MPH Practicum Program

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

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1. Which MPH practicum forms must be completed during the first quarter of entry into the MPH program?

   You must turn in the following forms to your department/program student coordinator :

   • Washington State Background Check & Self-Disclosure Form
     
   • MPH Practicum Prerequisites Form

   
   
2. What immunizations are required before beginning a practicum?

   It is University policy that ALL students be immunized against measles (rubeola). In addition, each student should check with their department for its policy on immunizations. Also, some practicum sites with affiliation agreements require immunizations.

3. When is blood-borne pathogens training?

   Some departments schedule blood-borne pathogens training to be held in the department. If your department does not conduct scheduled training, blood-borne pathogens training is held quarterly through the UW Environmental Health & Safety department. Register online or call (206) 543-7201 to register by pohne. Training must be completed before you start your practicum fieldwork.

4. What is HIPAA?

   The American Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) is a set of rules to be followed by health plans, doctors, hospitals and other health care providers. HIPAA took effect on April 14, 2003. In the health care and medical profession, the great challenge that HIPAA has created is the assurance that all patient account handling, billing, and medical records are HIPAA compliant.

   Some provisions of the HIPAA involve patient/hospital interaction. For example, patients must be able to access their record and correct errors and must be informed of how their personal information will be used. Other provisions involve confidentiality of patient information and documentation of privacy procedures. It is these provisions that have led to regulation-specific software updates, specialist consulting, and in some cases complete overhauls of medical billing and records systems.

5. When is HIPAA Training?

   Because of the current trends and concerns of confidentiality HIPAA training is required and must be completed during the first quarter of entry into the MPH program. All students that need HIPAA training can take the online course, a 90-minute training module, through the UW Medical Center. Contact your department program coordinator to complete the form to get a user id and password to gain access to the training module. The UWMC Compliance Training Website is at: http://hccs.amc.washington.edu/.

   If you have previously completed HIPAA training, you will need to show proof of completion to your department.

6. What is the MPH Practicum Prerequisite Form used for?

   The MPH practicum coordinator uses the information to set up student files in the MPH practicum database. The form is also used to verify that students have completed and have on file blood-borne pathogens training, HIPAA, immunizations, Washington State Patrol Background Check and Self Disclosure forms.

7. When can I start my MPH practicum?

   A MPH practicum can be started anytime after the first completed quarter of enrollment in the MPH program.

8. How many credits/hours are required for the MPH practicum?

   Students are required to complete a minimum of 120 hours/3 credits (40 hours = 1 credit) of practical fieldwork in a public health practice setting. A maximum of 6 credits of practicum may be taken with faculty advisor’s approval.

9. What does the 120 hours encompass?

   Students are required to complete a minimum of 120 hours of practical fieldwork in a public health practice setting. It is 120 hours of fieldwork at/or for the site. The 120 hours does not include technical aspects of the practicum requirements such as completing the Practicum Agreement with the site supervisor and getting the required signatures. The 120 hours does not include the work students need to do to create their poster and written assignment.

10. Do I have to start/complete the MPH practicum in a single block of time?

    No, student’s practicum projects vary. Your project can be undertaken as a single block of time or spread out over one or more quarters

11. When do I register for the MPH practicum course?

    Students should register for the MPH practicum course in the quarter in which they intend to complete all the requirements (fieldwork, written assignment and poster) for their MPH practicum.

12. If I have already registered for the MPH practicum course and won’t be able to complete my written assignment and/or poster in the quarter I registered in, what will happen?

    You will receive an “Incomplete” grade for the MPH practicum course. When you do turn in your written assignment and poster, your department will change your “Incomplete” to a grade of “Credit.”
    

13. How do I get an entry code to register for the MPH practicum course?

    An entry code must be obtained from the department/program student coordinator. All students are required to have completed the following steps/forms listed below BEFORE being allowed to register for MPH practicum credit.

    • Completed, up-to-date immunizations - Report from Hall Health on file in department
    • Washington State Patrol Background Check & Self Disclosure – on file in department
    • MPH Practicum Prerequisites Form – on file in MPH Practicum Office
    • Blood-borne Pathogens Training – provided by the department
    • HIPAA Online Training – provided by the department
    • MPH Practicum Agreement – on file in MPH Practicum Office

    
    
14. As an Extended Degree Program (EDP) student, do I follow the same requirements as the full-time students?

    Yes, with the exception that ALL MPH practicum forms are turned in to the EDP office first. The EDP office will forward copies of all forms and assignments to the MPH practicum office. Please note that although the requirements are the same, the process is somewhat different so EDP students should familiarize themselves with the EDP Program guidelines regarding the Practicum.

15. As a Peace Corps Masters International Student, what requirements do I follow?

    All students in the Peace Corps Masters International program will follow the same procedures as the other students. They will be supervised by UW faculty and complete all of the requirements and paperwork required before leaving for their Peace Corps service. The exceptions are:

    • HIPAA Training - Waived
    • The Washington State Patrol and Self Disclosure forms - Waived
    • PCMI students will sign up for practicum credits in the first quarter in which they return from their completed Peace Corps service and then complete their written assignment and Power Point poster according to the suggested timetable.
      

16. How do I find a MPH practicum?

    First, talk with your faculty advisor. Your advisor is there to assist you in identifying professional and career objectives, clarifying learning objectives and identifying appropriate MPH practicum sites. The MPH practicum office also receives announcements of MPH practicum opportunities from agencies throughout the year. These will be emailed to the students and posted on the MPH practicum website: http://depts.washington.edu/mphpract/opportun.html.
    You can also checkout the Practicum Resources webpage for sites with potential projects - http://depts.washington.edu/mphpract/resource.html.

17. What if I have no clue of what I want to do for a MPH practicum?

    The MPH practicum coordinator can run a report for you from the MPH practicum database, which lists the various agencies and sites where students have completed their MPH practicums in the past. This report can include brief descriptions of student projects as well as agency contact information. Students can also view previous student Power Point posters on the MPH practicum website to get an idea of what can be done for a practicum.

18. I have identified a potential MPH practicum project and site, now what?

    Talk with your faculty advisor who will ultimately approve your MPH practicum project. If the project is approved, complete the MPH Practicum Agreement form. You will need your signature, your site supervisor’s and faculty advisor’s signature on the form. The MPH Practicum Agreement form must be turned in to the MPH practicum office BEFORE you start your MPH practicum.

19. What is the MPH Practicum Agreement form used for?

    The information in the MPH Practicum Agreement form is used to initiate an MPH Practicum Affiliation Agreement between the School and the agency. The MPH practicum coordinator will also send the student’s site supervisor a Site Supervisor Handbook and an introductory letter.

20. What makes a legitimate practicum?

    • Can a student get paid for a practicum? - Yes, a student can be paid.
    • Can a student do a practicum as part of a faculty member's research? – As a general rule no, but exceptions might be granted on a case by case basis.
    • If yes to the above question, can a student do a practicum as part of a paid RAship? – If there should be a RAship that would qualify as a reasonable practicum, then it would not matter if the position were paid or not. The project must be one the student would not otherwise do as part of their work. It does not meet the intent of the practicum for an RA to carry out a project for their faculty supervisor that they would do as part of their job.

21. What if my faculty advisor and I are unsure if my proposed MPH practicum project fits the objectives of the MPH practicum program?

    Email the MPH practicum coordinator a description of your proposed MPH practicum project. This will be forwarded to the MPH Practicum Steering Committee for review. The committee will respond within one week with recommendations on how to improve the fit with the objectives of the MPH Practicum program.

22. Can my faculty advisor also be my practicum site supervisor?

    No, they must be two separate individuals.

23. I would like to do an MPH practicum at my place of employment. Is this possible?

    Students may, with approval from their faculty advisor, conduct their practicum where they work but they may not do a practicum project that is part of their usual job within their specific work setting or under the direction of their current supervisor.

24. I would like to do an MPH practicum outside the state or out of the country. Are there any special requirements?

    For outside of the state, usually not, but please contact the MPH practicum coordinator for verification.

    For a practicum out of the country, contact the MPH practicum coordinator who will initiate the Student Agreement for MPH Practicum Placement in a Foreign Country. The student must sign this form before departing the country. If the student is a foreign national going back to their home country to do their MPH practicum, this form is not needed.

    All students who are going out of the country for a practicum must contact the MPH practicum coordinator to make sure all MPH practicum paperwork has been completed or to make arrangements for paperwork to be completed at the MPH practicum site.

25. How do I know if I need to complete a human subjects review?

    The key factor is whether the student is doing “solely” public health practice versus doing “both” public health practice and research. If the latter is the case, the human subjects review is required. Your faculty advisor will help you determine if a human subjects review is needed or not. If it is needed your faculty advisor/department can direct you on the forms you need to submit.

26. If during my MPH practicum, I use my car for MPH practicum business and am involved in an accident, will the University of Washington liability program cover me?

    Your personal auto insurance is primary and the University liability program will cover any excess once your primary coverage is exhausted.

    Please see the Car Insurance Coverage table at http://www.washington.edu/admin/travel/car.insurance.html for more detailed information.

27. I have completed the fieldwork portion for my MPH practicum project, now what?

    You have to complete a written assignment (including a Power Point poster) to receive credit for the practicum. The written assignment consists of 4 sections:

    • Profile of the agency
    • Project description
    • Self-evaluation of MPH practicum experience
    • Power Point poster on disk or sent to faculty advisor and MPH Practicum Coodinator via email.

    Please see Requirements.

28. I read that I am supposed to complete a checklist. I can’t find it in the handbook or on the MPH practicum website.

    Once a student registers for the MPH practicum course, the department/student coordinator will notify the MPH practicum coordinator. The MPH practicum coordinator will then create the checklist and send it to the student’s department/program mailbox or email it to the student.

29. What is the purpose of the MPH Practicum Final Checklist?

    The main purpose is to verify practicum completion. Upon receiving a student’s written assignment (including Power Point poster), the faculty advisor assesses the project and annotates on the checklist that the assignment was received and that credit can be given. The checklist then goes to the MPH practicum coordinator either sent by the faculty advisor or dropped off by the student. The MPH practicum coordinator should have received from the student a copy of the student’s written assignment and poster via email. Once the written assignment, poster and signed practicum checklist have been received, the MPH practicum coordinator notifies the department/program coordinator to record the grade of credit on the grade report.

30. What is a MPH practicum substitution?

    If a student has extensive public health experience, they may be allowed to substitute approved coursework for the MPH practicum. Approval for MPH practicum substitution is not common. Students must earn 3 substitution credits to substitute for the MPH practicum. For details see Substitutions.

31. Who can apply for a MPH practicum waiver?

    Students enrolled in a concurrent graduate degree program, the Occupational Medicine Residency program or Preventive Medicine Residency fellows stationed at Madigan Army Hospital. In addition, students with 3 years experience in the application of basic public health concepts and/or of specialty knowledge in the solution of community health problems may request a general waiver.

32. Where can I get the MPH practicum forms?

    You can download the MPH practicum forms as Word documents from the MPH practicum website at: http://depts.washington.edu/mphpract/formbook.html

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Please direct all questions regarding the practicum program to:

Rene' M. Lucas, MPH Practicum Coordinator
Dean's Office
School of Public Health and Community Medicine
Box 357230
University of Washington
Seattle, WA 98195-7230
(206) 685-8904