Roles and Responsibilities

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>Faculty Advisor
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Student Roles and Responsibilities

Choose an experience that reflects an expressed need of the organization.

Help the organization assess the need for, define, plan, develop, implement and/or evaluate some programmatic aspect of their public health-related work.

All field experience arrangements and follow up are the responsibility of the student and subject to departmental approval. The student is primarily responsible for sending out inquiries, setting up meetings, ensuring communication among those involved, and making preliminary arrangements.

The student is responsible for completing the online contract and ensuring it is been signed by all the parties (preceptor, faculty advisor and major coordinator) before beginning the field experience.

Students are expected to act in a professional manner at all times. Once placement has been made, the student shall:

• Be professional in appearance, both in dress and conduct.
• Adhere to the schedule predetermined with the preceptor.
• Complete the specified tasks as outlined in the contract.
• Maintain contact with the faculty advisor on the progress of the project as agreed by the student and faculty advisor.
• Be punctual. The student is required to notify the preceptor as soon as there is a possibility of being late or absent.
• Practice professional courtesy when communicating with clients and other professionals.
• Clearly identify him or herself as a student when interacting with the public or with other professionals.
• Follow the direction of the organization, and not make independent decisions related to the field experience project.

The relationship between the student and the preceptor should be one of student-teacher rather than employer-employee, or co-workers. The student-teacher relationship will be most successful when it is built on mutual respect, trust, communication and understanding.

The student is expected to complete a field experience assignment and all the paper work including the evaluation. The purpose of the assignment is to have the student reflect on the practice experience. This is an opportunity for the student to describe what was done, what was learned, and to place the experiences within the context of the organization, the community and the MPH program. The student should think creatively about his/her contribution to the profession and the professional value of the placement. This documentation may be developed in collaboration with faculty and agency personnel, but its timely completion and submission are solely the responsibility of the student.

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Faculty Advisor Roles and Responsibilities

The faculty advisor will be the students’ primary contact as they prepare for the field experience.

The faculty advisor assists the student in identifying professional and career objectives, clarifying learning objectives and identifying appropriate field experience sites.

The faculty advisor assures that the field experience placement negotiated between the student and the preceptor is appropriate and meets departmental/program requirements.

The faculty advisor serves as facilitator and resource person for student learning.

The faculty advisor must approve and sign the online contract prior to the student starting actual fieldwork and registering for field experience course credit.

The faculty advisor should monitor the progress of the project and should be available for student support if requested by the student or the preceptor or at the discretion of the program/department.

The faculty advisor makes an assessment of the project and assigns academic grade upon completion.

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Preceptor Roles and Responsibilities

The preceptor should approve the student’s learning objectives and reviews and signs the online contract prior to the start of the field experience.

The preceptor should provide student with learning experiences appropriate to student learning objectives.

The preceptor is responsible for overseeing and directing the student’s on-site experience.

The preceptor should have expertise in assigned project areas, experience and status within the organization, and an interest and competence in supervising and mentoring.

The preceptor should contact the faculty advisor as necessary.

The preceptor must complete a final evaluation of the field experience.

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Major Coordinator Roles and Responsibilities

The major coordinator is responsible for reviewing student files to make sure all necessary administrative requirements are complete.

The major coordinator can answer specific questions about field experiences, and about special situations the student may have.