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Field placement opportunities available for Public Health students

WVU School of Public Health students are invited to apply for multiple Mid-Atlantic Regional Public Health Training Center (MAR-PHTC) Experiential Learning Opportunities (EXPO) field placements.

The MAR-PHTC is the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) funded Public Health Training Center in Region 3, providing training, resources and experiential learning opportunities. The MAR-PHTC adopts a collaborative team approach for EXPO. The MAR-PHTC EXPO Team is comprised of academic institutions, faculty, students, governmental and community-based public health organizations, and experts in marketing and evaluation. Located in the Center for Public Health Practice at the University of Pittsburgh, Drexel University, Johns Hopkins University and West Virginia University are Pitt Public Health’s EXPO Partners. Together, we strive to create opportunities to help the future public health workforce meet the demands they will face as public health professionals.

MAR-PHTC offers two experiential learning opportunities for students of public health: EXPO Field Placements and EXPO Collaborative Projects. EXPO Field Placements embed students in a public or nonprofit health agency or organization, particularly one serving underserved areas and populations, to work on discrete public health projects. These placements provide structured opportunities and experiences that allow students to apply acquired knowledge and skills in a public health practice setting. Examples of previous field placements are below:

  • Dover, DE; DHSS Division of Public Health; DHSS Medical Marijuana Program: Education and Training for Medical Professionals; Developed training modules that incorporate state regulations, prescriber responsibilities, dispensing rules, legal risks, and patient counseling.
  • Pittsburgh, PA; University of Pittsburgh Medical Center; UPMC Legal Department Externship; Assisted attorneys with projects including research, writing, drafting agreements, organizing information, and participating in the creation/delivery of presentations.
  • Huntington, WV; Cabell-Huntington Health Department; Community Health Assessment Research and Analysis; Updates the Cabell-Huntington Health Department’s Community Health Assessment through data research and analysis.

There are two different EXPO Field Placement programs in Region 3:

  • EXPO Site-Initiated Placements:
    • Opprtunities facilitated by Drexel, JHU and WVU for their students. List available at the EXPO site.
  • EXPO Student-Initiated Field Placements:
    • Students can initiate their wn field placements at appropriate public or non-profit host organizations in Region 3.

EXPO Field Placements may fulfill practicum requirements. Usually, they occur during the summer months, but can take place during the academic year. A Site Supervisor is identified at the placement organization to coordinate the student’s experience and serve as the preceptor, role model and guide.

Students of public health are eligible to participate in an EXPO field placement if they are:

  • A citizen of the United Sates,
  • A non-citizen U.S. national, or
  • A foreign national having possession of a visa permitting permanent residence in the United States.

Participants will receive a stipend of $3,500 to help defray living expenses associated with any EXPO field placement.

All application materials and more details are available on the WVU MPH Practicum Hub. Applications are due March 1, 2020. For more information contact Audra Hamrick.