All M.P.H. candidates must complete an applied practice experience to integrate classroom learning with real-life experience in a public health work environment, which allows them to learn from professionals in the field. M.P.H. students may fulfill the Public Health Practice Requirement by one of the following means:
- Completing an appropriate public health summer internship (EPH 520c)—the preferred method for fulfilling the applied practice experience requirement, as it offers a sustained and concentrated course of experiential learning;
- Completing EPH 542b, Practice-Based Community Health Research;
- Completing EPH 500b, Public Health Practicum, offered to second-year students and one-year professional students only;
- Completing EPH 555b, Practicum in Climate Change, Sustainability, and Public Health;
- Completing HPM 555b, Health Policy or Health Care Management Practicum;
- Completing SBS 596b/EMD 596b/LAW 30168, Global Health and Justice Practicum.
Advanced Professional M.P.H. and Accelerated M.B.A./M.P.H. students are not required to complete a summer internship and must fulfill their applied practice experience requirement during the academic year by taking one of the courses listed above.
In planning your applied practice experience, please refer to the following guidelines, which apply to domestic and/or global experiential learning placements that qualify as meeting the M.P.H. applied practice experience requirement, including the summer internship and other community agency assignments that are part of approved practice courses.
- The applied practice experience may occur in a wide variety of settings at the local, regional, national, or international level but must be outwardly focused on a public health problem or issue. Acceptable venues would include governmental entities as well as nongovernmental and private-sector organizations with a public health component such as pharmaceutical companies, hospitals, managed care/health maintenance organizations, and consulting firms.
- The applied practice experience affords opportunity to participate in the full spectrum of defining, analyzing, and addressing a real-life public health problem or issue, either directly or through observation, consultation with others working on the problem, participation in relevant meetings or activities, and pertinent reading.
- The applied practice experience entails one or more of the following roles:
- Assessment, monitoring, and/or surveillance of population health indicators, social determinants of health, inequities associated with race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status, environmental/occupational hazards and exposures, and other public health issues;
- Participating in the development and/or execution of applied public health research in the biological, environmental, and social/behavioral realms that has an immediate impact on public health, including translational, evaluation, and epidemiological research efforts that contribute to the evidence-base and efficacy of public health practice;
- Planning, designing, implementing, and evaluating public health interventions;
- Developing disease prevention and health promotion, media advocacy, or risk communication materials;
- Developing, implementing, and evaluating public health laws, regulations, and policy;
- Participating in administrative/management activities of governmental and nongovernmental public health agencies and/or health service delivery systems such as hospitals or community health centers. Activities could include quality improvement, organizational analysis and restructuring processes, strategic and business planning, organizational policy and protocol, financial management, budgeting and reimbursement processes, preparation of internal or external reports, human resources management, workforce development and credentialing, and addressing regulatory compliance issues such as audits and accreditation processes;
- Supporting the development and goals of public health coalitions through community organizing and advocacy efforts, needs assessments, strategic and participatory community planning, leadership development, and assisting with the development and implementation of community health improvement plans that respond to local needs and priorities.
- The applied practice experience integrates public health theory, knowledge, and skills, and applies and reinforces the competencies in M.P.H. course work.
- The applied practice experience typically aligns with the student’s area of specialization.
- The applied practice experience project and student role are appropriate for the M.P.H. level.
- The applied practice experience agency and preceptor have requisite population health orientation, public health expertise, and infrastructure to support M.P.H.-level student learning experience.
- The applied practice experience has deliverables of tangible value to the mission of the placement agency/site.