1. PHE 504: Oregon MPH Program Health Promotion Field Experience
Orientation & Answers to
Frequently Asked Questions

2. What is the purpose of the Field Experience?
To demonstrate and apply knowledge and skills gained 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 your learning competencies in the context of your field experience

3. What is PHE 504? “Field experience” vs. “Internship”
A culminating experience for students in the OMPH Health Promotion track
6 credits total (200 hours), over 1 or 2* terms
TWO TERMS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED
*If over two terms, register for 3 & 3 credit hours; will be assigned “I” grade for first term until placement is complete
All core & track required classes must be completed before beginning your field experience
All students in the OMPH Health Promotion Track must register for PHE 504 with ‘Special Registration’ form
*You can only register for 6 in one term or 3 & 3 over two terms. Other permutations are not allowed.

4. What does the Field Experience involve?
Participation in a project addressing a public health issue, with guidance of preceptor
Applying classroom experience, knowledge, and skills
Daily journaling of work experience and reflections about the field experience
Bi-weekly communication with FE Coordinators
Completing a Final Summary Report, Evaluation, and providing examples of Products developed
Demonstrating measurable learning, track, and program competencies

5. What are the Prerequisites?
Complete all core and track required courses
Meet with advisor to discuss interests and possible sites
Meet with FE Coordinators to discuss 1-2 weeks before submittal with the following
Field experience Position Description
Draft competency Matrix
Complete Application and Learning Contract form; provide copies of both forms for advisor and preceptor. Original signatures are required.
Develop measurable learning competencies addressing, at minimum, HP Competencies 1, 3, 4, 8, 9, and 10
Note: Some sites may require background checks, vaccinations, and/or FE Agency Agreements
Meeting with the Coordinator in the 3rd week of the term typically provides enough time to complete application.
Most sites requiring background checks and vaccinations will facilitate it; however, if they do not, the Student Health Center can take care of the vaccinations and we have a background check company (Certified Background.com ext 7502 – students pay for this).

6. How do I find a Field Placement?
Research, informational interviews, exploration
OMPH, PSUMPH, SCH listservs and websites
Personal contacts and connections
Faculty and advisory consultations
Discuss placement with other students and recent alumni
We have a list of agencies/organizations where placements have occurred in the recent past in the back of the handbook; we cannot give out contact info but are willing to verify if someone has been a preceptor in the past.

7. Some variables to consider…
Issue interests
Professional goals
Skills to apply and competencies to meet
Work environment
Opportunity logistics
Other restrictions or needs
Qualifications of preceptor
Must work on site (cannot work at PSU or home)
Must not drive clients in personal car
No clinical activities
Places you may want to work someday, as well as at those you may not!

8. What is the role of the Preceptor?
Helps shape and agrees to facilitate implementation of the Learning Contract
Supervises and guides the student through the Field Experience
Completes the Student Evaluation Form (provided, with due date, by student), and returns it to the FE Coordinator
Debriefs with faculty advisor or FE Coordinator regarding student’s performance, as necessary

9. What are the minimum qualifications for Preceptors
Public health credentials, by virtue of training and/or experience, for purposes of mentoring and evaluating the student in the application of the public health skills and knowledge developed during the MPH degree program
Potential Preceptors will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
Preceptors may not be OMPH faculty members or advisors, including at partner campuses.
“Public health credentials, by virtue of training and/or experience” is exact language.
Faculty in the OMPH program period are not supposed to be preceptors; adjuncts have a little leeway.

10. What are Preceptors looking for?
Preceptors commonly evaluate students on their demonstration of:
Confidence in communication and demonstration of skills
Initiative, and ability to ask questions
Working well both independently and as part of a team
Ability to achieve approved FE goals, finalize products, and meet all track compentencies
They are looking for confidence. Our students are fantastic, they know that, we know that, but you need to show that.

11. Position Descriptions
The Field Experience Application and Learning Agreement packet must include a formal position description
Work with preceptor to develop a formal position description if one does not exist
Meet with FE Coordinator to review draft Position Description
Should include:
General description of project you will be joining
Placement responsibilities
Required Skills
Terms of placement (location, start/end dates, etc.)
Description of placement site
Formal position description on Letterhead – could take . Helps reduce risk and make sure that we, the university, understand the scope of the job.

12. Two Key Questions for Determining Suitability of Field Experience Site
Is the project “public health” in nature, such that I will be able to apply public health tools and techniques to the issues I am to address?
Is the Preceptor of a background that s/he can guide me in the specific application of the public health tools and techniques I have learned in this program?

13. Where have students been placed?
State Public Health Division
County Health Departments
Other public agencies
Not-for-profit organizations
Condition-specific organizations
Population-specific organizations
Advocacy organizations
Insurance companies
School districts
Colleges/Universities
…Etcetera…
Please see list of previous Field Experience Sites in the FE Handbook

14. What duties do FE students perform?
Community organizing
Project development and/or implementation
Evaluation
Report development and writing
Media work
Research
Volunteer training
Public education
Development of health promotion materials
Advocacy
Policy work
…And much more!

15. Why is the Learning Contract important?
Specifies learning competencies that determine the placement, and how they relate to track competencies (matrix)
Identifies activities and roles you will fulfill (position description)
Lists the products you will develop during your placement
Provides contact information about the site
Projects date of completion
Must be submitted by 5pm on Monday of the 5th week of the term
=> Note: this is a CONTRACT. Failure to satisfactorily complete what is specified in the contract will result in not passing the placement.

16. What are the Health Promotion Track Competencies?
Apply theory in the development, implementation, and evaluation of health promotion interventions, programs, and policies
Develop interventions and programs to effect change at multiple levels, including individual, community, organization, and policy
Design and implement strategies to promote health
Solicit and integrate input from community and organization stakeholders
Design and deliver health communication messages
Evaluate and interpret results from program evaluations and other research

17. What are the Health Promotion Track Competencies? (continued)
Define research problems, frame research questions, design research procedures, and outline methods of analysis
Apply ethical principles that govern the practice of public health
Enact cultural competency in diverse social and cultural communities
Develop a substantive Area of Emphasis
Area of Emphasis – is all about you. How is this helping you?
Reason why Theory is tricky – real world can be tricky and you may not think that way. We need to know you understand how to apply a theory, even a portion, can justify why it is a portion. We can also take a theoretically grounded model (preceed-proceed, social marketing, etc) that has arrows that predict, etc. Eval models usually work. Look beyond 512, because all coursework is theoretical based.
Ethics and Cultural is all about specificity. What did you do? How do you know? If I took a picture?

18. How do I write Learning Competencies?
Learning Competencies are brief (i.e., one sentence), specific statements of what a student will do.
“Who will do How Much of What by When.”
Describe the performance of a major cognitive skill (knowledge, comprehension, application, analysis, synthesis, and evaluation)
Pay particular attention to analysis, synthesis, and evaluation
Begin with an “action verb” that matches the means of performance assessment
Be explicitly measurable through at least three Learning Activities per Learning Competency
Identify the intended outcome or product, not the process
Reference and build upon the HP Track Competencies
Competency is what you KNOW; objective is what you DO
List of verbs in the handbook 18

19. Learning Competencies vs. Learning Activities
Learning Competencies and Learning Activities both
utilize brief (one sentence) and specific language
begins with an action verb to state what a student will do
must be reasonable in scope and breadth
How are they different?
Learning Competency
Learning Activity
Describes a single, major cognitive skill
Identify a specific action the student will take to show competency
Links the Track Competency to at least 3 Learning Activities
Defined in an explicitly measurable way

20. Note on Learning Competencies and Learning Activities
Plan for guidance and the possibility of revisions. Reviewing a draft of the matrix and job description with FE Coordinators by the 3rd week of the term
All Competency Matrices are different – what works for your colleagues may not apply for you
Do not copy, transpose, or otherwise base your competencies or contract on someone else’s.
Do develop your own specific, measurable, realistic, appropriate, and time-limited competencies based on the terms and deliverables of YOUR project.

21. Competency Matrix
Track Competency
FE Learning Competency
Learning Activities
Actual Language for PSU HP Track Competency as found in handbook
Your project/placement-specific competency(ies). One skill/theory per competency; may have several learning competencies per track competency.
Minimum of three activities per competency.
Note: Please number competency and number activities so that it is clear which activities are associated with which track competencies.

22. Competency Writing Activity [AKA: what is wrong with this picture?]
Track Competency
FE Learning Competency
Learning Activities
1. Apply theory in the development, implementation and evaluation of health promotion interventions, programs and policies.
Use theory to develop evaluation tools for the Healthy Kids Learn Better Program.
What theory? 22

23. Competency Writing Activity
Track Competency
FE Learning Competency
Learning Activities
3. Design and implement strategies to promote health.
Design strategies to promote health among children in the Healthy Kids Learn Better Program.
Circular, still not specific, and stratgies (pl) probably indicates more than one competency 23

24. Competency Writing Activity
Track Competency
FE Learning Competency
Learning Activities
Enact cultural competency in diverse social and cultural communities.
Respect different beliefs, cultures, values, economic and education levels throughout the community.
What is respect? Need action verb that is measurable.
List…break out. Respecting education levels might be different than cultures. 24

25. Competency Writing Activity
Track Competency
FE Learning Competency
Learning Activities
Design and implement strategies to promote health.
Develop a training manual for representatives of identified childcare organizations who will be trained on the Healthy Kids Learn Better Program.
1) Create training manual
2) Present to childcare organizations
FELC looks great.
Activities… how is she going to create the training manual, no way of knowing which organizations 25

26. Competency Writing Activity
Track Competency
FE Learning Competency
Learning Activities
3. Design and implement strategies to promote health.
Design a mixed-methods outcome evaluation plan to assess effectiveness of the Healthy Kids Learn Better Program training manual.
1) Create evaluation plan with program coordinator.
2) Revise existing survey of training manual effectiveness to include new components of program.
3) Develop a focus group script to evaluate effectiveness of training manual.
4) Identify sampling scheme
Of course, the LE will continue on.
Also note that mixed-methods is a strategy, not a theory. 26

27. Theory Discussion Exercise
What do you do if the theory you are wanting to apply does not fit the specific FE Learning Competency you have developed?
What do you do if you cannot identify a theoretical basis for your project?
In what classes have you learned theory?
Remember: All placements must be theoretically grounded

28. Ethical Practice and Cultural Competence Exercise
What would the practitioner need to be prepared to DO to ensure ethical behavior and/or culturally competent behavior with respect to the following?
Development of an informational brochure on diabetes management for Russian refugees and immigrants
Interviews about sexual health practices within the Latino population
Community meetings with female members of three Oregon communities around the topic of domestic violence
#1 – Ethically grounded, consult with the population (advisory board, double translation, feedback mechanism)
#2 – Culturally competent – language appropriate instruments, appropriate gender specific stuff, talking to the right member of the family, looking in the literature/practice to see how things are done
#3 – Ethical behavior – confidentiality, safety, providing appropriate potential resources. If you do this wrong, it can be dangerous, so make sure you think it all the way through

29. Research Requirements
When is IRB required?
See Handbook, pg 9, #15 – What to do if my FE has a research component?
Try to avoid strict research experience that does not already have full IRB in place (we need memo w/ agency IRB info)
In evaluations or program development, as long as only used internally, a memo from preceptor may suffice (see sidebar in handbook)
The following will trigger questions from FE Coordinators and Human Subjects Research Review Committee (HSRRC):
High Risk Groups
Interviewing
Collecting Surveys
Some things may arise to the level of research and need an IRB.
Some things, evals, may not need IRB but you still need consent docs to be ethical.
What rises to that level? A systematic inquiry for purposes of generalizable knowledge with humans. Systematic inquiry – anything with a plan/script/questions/etc. Generalizable knowledge – brought to the public in any way, even a class at PSU or presented OPHA. We need an stating that it will not be publicly stating that. Human – if the data is public available or people are dead, it is not ‘human’; otherwise, it is there. Identifiablity is a big deal under Human.
Expedited IRB process in the handbook. We don’t expect you to do a full IRB. Generally it is just a memo. If there is an IRB in place already, then we send that to our IRB; they might ask questions, but it generally is a quick time around. Brief memos take 3-7 days. Full approval, 2-6 weeks.

30. Are Field Experiences paid positions?
Not usually but can be paid
Paid position may be negotiated between Preceptor and student
University is not involved in arrangements

31. What is the Field Experience Agreement
What is the Field Experience Agreement? (usually not required by agency)
A signed interagency agreement between PSU and field placement site
Delineates roles, responsibilities, and institutional terms of placement
Not in handbook; will be provided by FE Coordinators
Tailored to each placement
If required for your placement, must be complete and on file prior to start date
Contact FE Coordinators to see if your placement requires this agreement.
Find out early so you know.

32. How do I register for PHE 504?
Different than registering for other classes
Application and Learning Contract is signed by student, preceptor, and faculty advisor & approved by FE Coordinator
Field Experience Agreement (if required) is signed by site agency, faculty advisor, and PSU
Copies of both the completed Application and Learning Contract and FE Agreement (if required) should be provided to preceptor and FE Coordinators
Student completes goldenrod colored Special Registration Form, available in SCH. Receives departmental stamp upon FE Coordinators approval
Manual registration; please allow a few extra days for processing
Can add classes up to the 2nd week of the term, but it takes about 3 days.

33. Bi-weekly reports
Due starting at the end of week 2 of placement and every 2 weeks thereafter (even through term breaks)
Brief updates (less than 1 page, may be bullet points)
Sent via to both FE Coordinators w/ Last Name and FE Update in subject
Can be text or attachments
Update on past two weeks (challenges, highlights, etc)
Plans for the next two weeks
Reports are one opportunity to problem-solve and specify issues that have surfaced during the course of the placement.
Always contact the FE Coordinators with problems requiring immediate attention and indicate immediate nature in subject line
Also a good time to revisit the report.

34. Changes to Competency Matrix
Bi-weekly reports provide the opportunity to identify challenges during the Field Experience
Often changes to FE Learning Competencies and Learning Activities are required
All proposed changes to matrix
must be submitted to FE Coordinators for approval using track changes
Send copy to Preceptor
Approval required BEFORE activity occurs
Students must fulfill all FE Learning Competencies as they relate to the required OMPH Track Competencies

35. How do I complete the Field Experience?
Meet all of the measurable FE Learning Competencies that support OMPH Track Competencies
Student responsible for submitting 1 packet, in hardcopy by 5pm on Monday of the 9th week of the term in which the placement will be complete. Packet to include:
Updated FE Student Checklist Form (updated and signed by student)
Most recent approved Matrix
Summary Report
Evaluation Report (by student – see form on pg 19 of handbook)
Student Research and Service Questionnaire
Final Products (cleaned if needed for IRB)
Request that Preceptor complete the Student Evaluation Form and return it to FE Coordinators by .
Form and due date (end of week 9) to be provided to preceptor by student.
Meet with advisor to debrief, as recommended
If you are still working on projects, finish the report and turn in your draft; update the products later.
All hard copy.
Clean of agency specific data – we don’t want to cause ‘public dissemination’, so put in a shell.

36. What is the Purpose of a Field Experience Summary Report?
To clearly demonstrate how your specific FE Learning Activities and Competencies are reflections of the required OMPH Track Competencies.
This summary report should be a minimum of 10 pages, typed, single-spaced, and should contain the following information (see pg 17of Handbook):
Section I: Introduction
Overview of organization and of your position
Section II: Evaluation of Track & FE Learning Competencies
State each FE Learning Competency and Learning Activity exactly as in your matrix
Describe how you met and demonstrated mastery of each
Reflect with descriptions of challenges, things you would change, additional work you would pursue, etc
Section III: Reflections and Recommendations
Discuss your professional competency in relation to experience and matrix, career goals, and area of emphasis.
It is an evaluation. What did you do, how did you do it, how did go, what would you do differently.

37. What is the Purpose of a Field Experience Evaluation Report?
To reflect on the overall experience of the placement
To identify the challenges and successes of the experience
To provide ideas on how the field experience can be improved
To assist with future placement of students

38. What is the Purpose of the Preceptor’s Student Evaluation form?
Allows the preceptor to comment on the student’s performance
Provides additional information to advisor and FE Coordinators regarding student performance
Starting in Fall 2014, will also help determine final grade
Provides useful process information for the faculty advisor as s/he places students in the future
We ask that they not fax it for student’s privacy.

39. How is the PHE 504 grade determined?
The Field Experience Final Package is reviewed by both your academic advisor and the FE Coordinators.
Pass:
Demonstrable accomplishment of ALL learning competencies
Preceptor’s Student Evaluation form submitted with favorable reviews
Required paperwork (including summary report, final products, FE checklist, evaluation form, updated matrix) complete and submitted
Not Passed:
Learning competencies not demonstrated
Required paperwork not complete and/or submitted
Poor preceptor Student Evaluation
If you do this in the next two years, it is P/NP; in 2014, it will turn to A-F

40. Establishing a placement, step-by-step
Step 1: Orientation
Step 2: Preliminary research
Step 3: Meet with Faculty Advisor
Step 4: Research potential sites
Step 5: Contact FE Site and begin draft Application
Step 6: Solicit Feedback on Application
Consult with Preceptor, Advisor
Communicate with FE Coordinator(s) about plans 1-2 weeks prior
Begin risk management (Human Subjects, international travel, immunizations, background checks)
Step 7: Signatures and Submittal of Application no later than the Monday of the 5th week of term prior to planned field work term,1 full term prior if international placement.
Revise as required by FE Coordinator
Step 8: Register for PHE 504, Start Experience

41. Timeline
Attend Orientation & download Handbook
Application due (if international)
Register for PHE 504
Application due (domestic)
Report
Due
Preliminary research
Approvals
Received
Bi-weekly updates
End
-2 terms,
5 wks
-1 term,
5 wks (Monday)
Wks 2,4,6,8
Monday Week 9
-2 terms
-1 term
Start
Placement
Meet w/ FE Coordinator(s) to review draft project description and matrix (recommended)

42. Summary of paperwork to be completed
Before placement
Application & Learning Contract
Graduate FE Student checklist (signed by student and advisor)
Application and Learning Contract
Current CV/Resume
Health Promotion Track Advising Sheet
Unofficial Transcript
Career Objectives
Courses Related to Experience
Position Description
Learning Competencies Matrix
Products List
Other risk management, travel, or IRB documentation (as required)

43. Summary of paperwork to be completed
During placement
Bi-weekly communication with FE Coordinators, for duration of placement
At conclusion of placement (in hardcopy)
Graduate Field Experience Student Checklist
Final approved Matrix
FE Summary Report
FE Evaluation Report (filled out by student)
Student Research and Service Questionnaire
Final products (cleaned)
Preceptor’s Student Evaluation Form

44. To prepare in advance Update your resume
Have career objectives in writing
Think about skills you would like to augment before graduating when selecting a field experience
Research possible FE sites
For meeting with a potential preceptor

45. Other processes Human Subjects/IRB approval (if research placement)
International travel approval
You can’t drive clients in your personal car
You can’t technically lobby or advocate as a PSU and thus state entity. You can be a grad student, a resident when working with Upstream, etc.

46. Further information
For more information, please refer to the Graduate Field Experience handbook at:
Questions?
Liana Winett, DrPH
Field Experience Coordinator
Chris de Venecia, M.A.
Field Experience Assistant Coordinator