pass vs. No Pass Grade?
Accomplishment of learning competencies
Preceptor’s assessment on the final Internship report
No Pass:
Learning competencies not met
Poor evaluation of student’s work by preceptor

24. To reflect on the overall Internship/ experience
What is the purpose of the Internship/Organizational Experience Final Report?
To reflect on the overall Internship/ experience
To identify the challenges and successes of the experience
To provide ideas regarding how the internship/experience can be improved for future placement of students

25. What is the purpose of the preceptor’s evaluation of the student?
Allows the preceptor to comment on the student’s performance
Provides feedback to the student regarding his/her contributions to the organization
Provides additional information to student’s advisor regarding student performance

26. What are the student’s deadlines?
Student must register for H 510 or H 506 for the entire duration of the actual internship/experience
Student is to provide the preceptor with the internship/experience final report - with a return date to the student by the end of finals week of the internship term
All documents must be received by the student’s internship coordinator and advisor before the end of finals week of the internship term
An Incomplete may be assigned in extenuating circumstances at the request of the student to their advisor. Incompletes should be avoided, if at all possible.

27. How do we resolve problems during the internship/experience?
Preceptor:
Work with the student to address any issues
Contact the internship coordinator to discuss the situation
Rely upon the Internship Proposal to frame the work
Student:
Is encouraged to resolve problems initially with the preceptor
If resolution is not achieved, student is to meet with the internship coordinator immediately
Is to rely upon the Internship Proposal to ensure learning objectives are being pursued

28. Faculty Contact Information
Internship coordinator and faculty advisor (Contact information will be provided by student.)

29. Further information
For more information, please refer to the internship section of the OSU OMPH handbook at:

30. Thank You for Being a Preceptor!
Thank you for being an OMPH Program Internship/Organizational Experience preceptor! Our students, and ultimately our profession, benefit from your commitment and expertise.