General Information
Overview
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Field experience is required for all students. Students must complete CHS 210 and 211A & B before beginning their fieldwork. Students who have had previous professional experience involving program planning and development, program evaluation, or policy formulation and analysis, may qualify for a partial waiver of fieldwork hours. Students with a terminal doctoral degree who have appropriate professional experience may qualify to waive field studies. Clinical experience does not qualify. These waivers require a blue petition to be approved by the student's advisor, Department Chair, and Dr. Prelip.
Students area required to complete a minimum of 400 hours of field studies. Students enroll in CHS 400 for 4 units. Students typically enroll in CHS 400 during the quarter that they will finish the required 400 minimum hours.
Purpose
of Field Experience
The field experience gives the student firsthand experience within a health
or health-related social service agency or community program in elements
of planning, program implementation, evaluation; and/or policy formulation,
implementation and analysis. During the Field Placement the student will
become familiar with the operation of the agency or program, its goals,
policies, administrative structure, types of health professionals employed,
and clientele served.
Agency Requirements
Overall, the placement should provide the student with a wide variety
of agency experiences. Ideally, the tenor of the placement should be one
of apprenticeship within the agency, or of collaboration between the student
and a "preceptor.". The preceptor, an individual within the
agency who is responsible for giving guidance and advice to the student,
is an essential prerequisite for a suitable placement. Preceptors must
have an M.P.H. or related graduate degree and at least three years of
experience in developing and managing community health programs.
Contract
and Scope of Work
All students are required to
complete a field studies work plan or scope of work. This scope of work
becomes an integral part of the contract signed by both the student and
the preceptor. This workplan must be approved by Dr. Prelip. All students
must file a contract and work plan with Dr. Prelip within
one week of the placement. It is recommended that the scope
of work and contract be completed prior to the beginning of the fieldwork.
Report on the Field
Experience
The student must complete field
logs that account for every 40 hours of field work. These logs should
be sent to Dr. Prelip within 5 days after the time period described in
the logs. See Guidelines for Writing Field Logs.
Basically, these logs should include hours worked, people seen, functions
performed, problems encountered. Also, each student is required to submit
a brief written report, "Overview of Field Studies" on the field
experience. This report should include an abstract of the project. See
Guidelines for Field Studies Report. The
report and abstract should be filed with Dr. Prelip within 5 days of completing
the field studies.
Grade for the Field
Experience
The grade will be based primarily
on the student's report and discussions between the student and Dr. Prelip.
In addition, the agency preceptor will complete an evaluation of the student's
work which will be considered in the final grade, see Performance Evaluation:
Field Studies. Remember that the field studies is a professional experience;
all paper work should be executed in a timely professional manner.
Required Deliverables
- Workplan and contract - due one week of start of fieldwork
- Logs for a minimum of 400 hours, submitted in 40 hour increments - due within 5 days of log period
- Final report and abstract - due within 5 days of fieldwork completion
- Preceptor's evaluation - due within 5 days of field work completion
- Intern's evaluation - due within 5 days of fieldwork completion