Health Policy & Management

The success of one’s practicum depends on effective consultation and mutual cooperation among the Department, the student, and the practicum preceptor.

For detailed information regarding the practicum process and responsibilities, please select from the items in the following pulldown menu:

Director's/School's Responsibilities

Arranging the Practicum

The Department is responsible for ensuring an appropriate choice of practicum and for assisting the student in arranging the practicum, including where and when it will take place. If the proposed site of the practicum and/or the prospective preceptor is unfamiliar to the practicum program director, a pre-placement site visit and interviews with prospective preceptors may be desirable. The faculty advisor may consult with and counsel the student in developing a particular placement. All practicum placements must be approved by the program director.

Approving Objectives and Scope of Practicum

The educational objectives and general activities of the practicum are outlined by students with the guidance of the faculty and departmental advisors and with input from the preceptor (see Sample Project Agreement Letter). The proposed practicum must be approved by the Department. Agreement should be reached on the beginning and termination dates, the role of the practicum preceptor, the scope of the student's activities, and the nature of expected student reports, papers or other products, prior to beginning the practicum.

Communications with Preceptor

When the practicum placement is settled, the program director will communicate with the preceptor, confirming the placement and the objectives and content of the practicum. A project agreement letter will be signed by both the preceptor and the student. The preceptor will receive a copy of the Practicum Guide. At the end of the practicum, the director will assure that the preceptor's evaluation of the student and practicum is received by the Department and will write a letter of acknowledgement, thanking the preceptor for her/his supervision of the student during the practicum placement.

Monitoring and Evaluating the Practicum

During the summer, all practicum students will attend a meeting with the practicum program director and faculty members to discuss the progress of their practica. Whenever possible, out-of-town students will participate via telephone conference call. If such arrangements are not possible, it will be the student's responsibility to arrange a mid-practicum review with the program director. Advisors will be available to counsel students during the summer practicum should problems arise.

Reporting and Maintaining Records

The Department will maintain appropriate records and documentation about practica locations, placements and completions. The Department will compile and keep updated a listing of practica sites and make available the various practicum report forms. These records will be used for evaluation, future selection of placements, student references, and other appropriate educational and administrative purposes.

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Student's Responsibilities

Arranging Practicum and Specifying Objectives

Because students have a stake in making the practicum a worthwhile educational experience, each student is expected to take an active part in identifying and arranging a meaningful practicum experience and for specifying the objectives and activities of the practicum. This is done through discussion with the director and potential preceptor. A student cannot arrange and undertake a practicum without the approval of the Department of Health Policy and Management. As emphasized earlier, the student must begin meeting with the practicum program director during the first fall semester so that suitable plans for the placement can be made. Students should maintain regular contact with the program director through email, telephone, and individual meetings. In addition, students should attend workshops and networking events sponsored by the Department, Future Healthcare Leaders (FHL), and the Office of Career Services. In completing the practicum, the student is expected to act in a professional manner.

Completion of Practicum

The student must meet the specified objectives of the practicum by successfully carrying out all practicum plans, including completion of all activities and assignments and preparing an 8 page report. The report will include a description of the host organization, student's responsibilities, curriculum connections, and personal and professional development. Each spring preceding the practicum, the Department will hold a mandatory pre-practicum orientation session in which the expectations and requirements of the practicum program are presented and discussed. During the final fall semester, all students are required to attend the Department's practicum seminar.

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HPM Practicum Seminar

Upon completion of the summer practicum, students are expected to enroll in P8581, the HPM Practicum Seminar, for 0-1 credits. The practicum papers submitted at the end of the summer are used as the basis for planning student practicum seminar presentations.

The seminar consists of three half-day communication training sessions and one all-day practicum workshop. The communication sessions, taught by a professional development consultant, are scheduled at the beginning of the second fall semester. These classes focus on improving students' oral presentation skills and offer students the opportunity to practice public speaking in an informal and supportive environment. In October during the one-day practicum seminar, students give presentations about their practicum experiences within small groups of peers, faculty, and alumni. The day concludes with a wrap up session for all participants, facilitated by the faculty seminar leader.

Students who complete their academic work in one year and are not in residence during the Practicum Seminar are required to complete practicum papers as part of their degree requirements.

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Preceptor's Responsibilities

Arranging and Supervising the Student's Experience

In agreeing to accept a student for the practicum, the practicum supervisor or preceptor assumes a vital educational role. The practicum preceptor coordinates and supervises the student's day-to-day work and takes responsibility for ensuring that the specific experiential objectives are met. The preceptor designs and evaluates student assignments, counsels, and guides the student. Where applicable, the preceptor provides the student with an orientation to the agency/organization and acts as a liaison between the placement agency and the Department of Health Policy and Management. Preceptors who anticipate extended absences of more than one week during the practicum period should note this on the practicum agreement letter and arrange for another person in their office to be available for supervision.

Prior to the practicum start, the preceptor will meet with the student to complete the practicum description form and agreement letter addressed to the program director.

The preceptor is not held responsible for the quality of the student's practicum paper and presentation for the Fall Practicum Seminar P8581, and may impose reasonable restrictions on the use of certain documentation or data.

Reporting and Evaluation

The preceptor will be asked to cooperate with the School in site visits and/or other contacts designed to obtain information on the progress of the practicum, and to allow students to attend the summer practicum progress meeting as arranged in advance. At the end of the practicum the preceptor will be asked to provide a written evaluation of the student's performance and additional comments on the student's prior experience and preparation for the practicum.