Follow-up information from the IH Concentrator’s Meeting “Practicum Nuts and Bolts”
IH Concentrator’s Meeting on Practicums – follow-up
More than 50 IH Concentrators came out to hear alum and fellow students share about their experience of finding a practicum. Special thanks to our presenters: Dana Longobardi (Ghana), Samera Akhtar-Zaidi (Pakistan), Hubert Zirimwabagabo (Boston), Leslie Pierce and Samantha Xia (India)!
Below please find the slides from the event. In addition, see two handouts that were provided: 1) the IH Practicum Primer – a compact outline of links, resources and process information, and 2) Seven Years of BUSPH IH Practicum Organizations (2006 – 2013).
Student Practicum Presentation 1
Student Practicum Presentation 2
Student Practicum Presentation 3
Student Practicum Presentation 4
IH_Practicum_Primer (updated Spring 2014)
Here’s some additional information regarding practicum requirements:
There are a number of things to do to complete the practicum requirement. For an overview of the practicum process check out this graphic: http://sph.bu.edu/otlt/practicumDiagram/
You can also go to the Practice Office website, where you can download a practicum handbook and search current and past practicum opportunities: http://sph.bu.edu/practicum/
Enhancing your Cross-Cultural knowledge will increase your ability to work effectively in a different cultural setting. This online, Cross-Cultural training course can help you whether you are working across cultures at home or abroad. Please prioritize some time to work through this training program before going on your practicum: http://sph.bu.edu/otlt/culturalawareness/
If you have secured a placement, you are ready to:
1) Request Approval from IH Faculty Representative, either Jim Wolff or Joe Anzalone. You’ll need to provide us with the name of the agency & field supervisor’s information, dates of practicum, the credits you wish to register for (0 to 4). Before submitting, you should connect with Wolffy or myself to inform us about your practicum plans. Begin by going to the Practice Web: http://sph.bu.edu/practicum/practiceweb/student/studentwelcome.aspx
You will also need approval from the Practice Office, which allows you to register for your intended credits. (You’ll need to comply with add/drop deadlines for the semester in which you are doing your practicum.) After you complete the registration process for your practicum, you can proceed with:
2) Submitting your Learning Contract & Scope of Work
3) Complete a Waiver & Checklist (when going outside of US; be sure to have both medical & evacuation coverage.)
4) Mid-Point review; Field Supervisor Evaluation; and the Student Evaluation (typically completed during the Practicum Finale seminar).
5) Abstract & Poster Guides – in preparing for the Practicum Finale Poster & Seminar day.
6) Submit a Practicum Report to the IH Blast, due two weeks after completing your practicum. A suggested outline is further below.
(A number of Practicum Reports are posted online via: https://bu.digication.com/GoIH/ ; If you cannot access, you many need to activate an account before you can go to this URL.)
7) In addition to your practicum, you need to attend two professional development seminars to complete your MPH practicum requirement. Those sessions are run by the practice office – see
http://sph.bu.edu/images/stories/scfiles/practice/how_to_workshops.pdf These do not need to be done prior to your practicum, but must be done to complete your practicum requirement.
USEFUL PRACTICUM LINKS:
Practice Office Blackboard site – deadlines / resources / Printable Forms
http://blackboard.bu.edu/bin/common/course.pl?course_id=_2185_1
SPH Practice Office Website: http://sph.bu.edu/practice/
===
Submit Trip Reports via the IH Blast: https://www.bu.edu/ghblast/gh-practicum/gh-trip-report-outline/
Practicum Report Outline. (These Reports are due two weeks after completing your practicum and should be submitted either electronically or in hard copy form by the practicum finale seminar. Practicum Reports model Trip Reports which are a common way for those in international work to document for their clients and superiors activities they have undertaken. Trip Reports often introduce the deliverable done in completion of a scope of work.
All IH Concentrators submit a Practicum Report as part of their practicum, including those doing a domestic placement. Adapt the outline as needed to fit their particular circumstance.
Suggested Outline for Trip Report (3 to 5 page maximum, not including annexes/deliverables)
Title Page (with Title, Author, Date, Acknowledgements
I. Executive Summary – (Summarize the key points of the report in one page or less.)
II. Background/Intro
a. Description of Client Organization
b. How you found this opportunity
c. Describe relevant Public Health Issues
d. Describe your Final Scope of Work
III. Activities/What you did
IV. Observations or Recommendations
a. (Also included if you would advise another student to do this, and whether interested others may read your trip report)
V. Next Steps/Follow up Actions
VI. Annexes:
a. List of Meetings & Key Events
b. Meeting Notes
c. Contacts: Person’s Name, Contact Info; Identify helpful people.
d. Key Documents/Instruments/deliverables used or created.
e. Budget / Expenses – (Rough estimate of cost of doing your practicum.)
