PUBLIC HEALTH PRACTICE SEMINAR

This seminar is designed to provide an in-depth experiential learning experience concurrent with students’ public health or healthcare management internship. The seminar provides a supportive framework designed to enhance students’ professional and leadership experience by exploring common themes encountered in the fieldwork setting. The seminar will address the public health core competencies of leadership, communications, cultural competence, and professionalism.

The semester will begin with discussion of students’ project sites including project overview, goals for the field work experience and anticipated challenges. Focusing on professionalism in the workplace, students will assess how the internship aligns with their overarching learning goals. Students will also gain insights into successful leadership styles and skills through the design and implementation of an in-depth interview of a professional in their chosen field, a panel discussion of alumni in the field, and by developing and practicing oral and written communication and negotiation skills.

Throughout the course, students will develop a presentation that both demonstrates and reflects upon knowledge acquired through the internship experience. The semester culminates with students presenting the highlights of their project work.

This course is only open to students who either: (a) are required to complete a practicum as part of their degree, and have already completed their required practicum experience, and who have an internship (in a different setting or with different learning goals than their practicum) during the fall semester of their final year of school; OR (b) are enrolled in a Master’s program which does not require a practicum, and would like to take part in an optional internship during the fall semester of their final year of school."

Course pre-requisites: Completion of APeX (if required) and have an internship (in a different setting or with different learning goals than their practicum or APeX) during the semester.

Required permissions: This course is only open to students who have already completed their required practicum/APeX experience (if required), and who have an internship (in a different setting or with different learning goals than their practicum) during the fall semester. Students must submit a letter from their employer to join the waitlist for this course.