DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SCIENCE

FIELD EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

Master of Public Health (MPH) in Community Health Education

Bachelor of Community Health (BCH)

B.S. Environmental Science, Environmental Health Option

For further information contact:

New Mexico State University
Department of Health Science
Room 110 Academic Research C
PO Box 30001/Dept 3HLS
Las Cruces, NM 88003-8001
Phone 505-646-4300
Fax 505-646-4343
www.nmsu.edu/~hlthdpt

FIELD EXPERIENCE IN THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SCIENCE

The field experience is an integral part of all three degree programs in the Department of Health Science. Both undergraduate and graduate students are required to participate in a field experience where they will have the opportunity to apply classroom learning to real-world problems and solutions. Placements are made according to the student's career goals and location preferences.

MPH STUDENTS

Graduate students pursuing the Master of Public Health (MPH) in Community Health Education must register for MPH 596 (three credit hours) and complete 160 clock hours.

BCH STUDENTS

Undergraduate students pursuing the Bachelor of Community Health (BCH) must register for HLS 496 (six credit hours) and complete 320 clock hours.

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH OPTION STUDENTS

Undergraduate students pursuing the Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Environmental Health Option, must register for HLS 495 (three credit hours) and complete 320 clock hours.

REQUIREMENTS AND SELECTION CRITERIA FOR FIELD PLACEMENT

The field experience is generally completed after the student has completed the majority of course work. The student is encouraged to identify an appropriate agency for field placement, however the final determination of site placement rests with the departmental faculty supervisor. The agency should allow or encourage an environment which provides the student with the opportunity to develop and demonstrate a range of practice skills including:

1)      Assessing individual and community needs for health education, and determining community capacities to meet these needs, especially in the region along the U.S./Mexico border;

2)      Planning effective health education programs for individuals and communities based on community analysis;

3)      Implementing community-based health education programs, particularly along the U.S./Mexico border;

4)      Evaluating the effectiveness of community health education programs;

5)      Coordinating the provision of community health education services;

6)      Acting as a resource person in health education;

7)      Communicating health education needs and information to the public and policy makers;

For MPH students, the following additional skills should be included:

8)      Applying appropriate research principles and methods to evaluate the effectiveness of community health education programs;

9)      Administering community health education programs, with an emphasis on border communities;

10)  Advancing the profession of community health education.

THE AGENCY’S ROLE

The agency supervisor’s role is to help students develop and enhance their professional role and skills. Progressive increases in tasks and student involvement should occur as the student’s proficiency and knowledge of the agency increases. Tasks for the student could involve: data collection, writing informational brochures, program planning, development, implementation assistance, evaluation of conferences or programs, and direct contact with community clients/patients. The student is also required to be able to implement a unique project or contribute substantially to an existing to public health program. The agency must have the capability to support this requirement. The agency supervisor must have a background/experience in an area of public health.

The agency must...

  1. provide meaningful work in which a student can be productive by applying skills or learning new ones;
  2. provide supervision and guidance consistent with a student's needs and progress;
  3. provide the faculty supervisor a written evaluation of the student's performance at the end of the term and discuss the evaluation with the student;
  4. prepare a schedule outlining job duties and supervision before the student begins working.

BENEFITS TO THE AGENCY

The student is a productive asset capable of assuming responsibility and fulfilling tasks. The field experience assignment provides the agency an opportunity to observe the student as a prospective employee in the field of public health.

THE FACULTY SUPERVISOR’S ROLE

The faculty supervisor shall be responsible for the following activities:
  1. Approve the field experience agency site, agency supervisor and student tasks as being appropriate to adequately fulfill the purpose of the field experience.
  2. Provide a minimum of one on-site meeting with the agency supervisor and student.
  3. Maintain phone discussions with the agency supervisor to insure that both student and agency are fulfilling their responsibilities of the placement experience.
  4. Have periodic meetings with the student for the purposes of process evaluation and to determine if the activities occurring are those which were delineated in the field contract (signed at the outset by all three parties).
  5. Evaluate he quality and quantity of the student's work; evaluate student reports; and assign a final grade to the student based on the agency evaluation, final report, and other evidence of performance.
  6. Maintain a copy of the student's final report in the department’s master file.

THE STUDENT'S ROLE AND EXPECTATIONS

The goals and objectives of the field placement experience are formulated in concert with the student, faculty supervisor, and agency supervisor. Specific student expectations of the field placement experience are as follows:
  1. Field Experience Contract: This agreement is to specify the goals and objectives of the placement, and is to be completed prior to beginning the position. A specific format is required (provided).
  2. Summary of Daily Activities: The student will keep a log detailing their daily activities including meetings attended, people met, tasks accomplished, and the number of hours worked that day.
  3. Regular Meetings: The student should schedule regular meetings with the agency supervisor and the faculty supervisor.
  4. Unique Agency Project: The student is to complete a unique or new contribution to the field placement agency or to an existing agency program. This contribution is to have prior approval by the faculty supervisor and the agency supervisor. The project contribution is to be left with the agency, and a copy submitted to the faculty supervisor prior to completion of the field placement.
  5. Student Evaluation of Agency: The student is to complete an agency evaluation and provide a short critique of the field experience using a specific format (provided). Students should include suggestions as to how their placement may be improved in the future.
  6. Agency Evaluation of Student: The agency supervisor will complete an evaluation of the student using a specific format (provided).
  7. Departmental Presentation: Each student, upon completion of their field placement, will give a presentation on his/her field experience that is open to all students, faculty, agency supervisors and the public.
  8. Final Report: The student will prepare a report on their field experience, to be submitted in a 3-ring binder at the conclusion of their presentation. This report shall include:
    1. Copies of the field experience contract.
    2. A description of the agency they are placed at describing its background, history, funding, programs, objectives, agency mission, and accomplishments.
    3. Summary of daily activities.
    4. A detailed description of the unique project(s) developed or administered by the student. Agency generated reports and literature are to be included in the report.
    5. Copies of all completed evaluations.

Students are expected to follow the policies, procedures, and directives of the agency, meeting all scheduled commitments and arrangements in connection with the field experience term.

PREVIOUS FIELD EXPERIENCE SITES

Please click here for a partial list of field experience sites utilized by the Department of Health Science during the past three years.