PH-053 Practicum Placement in a Public Health Service

Course Description: This practicum placement entails supervised attendance and participation, as allowed or directed, in the activities of the specific public health service to which the student is assigned. Upon completion of the course, students are expected to have gained their first exposure to and hands-on experience in the practice of public health services.

A. PROGRAM LEARNING OUTCOMES (PLOs):

The student will be able to:

1. Recognize and describe basic health science facts and principles;
2. Discuss the essential public health functions;
3. Describe adult, children and family health issues;
4. Demonstrate an understanding and practice of some generic public health competencies;
5. Demonstrate proper public health skills for public health practice in the community as a state or local junior public health officer;
6. Demonstrate community and cultural sensitivity in the health care environment;
7. Describe the determinants and problems of the health of adults, children and families;
8. Demonstrate proper cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and first aid techniques;
9. Demonstrate the ability to make a community diagnosis based on the determinants of health;
10. Identify good public health practice; and
11. Have had work experience at a public health facility.

B. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLOs) - GENERAL:

The student will be able to:

1. Understand the public health services they have been assigned to during placement
2. Explain their duties and activities while on placement
3. Summarize what they have observed during the placement, particularly with regards to professionalism
4. Identify ways and means possibly feasible towards the improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of each service of placement
5. Provide the PHTP coordinator with recommendations about future placements in the services they were attached to 

  

SLO	PLO1	PLO2	PLO3	PLO4	PLO5	PLO6	PLO7	PLO8	PLO9	PLO10	PLO11
SLO1	I, D	I, D								I	I
SLO2	I, D	I, D								I	I
SLO3	I, D	I, D								I	I
SLO4	I, D	I, D								I	I
SLO5	I, D	I, D								I	I

C. STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES (SLOs) – SPECIFIC:

The Student will be able to:

General SLO 1. Understand the public health services they have been attached to during placement

Student Learning Outcome	Assessment Strategies
1.1.  Explain the organizational structure of each public health service. 1.2.  List the functions of the public health services they have been assigned to. 1.3.  Name and give examples of the specific services provided by each public health service of placement.	Group discussions and oral reports to be graded according to a specified rubric Direct and multiple choice questions in examinations and quizzes

General SLO 2. Explain their duties and activities while on placement

Student Learning Outcome	Assessment Strategies
2.1.  State their role at each public health service 2.2.  List the specific duties assigned to them 2.3.  Describe other activities they were involved in while on placement 2.4.  Identify difficulties and constraints encountered during the placement	Group discussions and oral reports to be graded according to a specified rubric Direct and multiple choice questions in examinations and quizzes

General SLO 3. Summarize what they have observed during the placement, particularly with regards to professionalism

Student Learning Outcome

Assessment Strategies

3.1.  Describe how health staff perform their duties at each public health service clinic 3.2.  State what they have learned from the health staff in all aspects of the specific service 3.3.  Describe their perception of the attitudes of the “clients” of the specific public health service (i.e. the benefiting community) towards the health workers, the premises and the overall facility, including the equipment

Group discussions and oral reports to be graded according to a specified rubric Direct and multiple choice questions in examinations and quizzes

General SLO 4. Identify ways and means possibly feasible towards the improvement of the efficiency and effectiveness of each service of placement

Student Learning Outcome	Assessment Strategies
4.1.  Give examples of the areas/ activities where the improvement is needed 4.2.  Explain possible reasons for such shortcomings and weaknesses in the delivery of the specific public health services 4.3.  Suggest solutions to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the public health services of placement	Group discussions and oral reports to be graded according to a specified rubric Direct and multiple choice questions in examinations and quizzes

General SLO 5. Provide the PHTP coordinator with recommendations about future placements in the services they were attached to 

Student Learning Outcome	Assessment Strategies
5.1.  Explain what aspects of learning they enjoyed the most during placement 5.2.  List the subjects they wish to learn more about and the activities they would like to get involved in during eventual future placement 5.3.  Suggest ways to make future placements more meaningful and rewarding.	Group discussions and oral reports to be graded according to a specified rubric Direct and multiple choice questions in examinations and quizzes

D. COURSE CONTENTS

1. Student’s practicum placement in the selected public health services from among:
   1. Diabetes control program
   2. Family planning
   3. Maternal and child health
   4. Immunization
   5. Substance abuse and mental health
   6. Tobacco program
   7. TB and Hansen’s disease program
   8. Adolescent health and development
   9. HIV/ AIDs and STI
   10. Public health surveillance
   11. Health education
   12. Nutrition
   13. Pohnpei cancer program
   14. Oral health
2. Professionalism
   1. Cooperative, respectful attitude
   2. Acting and engagement in professional activities and work
   3. Code of dress, ethics and confidentiality in health profession

E. METHODS OF INSTRUCTION

The following activities will be set up and arranged by the course’s instructor, who will also mentor students’ progress and effect coordination with classroom review sessions, periodically:

1. Practical, active and participatory attendance at each public health facility and service, following a schedule (2 hours/day, 5 days/week; OR 3 hours/day, 3 days/week) that would total at least 144 hours in the semester.
2. Each student would be stationed at 2 to 4 public health practicing facilities, depending on the eventual arrangements and the services they offer, during this practicum, to broaden their exposure to the reality of public health services.  
3. Group discussions, reviews and presentations, by students, in the presence of faculty or supervisors.
4. While recipient of all guidance, explanation and information offered to them by facility personnel, students will seek as much information as will make the practicum meaningful, prepare them for their record keeping (logbook of activities) and fulfill the expected course learning outcomes.
5. Daily entries onto the “logbook of activities” with the endorsement by the assigned supervisor.

F. REQUIRED TEXT(S) AND COURSE MATERIALS

None 

G. REFERENCE MATERIALS

None

H. INSTRUCTIONAL COST

None

I. EVALUATION

None

J. CREDIT-BY-EXAMINATION

None