Public Health Internship Policies & Procedures Manual

School of Education, Health and Human Behavior

Department of Applied Health

Public Health Program

Campus Box 1126, Vadalabene Center Lukas Annex

Edwardsville, Illinois 62026-1126

618/650-3252, Fax: 618/650-3719

Public Health Internship

Policies & Procedures Manual

DEPARTMENT OF APPLIED HEALTH

Updated 8/26/18

Table of Contents

Letter to the Intern……………………………………………………………

Section 1:

Background and Introduction…………………………………………….....

Welcome………………………………………………………………………………………..

Criteria…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Section 2:

Public Health Domains………………………………………………………

Competencies for Tier 1 Front Line/Entry Level……………………………………….

Section 3:

Developing an Internship & Obtaining Approval………………………….

Prerequisites………………………………………………………………………………..

Policies…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Mandatory Internship Meetings……………………………………………………………….

Securing an Internship…………………………………………………………………….

Forms……………………………………………………………………………………….

Registration…………………………………………………………………………...........

Section 4:

Starting your Internship………………………………………………………...

Beginning Internship Hours……………………………………………………………….

Daily Logs…………………………………………………………………………………...

Midpoint Evaluations……………….……………………………………………………..

Final Supervisor Evaluation……………………………………………………………............

Agency Recommendation………………………………………………………………….

Thank You and Photos…………………………………………………………………….

Section 5:

Internship Written Report……………………………………………………….

Written Report Format……………………………………………………………………………

Grading……………………………………………………………………………………

Due Date……………………………………………………………………………..........

Section 6:

Internship Coordinator…………………………………………………………...

Contact Information…………………………………………………………………………….

Section 7:

Internship Forms…………………………………………………………………

Internship Forms Explanation…………………………………………………………….

Section 8:

International Internships………………………………………………………..

Section 9:

Frequently Asked Questions…………………………………………………

Starting an Internship…………………………………………………………………….

Credit and Hours………………………………………………………………………….

Forms………………………………………………………………………………………

Daily Logs………………………………………………………………………………….

Registration………………………………………………………………………………..

Written Reports……………………………………………………………………...........

Grading…………………………………………………………………………………….

Section 10:

Breakdown of Responsibility…………………………………………………

Internship Responsibilities…………………………………………………………...........

Section 11:

Agency Information…………………………………………………………..

Supervisor Welcome Letter……………………………………………………………….

Becoming an Internship Site………………………………………………………...........

Selection of Interns………………………………………………………………………..

Other Information…………………………………………………………………...........

Dear Public Health Student,

It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to your public health internship. The purpose of the

internship is to apply the public health domains learned in the classroom in a professional setting.

During the internship, students will work with a preceptor to apply the public health domains as

a pre-professional experience. The internship is assessed through an internship report and

internship supervisor rating. The internship allows students the opportunity to apply theories,

concepts and models from the classroom into real world public health agencies and

organizations. This is your culminating experience, your capstone, your time to demonstrate all

that you’ve learned.

Many students are anxious about the internship process. They report not knowing where to start

or where to look for internships. Some students procrastinate finding an internship until the few

weeks before the semester begins, thus delaying the approval and registration process. Tip of

the day: Start early! It’s never too early to start thinking about where you want to do your

internship. It may be too early to apply, but it is always better to plan it out, set deadlines, and

prepare yourself for the internship so you can look forward to your future: graduation,

employment, and/or graduate school.

This manual will give you step-by-step guidance throughout the entire internship process. This

is your ‘textbook’; you should print it out and take it to the internship with you. When questions

arise, check the manual first. If you want to secure a top grade in the internship, follow the steps

in this manual and be your best professional self.

Please consider this internship your first job in public health, work hard, be impressive, and

always go the extra mile. I am excited to be a part of the success you will experience when you

fully engage and commit to your internship.

Sincerely,

Michelle L Cathorall

Michelle Cathorall, DrPH, MPH, MCHES

Internship Coordinator/Assistant Professor/ Program Director

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Department of Applied Health

Vadalabene Center, Campus Box 1126

Edwardsville, IL 62026

office: Lukas Annex 2604

email: mcathor@siue.edu

phone: 618-650-2876

fax: 618-650-3719

Section 1:

Background & Introduction

Welcome

1.1

Criteria

1.2

Credits/Hours

1.3

Section 1.1

Welcome

Department Internship Vision

Over the course of the public health program, students receive knowledge through in-class

instruction by department faculty. In addition to this classroom-based instruction, students

may have the opportunity to gain hands-on experiences through an internship, which

together, can give them the skills and competencies they will need to work in public health.

By participating in an internship, students learn to apply academic learning to real world

situations, perform tasks and work related to his/her career interests, receive supervision

and training in a mentoring relationship, and explore the possibility of permanent

employment in public health or continue their education in graduate school. For many

students, the internship experience will be their first exposure to working with public health

agencies, with the goal to bridge the gap between what is learned in the classroom (theory)

and public health practice (application).

The Public Health Program is committed to helping students have the best internship

experience possible. This experience is intended to be a partnership between the student,

the public health agency supervisor, the program internship coordinator (Michelle

Cathorall), and the faculty and staff in the Public Health Program. The expectation is that

students perform in the internship at the highest professional level, take the internship

seriously, employ their best communication skills, commit significant time and energy to

the internship and the public health profession, respect and be mentored by their supervisor,

sacrifice, work hard, stay focused, and be the best representative of themselves, the

Program, Department, and the University so the relationship can be maintained and future

interns will be welcomed.

Department Internship Purpose

The purpose of the internship is to apply professional the public health domains learned in

the classroom in professional settings settings. During the internship, students will “obtain

experience, as proctored by an approved internship supervisor, to apply professional

competencies in public health as assessed through an internship report and internship

supervisor rating”.

The internship is considered a culminating experience required for all Public Health majors.

We do not place you in an internship. The student is responsible for securing his or her

own internship. The Internship Coordinator is available to provide resources and guidance

during the internship process.

Instead, students have the opportunity to brainstorm internship options based on

professional and academic goals, refine their resume and applications, apply and interview

for several opportunities, and ultimately accept an internship based on individual

educational and professional goals and aspirations. Once committed to that internship,

students should fulfill all agreed upon expectations as a matter for integrity and honesty. In

addition to the experience, students will pay tuition and receive credit for their internship

experience. Prior to beginning the internship, all students must complete certain

prerequisite courses; no concurrent enrollment, no exceptions.

Listed below are the main purposes of the public health internship:

• Help students gain an understanding and appreciation for the roles, duties, and

responsibilities of full-time professionals in public health;

• Expose students to professional organizations and associations;

• Encourage participation in public health activities on local, state, and national

levels;

• Provide students with leadership and professional development opportunities;

• Give students an opportunity to participate in program planning, implementation,

and evaluation of programs within various public health-related agencies and

organizations;

• Help establish professional contacts and references through networking.

Section 1.2

Criteria

Internship Criteria

All internships approved for academic credit must meet the following criteria:

Completion of all emphasis required prerequisite courses (see p.13) with a C or greater (no

concurrent enrollment, no exceptions). Students who receive a D+ grade or lower must re-

take the prerequisite course prior to starting the internship. Internships can only begin after

the grade of C- or greater has posted. Prior to grade posting, grade verification must take

place with the instructor of the course.

Internships must be located at a public health agency whose work reflects best practices and

theory-driven research in public health. The majority of the work must be public health-

based and directly related to the 10 Essential Public Health Services and the emphasis

specific public health domains, as described on pages 6-11.

Students must complete a set of projects or tasks that expose students to the breadth and

depth of theory-driven research and best practices in public health. These projects should

culminate into at a variety of tangible products that provide evidence of their work, which

will be included in the final written report.

The tangible product(s) should be representative of the major internship responsibilities and

reflect the highest quality work as well as quantify hours in the internship. Examples of

tangible product(s) might include a research report, survey and results, program plan,

database, newsletters, focus group moderator guide, developed and tested curriculum,

evaluations, and so forth.

Major responsibilities and tasks should include:

• At least one of the public health domains;

• Detailed sample daily log (see p.26) and include the public health domains used (see

p. 6 -11) and application to curriculum;

• A final written report (hard copy required) for evaluation by the Internship

Coordinator by the due date.

• Final Written Reports will result in a letter grade based on the evaluation of both the

Agency Supervisor and the Internship Coordinator.

• Included in the final report are tangible products, daily logs, a copy of the thank you

letter, and internship overview (see Section 5, pages 32-36 for details)

Section 2:

Public Health Domains

2.1

Section 2.1

Public Health Domains

Internship work should demonstrate public health-related responsibilities, research, service,

and/or outcomes that directly or indirectly connect the student to individuals and

communities based on their health needs, social determinants of health status, and/or health

disparities.

A Public Health internship is not shadowing a practitioner or physician. The internship

should have a strong mentoring component, expose students to underserved and diverse

populations, and allow students an opportunity to participate in meaningful research and

service. Students will connect their work with the Public Health domains. Internship work

must be at a public health agency. A concrete deliverable through a final written report to

your Internship Supervisor and to the Department Internship Coordinator will be expected

at the completion of your internship.

Competencies for Tier 1 Front Line Staff/Entry Level

Tier 1 competencies apply to public health professionals who carry out the day-to-day tasks

of public health organizations and are not in management positions. Responsibilities of

these professionals may include data collection and analysis, fieldwork, program planning,

outreach, communications, customer service, and program support.

1. Analytical/Assessment Skills

1A1. Describes factors affecting the health of a community (e.g., equity, income,

education, environment)

1A2. Identifies quantitative and qualitative data and information (e.g., vital

statistics, electronic health records, transportation patterns, unemployment

rates, community input, health equity impact assessments) that can be used for

assessing the health of a community

1A3. Applies ethical principles in accessing, collecting, analyzing, using,

maintaining, and disseminating data and information

1A4. Uses information technology in accessing, collecting, analyzing, using,

maintaining, and disseminating data and information

1A5. Selects valid and reliable data

1A6. Selects comparable data (e.g., data being age-adjusted to the same year, data

variables across datasets having similar definitions)

1A7. Identifies gaps in data

1A8. Collects valid and reliable quantitative and qualitative data

1A9. Describes public health applications of quantitative and qualitative data

1A10. Uses quantitative and qualitative data

1A11. Describes assets and resources that can be used for improving the health of a

community (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs, public libraries, hospitals, faith-based

organizations, academic institutions, federal grants, fellowship programs)

1A13. Explains how community health assessments use information about health

status, factors influencing health, and assets and resources

1A14. Describes how evidence (e.g., data, findings reported in peer-reviewed

literature) is used in decision making

2. Policy Development/Program Planning Skills

2A1. Contributes to state/Tribal/community health improvement planning (e.g.,

providing data to supplement community health assessments, communicating

observations from work in the field)

2A2. Contributes to development of program goals and objectives

2A3. Describes organizational strategic plan (e.g., includes measurable objectives

and targets; relationship to community health improvement plan, workforce

development plan, quality improvement plan, and other plans)

2A4. Contributes to implementation of organizational strategic plan

2A5. Identifies current trends (e.g., health, fiscal, social, political, environmental)

affecting the health of a community

2A6. Gathers information that can inform options for policies, programs, and

services (e.g., secondhand smoking policies, data use policies, HR policies,

immunization programs, food safety programs)

2A7. Describes implications of policies, programs, and services

2A8. Implements policies, programs, and services

2A9. Explains the importance of evaluations for improving policies, programs, and

services

2A10. Gathers information for evaluating policies, programs, and services (e.g.,

outputs, outcomes, processes, procedures, return on investment)

2A11. Applies strategies for continuous quality improvement

2A12. Describes how public health informatics is used in developing, implementing,

evaluating, and improving policies, programs, and services (e.g., integrated

data systems, electronic reporting, knowledge management systems,

geographic information systems)

3. Communication Skills

3A1. Identifies the literacy of populations served (e.g., ability to obtain, interpret,

and use health and other information; social media literacy)

3A2. Communicates in writing and orally with linguistic and cultural proficiency

(e.g., using age-appropriate materials, incorporating images)

3A3. Solicits input from individuals and organizations (e.g., chambers of commerce,

religious organizations, schools, social service organizations, hospitals,

government, community- based organizations, various populations served) for

improving the health of a community

3A4. Suggests approaches for disseminating public health data and information

(e.g., social media, newspapers, newsletters, journals, town hall meetings,

libraries, neighborhood gatherings

3A5. Conveys data and information to professionals and the public using a variety

of approaches (e.g., reports, presentations, email, letters)

3A6. Communicates information to influence behavior and improve health (e.g.,

uses social marketing methods, considers behavioral theories such as the

Health Belief Model or Stages of Change Model)

3A7. Facilitates communication among individuals, groups, and organizations

3A8. Describes the roles of governmental public health, health care, and other

partners in improving the health of a community

4. Cultural Competency Skills

4A1. Describes the concept of diversity as it applies to individuals and populations

(e.g., language, culture, values, socioeconomic status, geography, education,

race, gender, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, profession, religious affiliation,

mental and physical abilities, historical experiences)

4A2. Describes the diversity of individuals and populations in a community

4A3. Describes the ways diversity may influence policies, programs, services, and

the health of a community

4A4. Recognizes the contribution of diverse perspectives in developing,

implementing, and evaluating policies, programs, and services that affect the

health of a community

4A5. Addresses the diversity of individuals and populations when implementing

policies, programs, and services that affect the health of a community

4A6. Describes the effects of policies, programs, and services on different

populations in a community

4A7. Describes the value of a diverse public health workforce

5. Community Dimensions of Practice Skills

5A1. Describes the programs and services provided by governmental and non-

governmental organizations to improve the health of a community

5A2. Recognizes relationships that are affecting health in a community (e.g.,

relationships among health departments, hospitals, community health centers,

primary care providers, schools, community-based organizations, and other

types of organizations)

5A3. Suggests relationships that may be needed to improve health in a community

5A4. Supports relationships that improve health in a community

5A5. Collaborates with community partners to improve health in a community (e.g.,

participates in committees, shares data and information, connects people to

resources)

5A6. Engages community members (e.g., focus groups, talking circles, formal

meetings, key informant interviews) to improve health in a community

5A7. Provides input for developing, implementing, evaluating, and improving

policies, programs, and services

5A8. Uses assets and resources (e.g., Boys & Girls Clubs, public libraries, hospitals,

faith-based organizations, academic institutions, federal grants, fellowship

programs) to improve health in a community

5A9. Informs the public about policies, programs, and resources that improve health

in a community

5A10. Describes the importance of community-based participatory research

6. Public Health Sciences Skills

6A1. Describes the scientific foundation of the field of public health

6A2. Identifies prominent events in the history of public health (e.g., smallpox

eradication, development of vaccinations, infectious disease control, safe

drinking water, emphasis on hygiene and hand washing, access to health care

for people with disabilities)

6A3. Describes how public health sciences (e.g., biostatistics, epidemiology,

environmental health sciences, health services administration, social and

behavioral sciences, and public health informatics) are used in the delivery of

the 10 Essential Public Health Services

6A4. Retrieves evidence (e.g., research findings, case reports, community surveys)

from print and electronic sources (e.g., PubMed, Journal of Public Health

Management and Practice, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, The

World Health Report) to support decision making

6A5. Recognizes limitations of evidence (e.g., validity, reliability, sample size, bias,

generalizability)

6A6. Describes evidence used in developing, implementing, evaluating, and

improving policies, programs, and services

6A7. Describes the laws, regulations, policies, and procedures for the ethical

conduct of research (e.g., patient confidentiality, protection of human subjects,

Americans with Disabilities Act)

6A8. Contributes to the public health evidence base (e.g., participating in Public

Health Practice-Based Research Networks, community-based participatory

research, and academic health departments; authoring articles; making data

available to researchers)

6A9. Suggests partnerships that may increase use of evidence in public health

practice (e.g., between practice and academic organizations, with health

sciences libraries)

7. Financial Planning and Management Skills

7A1. Describes the structures, functions, and authorizations of governmental public

health programs and organizations

7A2. Describes government agencies with authority to impact the health of a

community

7A3. Adheres to organizational policies and procedures

7A4. Describes public health funding mechanisms (e.g., categorical grants, fees,

third-party reimbursement, tobacco taxes)

7A5. Contributes to development of program budgets

7A6. Provides information for proposals for funding (e.g., foundations, government

agencies, corporations)

7A7. Provides information for development of contracts and other agreements for

programs and services

7A8. Describes financial analysis methods used in making decisions about policies,

programs, and services (e.g., cost-effectiveness, cost-benefit, cost- utility

analysis, return on investment)

7A9. Operates programs within budget

7A10. Describes how teams help achieve program and organizational goals (e.g., the

value of different disciplines, sectors, skills, experiences, and perspectives;

scope of work and timeline)

7A11. Motivates colleagues for the purpose of achieving program and

organizational goals (e.g., participating in teams, encouraging sharing of ideas,

respecting different points of view)

7A12. Uses evaluation results to improve program and organizational performance

7A13. Describes program performance standards and measures

7A14. Uses performance management systems for program and organizational

improvement (e.g., achieving performance objectives and targets, increasing

efficiency, refining processes, meeting Healthy People objectives, sustaining

accreditation)

8. Leadership and Systems Thinking Skills

8A1. Incorporates ethical standards of practice (e.g., Public Health Code of Ethics)

into all interactions with individuals, organizations, and communities

8A2. Describes public health as part of a larger inter-related system of organizations

that influence the health of populations at local, national, and global levels

8A3. Describes the ways public health, health care, and other organizations can

work together or individually to impact the health of a community

8A4. Contributes to development of a vision for a healthy community (e.g.,

emphasis on prevention, health equity for all, excellence and innovation)

8A5. Identifies internal and external facilitators and barriers that may affect the

delivery of the 10 Essential Public Health Services (e.g., using root cause

analysis and other quality improvement methods and tools, problem solving)

8A6. Describes needs for professional development (e.g., training, mentoring, peer

advising, coaching)

8A7. Participates in professional development opportunities

8A8. Describes the impact of changes (e.g., social, political, economic, scientific)

on organizational practices

8A9. Describes ways to improve individual and program performance

Section 3:

Developing an Internship &

Obtaining Approval

Prerequisites

3.1

Policies

3.2

Mandatory Internship Meeting

3.3

Securing an Internship

3.4

Forms

3.5

Registration

3.6

Section 3.1

Prerequisites

Students must have completed all prerequisites before enrolling in the internship course.

Students must be of senior standing. Completion of all prerequisite courses with a C or

greater is required. Students must successfully complete PBHE 490 and PBHE 491. There

is no concurrent enrollment. This means students cannot be enrolled in the PBHE 490 or

491 and doing their internship at the same time: no exceptions. Students often ask why.

The Public Health program expects students to have mastered the course material with a

minimum level of proficiency. A certain grade helps assure the agency that the student has

a mastery of the subject. In addition, sending a student into an internship before they have

taken core classes is a disservice to the agency and the student. The supervisor would

expect students to complete certain tasks that they would only be able to do having taken

those courses. This will serve the students, agency, and program well when the student is

academically prepared to complete an internship for credit.

During the semester PRIOR TO your intended start date, verify internship eligibility

with your Public Health Academic Advisor. The student will meet with their academic

advisor and complete Form A Academic Approval Form. If this form is not complete you

will NOT be able to register for the internship.

To be eligible, students must:

• Be of senior standing

• Receive program approval of the internship

• Successful completion of PBHE 490* & PBHE 491*

• Successful completion or concurrent enrollment in PBHE 498

• Minimum GPA of 2.5

*If a student receives below a C, the student is required to retake the course before they can

begin their internship. No exceptions.

Section 3.2

Policies

General Policies

THE AGENCY MUST SIGN THE SIUE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION, HEALTH

AND HUMAN BEHAVIOR FIELD PRACTICUM AGREEMENT BEFORE THE

STUDENT CAN BEGIN AN INTERNSHIP.

The Public Health Internship will require a minimum of 250 hours of work within a 16-

week semester or 10 week summer session. The total number of hours may be up to 300, as

negotiated with the Agency Supervisor.

The internship of any student may be terminated at any time as outlined in the Field

Practicum Agreement. The Internship Coordinator shall determine any decisions pertaining

to completing the requirements for a terminated internship.

The student shall be aware of, and shall adhere to, the policies and procedures as outlined in

the internship manual and of the Agency.

Specific Policies

All internships must be completed in Public Health, regardless of the professional career

you are choosing to enter in to. An example of this would be for a Public Health student to

attempt to do an internship in a hospital setting with a nurse because they want to go in to

nursing after graduation. This would not be allowed.

Students may not complete an internship at a site where they currently are, or have

previously been, employed. Additionally, students may not do an internship with agencies

where friends or family are employed.

All paperwork, including forms, approvals, and signatures must be completed by the last

day of the semester prior to the internship semester. A student may not start their internship

until all paperwork is completed with signatures.

Students are responsible for paying for any background checks and/or fingerprinting

required by an Internship Agency. These costs are not covered by the University of the

program.

Section 3.3

Mandatory Internship Meeting

Attendance at a one-hour group mandatory internship meeting is required for all students

planning to do their internship. Mandatory internship meetings are held at the beginning of

the Fall and Spring Semester in coordination with either PBHE 490 or 491. Students must

attend a meeting within a year of beginning the internship. The meeting date, time, and

location will be sent to all public health students via email and be posted on our social

media outlets. All PBHE majors are invited to the meetings. Students are responsible to

watch for those announcements and find a time to attend.

Meetings will cover 4 areas:

1) Tips to finding an internship,

2) How to apply to an internship,

3) Steps to completing an internship,

4) Internship forms explanation.

Unfortunately, the Internship Coordinator is unable to accommodate individual student

meetings; therefore, students must attend one of these group meetings to gain this critical

information.

Attendance at a meeting more than a year in advance to gather information is supported, but

attendance will not count unless it is within one year of starting the internship. Students

must attend the meeting when enrolled in PBHE 490 or 491 to receive credit.

Section 3.4

Securing a Public Health Internship

Start Early

Students should start looking for a public health internship EARLY, ideally 4 to 6 months

before they plan to intern. The internship approval and registration process can take up to 3

months; students should not procrastinate securing an internship the weeks before the

semester of their internship. Last minute internship applications may not be approved due

to timing; internship applications submitted early can always be approved. Some internship

sites have lengthy application processes that require additional time, paperwork, approvals,

and deadlines several months in advance.

The student is responsible for all deadlines and should plan accordingly.

Internship Location Resources

We do not offer an internship placement service; students must identify, locate, and secure

their own public health internship. When students spend their time, effort, and energy

securing their internship, they are much more likely to be personally and professionally

invested and experience higher levels of success in the internship. It is the responsibility of

the Internship Coordinator to provide internship location resources to students, but it is the

responsibility of the student to search, identify, secure and obtain approval for the

internship.

Developing your Internship

Follow these steps to be the most successful in securing your internship.

Decide what you want to learn or do during the internship. Also, decide what areas you are

most interested in working as far as content/topic, target population, or agency. Based on

where you will be living, you may choose a public health internship in the area you reside.

Start looking EARLY, preferably 4-6 months before starting your internship. Certain

internships require more than 4-6 months preparation time.

Brainstorm a list of agencies where you would like to do an internship. Start a Google

spreadsheet and record the information there. Talk with faculty. Spend time each week

entering potential internship locations and update your spreadsheet as you apply. If you are

not sure whether or not the agency would be an appropriate place to do an internship, send

the Internship Coordinator an email with the agency name, website, and tasks you would be

completing.

Refine your resume. Update as needed to reflect your college education vs. high school

experience. Take your resume to the University Career Services for review with advisors

specializing in resumes. Today’s resume is modern, simple, and quantifies experience.

Time to get it ready for your future!

Find a writing sample, a paper you wrote around 2 pages long that you can include with

your application. It can be an opinion editorial, disease research brief, reflection paper, etc.

Think of it as an opportunity to show the internship agency what you are capable of. Make

sure it is well edited and refined.

Draft an email. Call the secretary/receptionist at the agency to find out who to address your

email to. Ask who is in charge of the interns and request their email. Your email should be

professional, well composed, and humble.

*TIP: The biggest mistake students make when contacting an agency is sounding entitled

and demanding. “I’m a student at SIUE who needs an internship. Let me know.” Prepare

your email to include the following:

a) Name & class (junior, senior, etc.) at SIUE

b) Area of study (public health & emphasis)

c) Requirements of the internship emphasis on public health domains,

credits/hours, tangible products, etc.)

d) List things you like about the agency

e) List the skills/competencies you possess that will contribute to the agency

f) Reasons why you want to intern with this agency

g) Include a resume and sample(s) of your writing

h) A day and time you will follow up with the agency

*TIP: Students often say “Thank you for taking the time to read this email. I look forward

to hearing from you soon.” That requires the agency supervisor to push reply, think about

the internship position, draft an email, etc. That is work for them. Take the work out by

instead saying “Thank you for taking the time to review my email, resume, and writing

sample. I will follow up with you on Monday at 10 a.m. by calling your number. If you

aren’t available, I will leave a message and call back.”

You just made it easy for them; they just need to answer the phone when you call. Don’t be

pushy or demanding: be humble and flexible. Be sure to follow-up with a phone call when

you said you would to set up an appointment to meet with him/her in person to discuss

potential internships.

Apply for multiple internships at the same time in hopes you hear back from 1-2 quickly.

Applying to only one internship then waiting to hear back from them will significantly

delay the process and may result in getting a late start. While actively looking, students

should apply to as many as five (5) per week until they accept one.

Set up an interview. Show up early, dress professionally, and come prepared to talk about

the agency. During the interview, attentively listen to the supervisor as to the tasks they

expect you to perform in the internship. Ask questions. Take notes. Listen intently. Then,

articulate what you want to learn in your internship, what your skills are, and how you can

contribute to their agency. Also, be prepared to discuss possible internship responsibilities

(Form B) and tangible products to be produced. You may also want to bring a portfolio

with examples of the work you have done. For example, a copy of your program plan from

PBHE 490 would show some of your best work.

Interviews should be conducted in person if the Agency is within a 50-mile radius from the

SIUE or via telephone if farther than 50 miles. It is recommended that you interview with

at least 3 possible agencies.

Follow up after the interview with a thank you email, letter, or hand written note within one

(1) day of interviewing. This will leave a lasting impression on the supervisor and show

your gratitude.

Accept the internship offer. Once you have accepted, stop applying to other internships and

stop looking for other internships. Once the agency extends an offer and you accept, they

let the other applicants know the position has been filled. If you change your mind or

decide you want to apply to other internships, they can’t just call the next best candidate.

They have already invested time, effort, energy, and resources in to you. You have

committed to that internship, it is a matter of integrity, be true to your word.

Section 3.5

Forms

Once you have accepted a public health internship, it is time to fill out the forms for

approval. All forms can be found on the Public Health Internship Blackboard site. There

are three (3) forms that must be approved BEFORE your internship hours begin, Forms

A – C.

Form A: Public Health Internship Academic Approval

Form

This form must be completed with the student’s academic advisor the semester before

registering for PBHE 499 Public Health Internship. The student must meet with their

academic advisor during the semester prior to registering for the internship. This form

ensures that the student have met all the prerequisites and is cleared to register for the

internship. If this form is not submitted to the Internship Coordinator, the student will not

be allowed to start the internship.

Form B: Public Health Internship Information and

Acceptance Form

This is the next form the student will fill out to begin the internship approval process.

Typically, this form will be completed once you have accepted the internship. However,

you can also submit this form prior to acceptance if you are questioning whether it will be

approved or not. This form is simple and should only take a few minutes. The Internship

Coordinator will try to have the form approved within 72 hours after submission.

Students will include their full name, student 800 number, email address, phone number,

and the semester for the internship. They will also include information about the internship

agency by typing in the name of the agency, providing the agency website, city and state.

Lastly, students will input the supervisor’s full name, degree (must be public health or a

closely related degree), phone number, and email address. TIP: The email address MUST

be entered correctly. Failure to enter the email address correctly could result in delayed

approvals and evaluations. It is the student’s responsibility to input the email address

accurately.

The last section of Form B gives the students an opportunity to provide a brief summary of

the proposed internship as it relates to public health, in no more than 200 words. This

narrative allows students the opportunity to describe the internship they will be

participating, as they understand it, and its relationship to their public health curriculum.

This narrative should include the overview and basic tasks to be accomplished in the

internship. Please provide enough information for the Internship Coordinator to make a

decision to approve or deny this form.

Form B should be completed and submitted to the Internship Coordinator no later than two

months prior to starting the internship.

*Exception to the two-month rule: If we do not have a current Field Practicum Agreement

with the facility, you must complete Form D Public Health Internship Facility Request

Form and submit it to the Internship Coordinator at least three months prior to the

internship. **NOTE: New facility agreements will NOT BE INITIATED if the request has

not been received within this timeline. This will allow the time needed for the contract to

be fully completed by all parties.

This pre-approval process will ensure that you do not complete all the necessary forms and

then discover that the agency may not be the most appropriate location for an internship.

*Please note, approval of this form does not mean the overall internship is approved. The

final approval comes when the Internship Coordinator and Agency Supervisor approve the

Internship Responsibilities and Projects (Form C).

Form C: Internship Responsibilities and Projects

Each intern will develop 5 major internship responsibilities and/or projects with their

Agency Supervisor. An initial appointment to discuss the guidelines of the internship

experience should be scheduled with the on-site Agency Supervisor to set specific

internship goals and objectives and to discuss projects and tasks to be completed in the

internship. Set up an appointment or make arrangements for a phone call with your agency

supervisor to make a list of the internship responsibilities. Please be as specific as possible.

The student will need to take meticulous notes as to their projects/tasks, as these will need

to be entered into Form C for approval. These internship responsibilities should include a

general description of the 5 major tasks to be completed during the internship.

These projects/tasks should be related to the Public Health Domains. Your work associated

with these responsibilities should result in multiple tangible products. Page 5 of this

manual gives specific examples of what tangible products could include. Think of it like

this: in order to justify the number of hours in their internship, you must provide evidence

of your work in hard copy form. For example, developing 5 fact sheets for the agency

would not take 200 hours of a Public Health internship. Students must include enough

tangible products to be commensurate with the number of hours in the internship. Be

creative.

After developing the 5 major internship responsibilities/projects, the student will complete

Form C, print it for the Internship Coordinator and Agency Supervisor to approve and sign.

This becomes a 3-way contract between the Student, the Internship Coordinator, the

Agency Supervisor. All 3 are working with the understanding these are the projects that

will get done. If they change, it is the responsibility of the student to provide an

explanation in the final report. Failure to discuss discrepancies between Form C and work

completed may result in point loss on the final report. It is okay if not all the projects are

completed as long as it is explained. If a new project is started, it also needs to be discussed

in the final report.

Once approved by the Internship Coordinator, an email will be sent to your Agency

Supervisor for electronic approval. Make sure their email is correct on Form B.

The internship is not approved until both the Internship Coordinator and Agency Supervisor

approves the internship responsibilities and projects form (Form C).

Form D: Internship Facility Request Form

Form D, or the Internship Facility Request Form, is a Program form that needs to be

completed if the Agency you are interning with is not an already approved internship site.

Form D (Internship Facility Request Form) is only necessary if we do not have a current

SIUE Field Practicum Agreement with the agency. If we have a current agreement on file

with the agency, you will NOT need to have another one signed. This form is to be

completed by the student and submitted to the Internship Coordinator for approval. The

Internship Coordinator will contact the agency with the SIUE Field Practicum Agreement

that must be signed prior to the student starting any hours with the agency.

Section 3.6

Registration

Once you have completed Forms A-D, you can now register for the course. You will want

to register for your internship as early as possible, but well before the add/drop deadline

(typically the 2nd week of school).

You will register for 6 credits of PBHE 499.

All domestic public health students must register for PBHE 499, section 1.

Public Health students doing a SIUE Public Health Program International Internship will be

assigned their own section of PBHE 499-TS. See page 44 for more information on

International Public Health Program Internships in Uganda. All other International

Internship students will register for PBHE 499, section 1.

PLEASE NOTE: You must complete all your hours at the same agency.

Section 4:

Starting your Internship

Begin the Internship

4.1

Daily Logs

4.2

Midpoint Evaluations

4.3

Final Evaluation

4.4

Agency Recommendation

4.5

Thank You and Photos

4.6

Section 4.1

Begin the Internship

The public health internship can officially begin when all the forms have been submitted

and approved, the student is registered for 6 credits in correct section of the internship

course, tuition is paid, and the semester has started. Students wishing to start their

internship hours before the first day of the semester must have all forms approved, be

registered for the course, and have prior approval from the Internship Coordinator to count

hours prior to the start of the semester.

Any hours spent meeting with the Agency Supervisor, participating in trainings or

meetings, or performing tasks before the semester begins CANNOT count unless all forms

are approved, the student is registered, and the Internship Coordinator has approved it. The

University cannot and will not grant retroactive credit for the internship courses in any

situation. This includes granting internship credit for past experiences or any experience

that has already been completed or started without appropriate registration and approval. If

any petitions are submitted that involve retroactive credit in any form, they will not be

approved.

Section 4.2

Daily Logs (Form E)

The purpose of the daily log is to allow students the opportunity to write and reflect about

each day they work in their internship. Entries should focus on the completed tasks for the

day and how the day’s accomplishments connect what was learned in the classroom to

hands-on learning experiences in the internship (Daily Report & Application). In addition,

students will identify which of the Public Health Domains used that day and to what

capacity (Domains Used).

Every day the student works at the internship, they are required to complete a daily log

entry in Form E. Students do not need to enter anything on the days they are not at the

internship. Students should plan to spend the last 15-20 minutes of each day writing the

daily log entry.

This must be done in Form E; daily logs should be kept as a Microsoft Word document to

be printed and signed each week. A template Daily Log template and sample file can be

found on the Internship Bb Site under Forms.

Each day, students will fill out three sections per entry: (1) Daily Report, (2) Application,

and (3) Public Health Domains Used.

The Daily Report section is a time to reflect on what you did that day and how the

accomplished tasks relate to the bigger picture of public health. This section should:

1. explain the tasks accomplished that day

2. skills developed

3. lessons learned

The Application section is a time to reflect on how what the student accomplished that day

relates to what was learned in the classroom for any of the courses in the program.

The Domains Used section should list at least (1) one Public Health Domain AND a brief

explanation of how it was used. The Public Health Domain can be cut & pasted into the

section but the explanation regarding how they were used must be original thought.

At the end of each week, the student will print the log and have it signed by your Internship

Supervisor. The signed logs will be included in the appendix of your final report.

Sample Daily Log

Daily Log Sample

Name: Cyndi Stewart

Week # 1

Date

Hours

Daily Report

Application of Classroom

Learning to

Professional Setting

Public Health Domains Used

Monday

8/20/18

9-11

Attended an orientation meeting. Met

with the director and stakeholders to

discuss what I will be doing as part of

the project. Discussed the

organizational policies that I must

follow working with the agency.

Much of the orientation was related

to professionalism and how to

conduct myself while working with

the agency. Professionalism was

discussed mainly in 305, but was

also discussed generally as part of

the program.

7A3. Adheres to organizational

policies and procedures

During the meeting we discussed the

procedures to protect client

information during and after data

collection. As part of the discussion

the director gave me a scenario and

asked me to explain whether the

scenario followed the procedures and

what I would change so that it would.

11-12

1-3

The rest of the day I familiarized

myself with the services the

organization provides and the services

available through the local health

department.

I also contacted several local agencies

and organizations to see what programs

they are offering to community

members and whether they might be

interested in partnering with the XXX

program.

This task really helped me develop my

verbal communication skills because I

had to call people that I did not know

and ask them questions about their

programs and services and explain what

I was able to apply several skills

from 305 and 355 to searching for

organizations. Both these classes

discussed the types or organizations

that contribute to public health. I

also applied work from 213 and

finding assets and resources that

already exist in communities that

may be available to support

programs.

5A1. Describes the programs and

services provided by governmental

and non- governmental organizations

to improve the health of a community

After reviewing the organization

website I summarized the relevant

information so that my supervisor

could easily scan it.

1A11. Describes assets and resources

that can be used for improving the

health of a community (e.g., Boys &

Girls Clubs, public libraries,

hospitals, faith-based organizations,

academic institutions, federal grants,

fellowship programs)

the XXX program is. It also helped

with my written communication skills

because I had to send professional

follow emails to some of the people I

spoke with.

One of the lessons learned from my

first day is that there are a lot of

programs available and it would be

really easy to duplicate services. I also

learned that getting a hold of people to

talk to is a challenge.

I created a list of all the agencies and

organizations in the surrounding

counties that are serving similar

populations and offer services related

to our program area. And described

the resources they may have to offer.

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Total Hours

Supervisor Signature:

Section 4.3

Midpoint Evaluations

Form F Mid-Point Self Evaluation

When the student has completed half of their internship hours (~125 hours), it is time to

complete and submit Form F, Midpoint Evaluation, found on the Public Health Internship

Blackboard Site. Form F requests the student briefly explain to what extent each of their

responsibilities/tasks are being completed. If the responsibility has not been worked on yet,

simply state that in the narrative section. If the responsibilities have changed, this is the

time to inform the Internship Coordinator regarding the change in the narrative section.

Completing Form F also provides the student with an opportunity to self-evaluate and

determine what still must be done to complete the responsibilities and hours.

1. Complete Form F.

2. Email completed Form F to the Internship Coordinator.

3. Email Form F2 to Agency Supervisor for him/her to complete.

Please take the feedback seriously and make adjustments as needed.

Form F2 Mid-Point Evaluation of Student

Once the student submits Form F (see above) to the Internship Coordinator & Agency

Supervisor, the student will email Form F2 to their Agency Supervisor (to the email

provided in Form B). Completion of this evaluation by the Agency Supervisor is optional

and is not worth any points; however, it does provide the intern with valuable feedback.

The purpose of Form F2 is for the student to receive feedback from their Agency

Supervisor at the mid-point of the internship, thus allowing the student to make adjustments

as needed. The Agency Supervisor will complete form F2. Students should review the form,

take the feedback seriously, and make changes as needed to ensure positive feedback on the

final evaluation.

After both Forms F & F2 have been completed:

1. Meet with the Agency Supervisor to review Form F.

2. Then you must schedule a mid-point meeting with the Internship Coordinator to

discuss your progress and any concerns you may be having.

Section 4.4

Final Evaluations

Form G Final Intern Evaluation

A minimum of two (2) weeks before the student is due to complete the internship hours,

FORM G Public Health Final Intern Evaluation must be sent to the Agency Supervisor. It is

the responsibility of the intern to request the evaluation to be sent to the Agency Supervisor

by emailing the Internship Coordinator. This will prompt the Internship Coordinator to

email a link to the supervisor, requesting them to complete the final evaluation for the

student intern.

The only person who can complete Form G, final evaluation is the same person who

approved Form B. If the internship supervisor has changed, please notify the

Internship Coordinator IMMEDIATELY so it can be changed/updated BEFORE the end

of the semester. Failure to do so may result in delayed grade submission and delayed

graduation.

It is the responsibility of the student to give their supervisor enough time to complete the

evaluation before the report due date. Very often it leads to delayed grade submission and

delayed graduation because the supervisor has gone on vacation, maternity leave, or left

their position at the same time Form G is due; plan ahead. A letter grade cannot be

assigned without the supervisor evaluation submission.

The evaluation and comments from the Agency Supervisor are confidential and will not be

viewable to the student intern in order to ensure honest, accurate reporting from the

supervisor. The supervisor’s evaluation of the student is worth 40% of the final internship

grade.

Form H Public Health Internship Experience

Evaluation

This form is completed by the Intern approximately 2 weeks prior to the end of the

Internship. This is an evaluation of the internship experience, including processes, the

manual, Blackboard site, information, and the Internship Coordinator. The student

completes this form online. The Program Director review the evaluation with the

Internship Coordinator and Public Health faculty for ongoing quality improvement. This

form can be found on the Blackboard Internship site

Form I Public Health Supervisor Evaluation of

Internship Experience

This form is completed by the Agency Supervisor approximately two (2) weeks before the

student is due to complete the internship hours. This is an evaluation of the Agency

Supervisor’s experience as a preceptor, including processes, information, and interactions

with the Internship Coordinator.

The student must contact the Program Director to send Form I to your supervisor 2

weeks before the end of your internship.

The evaluation will be sent to the Agency Supervisor from the Program Director

approximately 2 weeks prior to the end of the Internship. The evaluation is anonymous.

The Program Director with meet with the Internship Coordinator annually to discuss

aggregate results of the evaluations from all agencies.

Section 4.5

Agency Recommendation/Evaluation

Form J Agency Recommendation/Evaluation

The student intern will be required to complete the agency recommendation/evaluation

form (Form J) online before the end of the semester. The purpose of this form is to provide

meaningful feedback about the internship and the internship site that the Internship

Coordinator can use to assess the quality of the experience to determine if future students

should have this same internship. In addition, information from this recommendation will

be available for future public health students to read and decide if this is an internship to

which they would like to apply. Please be accurate, honest and fair in reporting.

Section 4.6

Thank You Note/Letter

Students are required to handwrite a note or type a thank you letter and give it to their

agency supervisor prior to leaving the internship. The purpose of the note/letter is to thank

the supervisor for allowing the student to intern at the agency and thank them for the

mentoring experience. This represents you, the Program, Department, and the University

well when a sincere note/letter is given. Please take the time to write a well-composed

note/letter, giving specific examples of lessons learned and skills gained because of that

supervisor.

A hard copy of the note/letter is required for the final written report; be sure to make a copy

or take a photo.

A thank you note is typically handwritten on a note card and placed in an envelope. A

thank you letter is typically typed and signed and also placed in an envelope. The thank

you note/letter must include the date, supervisor’s name and address, a well-composed body

with supporting sentences, and the student’s signature and address to close.

Uploaded Digital Photos

Students must upload five (5) high quality digital photos as evidence of their presence,

experience, and work at their internship. Photos should be creative and well composed with

good lighting, zoomed in, and nicely cropped. Photos should not be blurry or

undecipherable. At least two (2) of the photos should include the student at the internship.

The remaining photos can be of tasks, events, or other happenings at the internship.

To receive points, the photos will be uploaded to the Internship Blackboard Site assignment

labeled “Photos”. Each photo should be uploaded and label accordingly:

Firstname_Lastname_1-5. The format for the photos is .jpeg.

Please be aware of copyright infringements and photography permissions particularly in

schools and agencies. The student is responsible for making sure they are not violating

copyrights and source citation.

By uploading your photos to the website, the student clicks/agrees to a photo release,

granting the public health program and department internal use of the photographs.

For the photos, please note the following:

The photos may be used by the program to promote the program online or in brochures.

Please note that each intern will submit 5 photos, so the likelihood of a photo being used in

promotion is slim since we will have repository to choose from. Please ensure that the

photos are appropriate for promotional purposes.

Section 5:

Internship Written Report

Written Report Format

5.1

Grading

5.2

Due Date

5.3

Section 5.1

Internship Written Report

Upon completion of internship hours, students have the opportunity to provide physical

evidence of their work by writing a final report of their experience. The purpose of the

report is to outline tasks accomplished, align learned classroom theory to practical

experience, reflect on applied concepts and future career, quantify internship hours, and

provide tangible evidence of their work in a professional report. This is a requirement by

the Public Health program as part of the culminating experience Learning Outcomes.

An outline of expectations for the final report is provided in the Written Report Format

section below. Students should follow this outline as closely as possible to strive for the

highest grade. Professionalism in writing and appearance of the report is expected. This

report should represent the students’ best work and writing and in the future, can serve as

evidence of their work during job and graduate interviews.

Final Reports are submitted electronically. The final internship written report is due seven

(7) business days before the end of the semester. The due date will be posted in your

Internship course for the semester.

Written Report Format

Report Format

The written report has a very specific format. Please follow all of the formatting guidelines

provided below.

General Requirements:

All paperwork MUST be typed. No handwritten documents will be accepted, except a copy

of a handwritten thank you note, if applicable.

• Use double line spacing and 1” margins.

• The report MUST be a minimum of six (6) full pages in length.

• The written report MUST include APA formatted headings for each section, a Table

of Contents, and page numbers (exception: the daily log pages do not require page

number, but should be accounted for in the Table of Contents).

• The written report MUST constitute professional, technical writing, not casual

conversational writing.

• No bullet points; full sentences are required.

Professionalism in your writing and presentation of your written report is worth 10% of

your total grade.

Required Sections

The written report should consist of these following sections, with properly formatted APA

headings, in the following order:

• Title Page

• Table of Contents

• Overview of the Internship Experience

• Skills/Domains

• Career

• Tangible Products

• Appendices

TITLE PAGE

On the title page, please include the following:

• Name of Student

• Agency where the internship was completed

• Semester the student registered for internship

• Semester the student completed the internship

TABLE OF CONTENTS

The Table of Contents must include the labeled headings for each section and page

numbers.

OVERVIEW OF INTERNSHIP EXPERIENCE

• List each of the 5 major tasks/projects (as reported in Form C) with a description

of Public Health Domains completed as part of this task.

• Describe in detail the 5 main tasks and what you actually did to accomplish

them.

SKILLS/DOMAINS

• Choose one or more of the Domains to focus on in this section.

• Explain one or more of the Public Health Domains your work included and how

you demonstrated it.

o Points will be deducted for explanations that do not demonstrate an

understanding of the Domain and how they relate to your work.

• Consider answering the following questions:

o In what areas of public health did you feel unprepared?

o What courses or concepts prepared you most?

• What additional courses or concepts do you wish you studied in preparation for

the internship?

• What skills need focus or refinement for employment?

• Describe the new skills you developed through your internship.

CAREER

• Describe how this internship helped prepared you for future employment in

public health and draw conclusions on how this internship influenced your

decisions.

• As a result of the internship experience, describe the type of public health jobs

you would be most interested in working.

TANGIBLE PRODUCTS

This section requires a written narrative of the tangibles/evidence of your work provided in

the appendix.

• Include at least a one (1) page written description of the tangible product(s) that

will be submitted in the Appendix.

• When you submit your report, include several examples of your work in the

appendix. These should justify the hours of the internship and provide evidence

of your hours in the internship.

• Examples of tangible products could be research reports, surveys, program

plans, databases, surveys, survey results, newsletters, a focus group moderator

guide, developed curriculum, evaluations, fact sheets, brochures, calendars, etc.

APPENDICES

You will several appendices for the paper. Each of the sections below will be a separate

appendix. The appendices should appear in the order below. Each appendix begins on a

new page. Make sure the heading follows APA format for level 1.

APPENDIX A: TANGIBLE PRODUCT EXAMPLES

• These should justify the hours of the internship and provide evidence of your

hours in the internship.

• Tangible products should include a variety of examples of your best work and

will be submitted in the Appendix.

• Depending on what the tangible products are, it may not be able to be include

them with the report. If it cannot be attached (e.g. a video you produced), please

provide a link or photo of the product.

• Examples of tangible products could be research reports, surveys, program

plans, databases, surveys, survey results, newsletters, a focus group moderator

guide, developed curriculum, evaluations, fact sheets, brochures, calendars, etc.

APPENDIX B: DAILY LOG

Students must include the full daily log in the final written report. This will be part of the

Appendix.

APPENDIX C: THANK YOU LETTER FOR YOUR AGENCY INTERNSHIP

SUPERVISOR

A hard copy of the thank you letter must be included in the written report. As mentioned,

the thank you letter can be typed or handwritten. This is the only document that can be

handwritten.

Section 5.2

Grading

Grading Policy

A total of 200 points are possible for the internship. The final grade for the internship is

weighted: 60% by the Internship Coordinator and 40% by the Agency Supervisor.

Completion of the internship does not guarantee an A grade. The grade for the internship is

based on the completed work as described in the written report, daily logs, tangible

products, and both the Internship Coordinator’s and Agency Supervisor’s evaluation of the

intern’s performance. If the student did not complete the required number of hours, the

grade will be graded based on the number of hours completed. For example, if the student

only completed 88% of the hours, the student can only receive a B for the internship.

Points Possible

Component

Points Possible

Professional presentation of written report

Overview

Skills & Competencies

Career

Tangible Products

Daily Log

Agency Recommendation

Thank-You Letter (hard copy)

Digital Photos (uploaded)

Total points

200

Internship Coordinator Evaluation of Student Work

60%

Agency Supervisor Evaluation of Student Performance

40%

Grade Scale

A: 90-100%

B: 80-89%

C: 70-79%

D: 60-69%

F: >59%

Section 5.3

Due Date

The final internship written report is due seven business (7) days before the end of the

semester. The due date will be posted on Blackboard in the Internship course.

This means all internship hours and projects must be completed before the report is written;

plan accordingly. Time spent writing the report does NOT count toward internship hours;

hours must be spent working IN the internship. Submitting the report 7 business days

before the official last day of University classes and before reading and final days will

allow students time to focus on finals and graduation. Reports are due at 5 p.m. on the

due date.

Late Policy

Failure to submit the written report on the due date will result in a 2% loss of total

percentage points per day, up to a 10% deduction.

The due date will not be changed. In order to meet the grade submission and graduation

deadlines, the final written report must be submitted by the deadline. For students

completing internships out of town, the same deadline applies.

Section 6:

Internship Coordinator

Contact Information

6.1

Section 6.1

Contact Information

The Internship Coordinator’s contact information is provided below:

Office Hours

Students may meet with Dr. Cathorall by appointment. To schedule an appointment, please

email her at mcathor@siue.edu

Michelle Cathorall, DrPH, MPH, MCHES

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Department of Applied Health

Public Health Program

Vadalabene Center, Campus Box 1126

Edwardsville, IL 62026

office: Lukas Annex 2630

mail: mcathor@siue.edu

phone: 618-650-2876

fax: 618-650-3719

Email is the best way to reach the Internship Coordinator.

Students may call or email with questions.

Section 7:

Internship Forms

Internship Forms Quick Table

7.1

Form

Form Name

Details

Submitted by:

Approved By:

Form Location:

Due

Internship Academic

Approval

Completed before enrolling in PBHE 499

Student

Academic Advisor &

Internship Coordinator

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

1 semester before

enrolling in internship

Internship

Information &

Acceptance

Completed before any internship work begins;

start early

Student

Internship Coordinator

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

2 months BEFORE

internship begins

Internship

Responsibilities &

Projects

Outline internship responsibilities with the agency

supervisor.

Student

Internship Coordinator &

Agency Supervisor

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

2 months BEFORE

internship begins

Internship Facility

Request Form

Completed only if one has not been completed in the past

or if the agency is not on file. Once it is completed, the

student returns it to the Department Internship Coordinator.

Agency Supervisor

(if no agreement has been

completed for previous interns)

Internship Coordinator

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

3 months BEFORE internship

begins (If applicable)

Hard-copy

Daily Log

The student should complete the daily log every working

day of the internship. Vague descriptions of activity will

result in reduction of points. An Electronic copy daily, hard

copy with final written report/ notebook)

Student

Signed weekly by Supervisor

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

Completed DAILY

Printed & signed by Supervisor

Weekly

Mid-Point Self

Evaluation

Filled out after the student has completed

½ of his/her internship hours.

Student

Internship Coordinator

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

Once half of the hours are

completed

Mid-Point

Evaluation of

Student

Completed by Agency Supervisor to assess student’s

progress up to this point. Viewable by student and

Internship Coordinator

Agency Supervisor

Reviewed by student & Internship

Coordinator

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

Once half of the hours are

completed

Final Intern Evaluation

Agency Supervisor Evaluation of the student intern

Agency Supervisor

Reviewed during grading process

Link to the evaluation will be

emailed to Supervisor by the

Internship Coordinator

~2 weeks before internship

hours are completed

Internship

Experience

Evaluation

Intern evaluates the processes, forms, manual,

Coordinator and the overall internship experience

Student

Reviewed by the Public Health

Program Director

Reviewed with Internship Coordinator

at the end of semester

Anonymous

Link to online evaluation is in

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

1 week before internship

hours completed

Supervisor

Evaluation of

Internship Experience

Agency Supervisor Evaluation of Internship Experience

Agency Supervisor

Reviewed by the Public Health

Program Director

Reviewed with Internship Coordinator

annually

Link to the confidential

evaluation will be emailed to

Supervisor by the Public

Health Program Director

1 week before internship

hours completed

Agency

Recommendation/

Evaluation

Interns evaluate the internship site

Student

Reviewed by the students and

Internship Coordinator

during grading process

Link to online evaluation is in

Forms section of the

Internship Blackboard Site

1 week before internship

hours completed

Section 8:

International Internships

8.1

Section 8.1

International Internships

Students may choose to complete an internship at an international location.

International internships may be completed through various organizations, including

the SIUE Study Abroad office. Review the Resources for Finding an Internship in

Bb for examples of international internship opportunities.

Students completing an international internship opportunity are responsible for

completing all forms and requirements as outlined in this manual. Note that due to

the nature of some international internship opportunities, the timeline for completing

the forms may be delayed until the students starts the placement and can meet with

the supervisor.

For students completing an international internship with one of the Public Health

program’s trips, the faculty supervisor for the trip will assist you in determining who

your Agency and Supervisor are. Your supervisor may or may not be the faculty

supervisor.

Students completing international internships are required to complete the SIUE

Public Health Internship requirements

in addition to

any requirements from the

international internship Agency and Supervisor

Section 9:

Frequently Asked Questions

Starting an Internship

9.1

Credit and Hours

9.2

Forms

9.3

Daily Logs

9.4

Registration

9.5

Written Reports

9.6

Grading

9.7

Section 9.1

Starting an Internship

1. When should I do my public health internship?

Senior year. That way, all the theory and the education you have learned in the classroom

can be applied in the internship. Because this is considered a capstone experience, ideally,

students would have completed all of their undergraduate courses, and then complete their

internship. Once the internship is done, you are employable.

2. When should I start looking for my internship?

Students should begin looking 4-6 months before they plan on doing their internship. Once

a student has obtained an internship, please begin the internship approval process at least 2-

3 months before the internship begins to ensure all approvals are made and you are able to

registration, delayed start date, and may jeopardize your scholarships and/or financial aid.

It is your responsibility to begin this process early, not the week of the new semester.

3. Do I need to sign up for a course?

Yes. If you are completing a domestic internship for credit, you will sign up for PBHE 499

section 1. If you are completing an international internship, you will register for a specific

section of PBHE 499-TS depending on which instructor/program you have.

4. I received a D+ in one of the prerequisites for my internship. I want to retake the

class during my internship. Can I do this and still get credit for my internship?

No. The purpose of prerequisites is to ensure you have achieved minimum proficiencies

and gained valuable skills necessary to be an effective public health professional. You must

complete all of the prerequisites with a C or better before beginning your internship.

5. I don’t want to work in public health after I graduate. Can I do my internship in a

field different than public health?

No. Your major is public health; therefore, your internship must also be in public health

connecting your classroom knowledge to practical hands-on experience. The primary work

you will be doing must be best practices in public health and related to prevention (not

treatment or business). Because you will be graduating in public health, your internship

must be public health focused with a supervisor who has a background in public health vs.

being a good experience for the next step (job, graduate school, etc.).

6. I attended a mandatory internship meeting six (6) months ago and I am starting my

internship in one (1) month. Do I need to attend another mandatory meeting?

No. If you have attended a meeting within one (1) year of starting your internship, this will

count. These meetings are held at the beginning of each major semester.

7. Where can I look for public health internships?

The Internship Blackboard Site is a great place to start. The website has a list of current

and past internship sites. This list is comprised of locations where students have already

interned. This list is not comprehensive.

8. If I get hired on as a full-time employee and they need me to have a degree, but I

have one (1) class left, can I have that class waived?

No. There are no exceptions to this rule. You must complete all of the required courses,

both General Education and Public Health curriculum, to earn your degree. This is why we

encourage students to complete all of their coursework before beginning their internship.

Section 9.2

Credit and Hours

1. What counts toward my total internship hours?

Time that does count: filling out daily logs (Form E), time spent traveling between event

sites and your office, time spent on daily tasks and responsibilities, time spent at/on

professional development.

Time that does NOT count: commute to and from internship, time spent preparing for

internship prior to registering for the internship class, and time spent writing the internship

written report. Hours must be completing work at the internship, not writing about it.

2. How many credits do I have to complete for my internship?

Public Health students must complete a minimum of six (6) credit hours.

3. When do my internship hours start?

Hours may count when you have completed Forms A-C, registered for the appropriate

PBHE 499 section, your name appears as enrolled, you have paid tuition, and the semester

has started.

4. An agency wants to hire me as an intern, but I have not finished all of the required

courses for my internship. Can I receive retroactive credit?

No. There are no exceptions.

5. I am moving out of the state for my spouse’s grad school, job, etc. May I take

additional elective credits and opt out of the internship?

No. This is a mandatory requirement for public health undergraduate students. You cannot

get out of completing a requirement for graduation.

6. My internship supervisor said that I could start my internship before the semester

started. Can I count these hours towards my internship?

If you have completed forms A-C and D if necessary, you are registered for the appropriate

section of PBHE 499, and you have already paid tuition, you can start your hours prior to

the beginning of the semester. If you would like to do this, please contact the Internship

Coordinator for approval.

7. I am behind on my hours and have little time to finish my internship report before

the due date. Can I have an extension?

The final report due date is firm. Late report submissions result in a 2% point loss per day.

8. What if I do not finish all of the internship hours I signed up for by the end of the

semester?

If you had enough hours/work to complete the internship during the semester, you will be

graded based on the number of hours you completed. If your internship provider has not

given you enough hours during the semester, an “I” grade can be assigned based on

individual circumstances. This is a temporary grade that does not affect your GPA and will

be replaced by your internship grade once you complete your internship and your written

report is graded.

Section 9.3

Forms

1. Another student has completed an internship at the same location as my internship.

Do I need to create another Internship Facility Request Form (Form D)?

No. If SIUE already has a master agreement on file for that location, you do not need your

supervisor to sign a new one.

2. What is Form B?

Form B is a Program Form for internship site pre-approval. The purpose of this form is for

the Internship Coordinator to determine if the internship you are applying for is appropriate

for public health credit. Just because Form B is approved does not mean your internship is

approved. Approval is complete after Form C is approved. Be sure to submit your

supervisor’s correct contact information on Form B.

3. What is Form C?

Form C is a Program Form that outlines the major responsibilities/tasks and the projects

you will work on/complete during your internship. Both the Internship Coordinator and

your internship Agency Supervisor must approve this form.

4. What is Form D?

Form D is a Department Form called the Internship Facility Request Form. If a student has

already interned at the same location as you, you will not need to complete a new Internship

Facility Request Form. If you are interning at a new location, you will need to complete the

Internship Facility Request Form. Once you have completed the Internship Facility

Request Form you will need to scan and email it to the Internship Coordinator.

5. What is Form E?

Form E is your daily log. Do not submit Form E until your internship hours are completed.

Form E must be filled out every day you work at the internship. Keep this in a Word

document. The Daily Log must be printed and signed by your Agency Supervisor each

week. Please note: the time you spend on Form E does count towards your internship

hours. Please spend the last 15-20 minutes of each day filling out your daily log so that it is

appropriately dated and detailed.

6. What is Form F?

Form F is your midpoint evaluation. You will report on the progress of the five (5)

responsibilities as outlined in Form C. If you have any questions at that point, you are

encouraged to report them in Form F.

7. What is Form F2?

Form F2 is a midpoint evaluation that your internship Agency Supervisor will complete and

assess your performance up to that point. It is available to the student to make adjustments

as needed.

8. What is Form G?

Form G is your supervisor’s final evaluation of the intern. Please request the link at least 2

weeks before you complete your hours and the end of the semester.

9. What is Form H?

Form H is completed by the Intern approximately 2 weeks prior to the end of the

Internship. This is an evaluation of the Interns Internship Experience, including

processes, the manual, Blackboard Community, and Coordinator. The evaluation

is anonymous. Interns are asked to be honest and fair in their evaluation of the

Internship Experience. The evaluation will be reviewed by the Program Director

and shared with the PBHE faculty and Internship Coordinator for program

improvement.

10. What is Form I?

Form I is completed by the Agency Supervisor approximately two (2) weeks before the

student is due to complete the internship hours. This is an evaluation of the Agency

Supervisor’s experience as an internship preceptor, including processes, information, and

interactions with the Internship Coordinator.

The evaluation will be sent to the Agency Supervisor from the Program Director

approximately 2 weeks prior to the end of the Internship. The evaluation is anonymous.

The Program Director with meet with the Internship Coordinator annually to discuss

aggregate results of the evaluations from all agencies.

11. What is Form J?

Form J is your agency recommendation form. You can choose whether or not this form is

anonymous. Information from your response may be available to future students. Maintain

your professionalism on this form.

10. When do I submit Form J?

You will need to submit Form J when you are completely finished with your internship

hours. Please do not submit Form J until you are done will all of your internship hours.

Section 9.4

Daily Logs

1. Must the daily log (Form E) be filled out daily?

Yes. Entries must be entered daily so that information can be as accurate as possible. This

will assist you when you complete the written report. Not entering logs daily may result in

a loss of points.

2. What is Form E?

Form E is your daily log. Do not submit Form E until your internship hours are completed.

Form E must be filled out every day you work at the internship. Each week you must print

the log and have it signed by your Agency Supervisor sign it. Please note: the time you

spend on Form E does count towards your internship hours. Please spend the last 15-20

minutes of each day filling out your daily log so that it is appropriately dated and detailed.

3. How do I know if I am doing my daily logs (Form E) correctly?

See the sample log in this manual. Your daily log can be reviewed/evaluated when you

submit Form F, if requested.

4. When do I submit Form E?

You will need to submit Form E when you are completely finished with your internship

hours. Please do not submit Form E until you are done will all of your internship hours.

Logs must be printed and signed by your supervisor each week.

5. How can I get a copy of Form E?

You can download a template of Form E on the Internship Blackboard Site.

6. What should be in the ‘Domains Used’ section of the Daily Log?

The Domains Used section needs to include at least one (1) of the Public Health Domains.

In addition to listing these, you will need to write 4-6 sentences, briefly describing how you

used the domain.

7. What should be in the ‘Daily Report & Application’ sections of the Daily Log?

The Daily Report and Application sections of your daily log are the most important

sections. This section requires you to explain the ‘how’ and ‘why’ of your internship. You

should explain why your responsibilities are important, how this relates to public health as a

whole, how your internship is connecting the dots between theory (classroom) and practice

(internship/work), and how your work relates to your future in public health. Be sure to

write 4 to 6 sentences every day. See the sample log.

Section 9.5

Registration

1. Do I need to sign up for a class?

Yes. If you are completing a domestic internship for credit, you will sign up for PBHE 499

section 1. If you are completing an international internship, you will register for PBHE

499-TS.

Section 9.6

Written Reports

1. What are the photos I am uploading going to be used for?

The Public Health Program will use the photos you upload internally. These photos may be

used on the program website or fliers.

Section 9.7

Grading

1. How will my internship be graded?

Your internship grade is based on the written report requirements (see Written Report

Format). Your written report will be turned in seven (7) business days before the end of the

semester. This written report is required of all interns.

2. How much influence does the internship coordinator have on my internship grade?

How much does my internship supervisor have?

The Internship Coordinator’s evaluation is worth 60% of your grade. The internship

Agency Supervisor’s evaluation is worth 40%. You cannot receive a grade unless both

evaluations are collected.

3. If I get hired as a full-time employee, will this increase my internship grade?

No. Although we congratulate you on this achievement, your grade is based solely on the

internship rubric provided online and in the internship packet.

4. Where can I find the guidelines for preparing my final report for grading?

The Written Report Format and guidelines are in Section 5 of this manual outline all the

expectations for the final report. Following this format will ensure a higher grade than if

you do not. If you have more specific questions after reading the aforementioned

requirements, please contact the Internship Coordinator at m[email protected]

Section 10:

Breakdown of Responsibility

Internship Responsibilities

10.1

Section 10.1

Internship Responsibilities

Student Intern Responsibilities

• Ensure eligibility to register for the Internship the semester prior to starting the

internship by meeting with their academic advisor to complete Form A.

• Research, identify, locate and secure your public health internship.

• Look for internships at primary public health agencies whose work reflects best

practices and theory driven research in public health. Internships must be congruent

with the departmental approved curriculum, particularly the emphasis core.

• Make initial contact with the agency (via email, phone or in person) in order to gain

acceptance as an intern at that agency.

• Work with an on-site internship supervisor who has a degree in public health (or a

closely related field) and at least six (6) months experience. This is to ensure the

supervisor can accurately evaluate your work as an intern based on the Public

Health Domains. Their evaluation of your work is 40% of your total grade.

Therefore, it is essential they have a solid background in public health for accurate

evaluation. Upon acceptance, it is the responsibility of the student to submit Form B

(pre-Approval form), including accurate information about the supervisor (contact

information, degree) and as much information about the internship responsibilities

as they relate to the Public Health Domains.

• Formulate goals and objectives to be accomplished during the internship.

• Provide the agency supervisor with student and supervisor responsibilities at the

beginning and throughout the internship, including assisting supervisor in outlining

5 major responsibilities/projects to be worked on during the internship, approval of

Form C, internship evaluation (Form I), and any other internship related issues that

present during the internship.

• Gain knowledge through direct hands on application (as deemed appropriate by the

Internship Supervisor) of skills used in the Public Health field. See Public Health

Domains.

• Develop and enhance professional skills such as, but not limited to, organization,

communication, motivation, and self-discipline.

• Register and pay tuition for the internship prior to the beginning of the internship.

Your name must appear on the roll before internship hours can be counted and prior

to receiving credit and a final grade.

• If you add the internship late (after the first day of class), it is your responsibility to

work quickly through the approval process and add the class prior to the add/drop

deadline. Once that form is submitted and approved by the Registration Office, you

will automatically be added to the internship.

• Complete a log entry each day of the internship, including a reporting of the day-to-

day tasks, a listing of the services and domains used, and give thorough

• examples of how your classroom knowledge applies in a real world setting in public

health.

• Complete a midpoint evaluation (Form F) when half your hours are complete.

• Submit your agency recommendation (Form J) online near the end of the semester

after all internship hours are complete before written reports are due.

• Request the final evaluation form from the Internship Coordinator to send to your

internship supervisor at least 2 weeks before the end of the semester to give

supervisors sufficient time to complete. This evaluation is 40% of your grade. You

will not receive a final grade until your supervisor completes this form. This may

delay graduation if this form is not submitted in a timely manner.

• Prepare of written report of your internship experience. It must be submitted 5 days

before the last day of University classes, before reading and final days. Failure to

submit on time will result in loss of points, and/or delayed graduation.

• Students should attend all required orientation meetings as required by the agency.

• Unless the agency provides a name badges for the student, all students are required

to wear their SIUE ID as a name badge during their internship. Students will receive

a lanyard from the Public Health program.

• In some instances, an Agency may require a criminal background check to be

performed. You will be informed by your Internship Coordinator or the Internship

Supervisor if this is necessary. Criminal background checks will be obtained at

your own expense. For additional information on background checks and

fingerprinting done on campus, visit

http://www.siue.edu/education/advisement/backgroundcheckinfo.shtml.

• Students are expected to conduct themselves in a manner which will reflect credit to

themselves and to the University and follow the Student Conduct Code found at

http://www.siue.edu/policies/3c1.shtml. Remember, the availability of this site for

future students depends, in part, on you.

• Students shall spend a minimum of 250 hours with the agency/organization. The

student may work with the agency supervisor to negotiate the completion of up to

300 hours.

• Students are expected to maintain communication with the Internship Coordinator at

all times. Should problems arise, it is the responsibility of the student to inform the

Internship Coordinator of the situation.

Internship Coordinator Responsibilities

The Internship Coordinator is Dr. Michelle Cathorall. Her contact information can be found

in Section 6 of this manual.

• Provide resources for students to identify good opportunities for public health

internships. This may include internship postings on the department website, weekly

department newsletter, and/or posting to our social media outlets. It may also

include one-on-one internship advising appointments as needed.

• Follow up with the agency supervisor to clarify any questions about student,

program, and supervisor responsibilities.

• Approve or deny Form B (pre-approval) based on student qualifications including

completion of prerequisite courses with a C- or greater, attendance at a mandatory

internship meeting, internship acceptance at a primary public health agency and

approval of internship responsibilities.

• Approve/deny Form C, and Form D (Facility Request Form) in a timely manner to

allow students time for edits, changes, and resubmissions. It is also the

responsibility of the coordinator to communicate any and all concerns regarding the

internship approval process in order to trouble shoot any issues together.

• It is the responsibility of the internship coordinator to review the midpoint

evaluations (Form F & F2), the daily log (Form E), and provide feedback to the

student.

• Work with the student to resolve any issues brought up in the midpoint evaluations

(Form F & F2).

• Provide guidelines for students to follow when preparing their written report. The

guidelines can be found in the internship manual.

• Stay in communication (via email, phone, or in person) with the student and their

agency supervisor throughout the semester and resolve any issues that arise.

• Evaluate and provide a final grade for the internship work presented in the written

report. Upon submission, the coordinator will confirm receipt of written report. The

coordinator will also meet the grading deadline to ensure final grade submission and

graduation deadlines.

• Answer questions (if any) regarding the final grade for the internship.

• Agency supervisor’s portion is 40% of total grade;

• Internship coordinator is the remaining 60% of the grade.

• Agency supervisor grades and comments will remain anonymous.

• Oversee the entire internship process for all Public Health internship students

including form submissions, approval, feedback, evaluation, and final grade

submission.

University Responsibilities

• To coordinate direct communication with professionals and agencies involved in the

internship programs.

• To expand the educational learning opportunities in a practical, hands on setting.

• To provide opportunity for evaluation of the student's needs, abilities, interests, and

progress during the internship

• To increase cooperation between the student, the University and the Agency.

Agency Responsibilities

• To provide a qualified supervisor to guide the student’s internship experience.

• To provide an opportunity for student engagement and learning in all areas of the

agency’s programs.

• To evaluate the student’s progress on a regular basis.

• To maintain cooperation and communication with the Internship Coordinator.

Section 11:

Agency Information

Supervisor Welcome Letter

11.1

Becoming an Internship Site

11.2

Selection of Interns

11.3

Other information

11.4

Section 11.1

Welcome

Dear Supervisor,

The student working with you is under your direct supervision and is responsible for meeting

obligations, which you deem appropriate. A written list of projects and activities should be

developed and discussed with the student at the beginning of the internship. These experiences

should be designed to enhance the student’s professional development and benefit the

organization. The student may perform any number of required duties related to the field of

public health.

It is expected that as the Internship Supervisor will meet on a weekly basis with the Intern to

discuss the intern’s progress, projects/activities, and any problems. Additionally, it is expected

that supervisors sign off on the student's daily activity/hour log weekly.

Once the intern has completed approximately 125 hours, the intern will complete a Mid-Point

Self Evaluation, Form F and ask you to review it with them and to sign off on it. They will also

email you a Mid-Point Evaluation, Form F2 to complete with the first progress report. I would

ask that you be open and honest with the intern so that any concerns or issues can be addressed

in order that the remainder of the internship can be productive.

At the end of each week of the experience, the student will bring you his/her daily activity log

indicating the total number of contact hours spent during that week, please review and sign the

log indicating the accuracy of the reported hours.

As I need to issue the intern a grade for the semester, toward the end of the internship

experience I would ask that you complete the online evaluation form once I email the link to

you before the end of the semester.

If you have any questions concerning the experience, please feel free to call me anytime at

SIUE (618-650-2876).

Thank you very much for your cooperation with this internship. I hope it will serve as a

worthwhile experience for you, the student, and the clients you serve.

Sincerely,

Michelle L. Cathorall, DrPH, MPH, MCHES

Assistant Professor and Internship Coordinator

Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

Department of Applied Health

Campus Box 1126

Edwardsville, IL 62026-1126

Phone: (618) 650-2876

FAX: (618) 650-3719

E-mail: mcathor@siue.edu

Section 11.2

Becoming An Internship Site

There are two ways in which to become an Agency in the Public Health Internship Program.

An agency may request an intern or an intern student may approach the agency. In either case

certain guidelines must be followed for the agency to be placed on the "active list" for potential

internship sites.

If a student makes contact with an agency that is not on our active list, and is accepted by the

agency for an internship, the student will present the Internship Supervisor with the Public

Health Internship Facility Request Form (Form D). This form should be returned to the

Internship Coordinator no later than 3 months prior to the start of the requested internship start

date. Once this form has been received, the Internship Coordinator will generate a Field

Practicum Agreement and send it to the agency for review and signatures.

Should an agency want to be considered for an internship on their own, they can contact the

Internship Coordinator by phone, email, or mail. The interested agency should be ready to

explain the nature of their programs as well as the anticipated role in which an intern may be

placed. The willingness to share information about an agency's staff, organization, or other

related areas is essential. Once this contact has been established, the Internship Coordinator will

generate a Field Practicum Agreement and send to the agency for review and signatures.

Once reviewed and approved, the Agency shall sign two (2) copies of the Field Practicum

Agreement (no faxes or photocopied signatures are allowed by the University) and return them

to the Internship Coordinator. Once returned, the University shall sign the Agreement and a

signed, fully executed agreement will be returned to the Agency for their records. This process

can take approximately four to eight weeks to complete. Approval of the contract allows the

agency to be placed on the "active list" of potential internship sites.

Section 11.3

Selection of Interns

It is very important to remember that being placed on the "active list" does not guarantee that an

agency will receive interns. The students are responsible to determine which agencies they

would like to investigate. It may be that one semester might yield no interested interns and the

next semester might bring in three or four applications. At no time is an agency required to

accept an intern. The agency has the right to review applications and reject any applicant.

If a student is interested in an agency as a potential site, the student is encouraged to send a

letter of intent and a resume. The students are recommended, if possible, to seek interviews

with the agency before both the student and agency agree to a placement.

Section 11.4

Other Concerns

The cooperating agency must designate a member of its professional or supervisory staff as the

Agency Supervisor of the accepted intern. The Agency Supervisor will serve as the contact

person for the student, Internship Coordinator, and the University

The agency is expected to provide transportation when unusual travel is involved in executing

assignments. At no time are interns permitted to transport program participants or employees in

their personal vehicle. Please refrain from placing interns in this situation.

Interns are expected to carry out all duties necessary to complete a given assignment. This often

involves menial, or errand type jobs that are frequently part of the task. Interns should be given

no more than the usual employee's share of such tasks.

The intern should be treated as an employee of the agency, subject to the same considerations,

rules and regulations.

Some potential, not required, Intern activities are:

• Conduct a needs assessment for public health education for a particular area or

population served by the agency.

• Plan a public health education program in response to determined needs.

• Initiate or improve social media health communications.

• Assist with the implementation of a planned public health education program.

• Assist in designing an evaluation tool for a program.

• Develop public health media such as brochures, flyers, posters, social media posts, news

releases, etc.

• Participate in the organization of health fairs and exhibits.

• Develop or update a resource file or directory.

• Assist with research projects and data collection.

• Evaluate public health programs and make recommendations for improvement.

• Act as liaison with other professionals, agencies, and community organizations used by

public health professionals.

• Attend appropriate staff and administrative meetings.

If at any time there are questions regarding the internship, the Internship Supervisor or intern

should contact the Public Health Internship Coordinator.