The following list of questions and answers
are designed to address any questions regarding the requirements of the Health
Promotion Internship at Weber State University.
Do I pay tuition for internship credits?
YES. Internships count
as part of the credit hours necessary for graduation, thus a student must be
enrolled and pay all tuition and fees (i.e. cost of transportation to the
internship site, materials etc.) required for these credit hours during the
internship experience. You may sign up for the credit hours for HE 4860 in one
semester or spread it over two semesters (i.e., 2 hours one semester and 2 the
next). If you do not complete the internship during the semester in which you
registered for credits, you will receive a “T” grade, which means work in
progress. Once the internship is completed, the final grade will be given. If
you are planning on graduating in a certain semester, turn in your Internship
Notebook as soon as possible but no later than the first day of finals week
that semester.
How and when should I contact the Health
Promotion Faculty about an internship?
Members of the Health Promotion Faculty have
several resources for finding an internship. Staying in close contact with the Health
Promotion Faculty members during your Junior and Senior years is recommended as
you will be more aware of the internship opportunities available to you. Once
you think you have a potential internship opportunity, contact a Health
Promotion Faculty member to discuss the objectives and goals of the internship
as well as the job description. The internship must be approved and the paper work MUST be filled out before
starting the internship.
What should I consider when selecting an
internship?
·
What
do I want to learn from the internship?
·
What
skills do I have, and how can I contribute to an agency?
·
Is
it located in a community with which I am already somewhat familiar?
·
Is
it located where I might be able to stay with friends or relatives to reduce
costs?
·
Is
the environment of the site, and travel to and from the site, safe?
·
Does
the internship represent the type of setting where I would eventually like to
be employed?
·
Is
it located in a community large enough to likely contain significant employment
options into which I might network?
·
Is
it located in an area of the country where I would like to live?
Where can I find an internship?
Potential internship opportunities and
agencies available:
·
Talk
with the Health Promotion Faculty about available internships.
·
Visit
the Health Promotion website for copies of all internship material: Enter web-address
·
Talk
to previous students/classmates about their internship experiences.
·
Call
agencies or organizations and ask about available opportunities.
·
Connect
with any volunteer agency, local or state health department, etc. where
previous volunteer experience has been given.
What advice is available for contacting
agencies to inquire about internships?
·
First,
brainstorm a list of agencies where you would like to do an internship.
·
Next,
find the name and contact information of the program manager or director.
·
Call
or e-mail this person, and set up an appointment to meet with him/her in person
to discuss potential internships.
·
Before
meeting with this person, do some background research to learn more about the
agency, what they do, who they serve, etc.
·
During
the interview, 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 learning objectives (see form C) and tangible products to be
produced in order for the proposed internship to be evaluated and approved by a
member of the Health Promotion Faculty.
·
Do not wait until
the last minute
to contact agencies. By this time they may already have interns hired. Start
exploring options for internships at least 2-3 months before you want to start.
What is an appropriate internship?
For an internship to be approved, the
agency and internship learning objectives must:
·
Be
related to Health Promotion
·
Result
in a tangible product that can be placed in your portfolio
·
Incorporate
community health methods, such as:
Ø
health
education (i.e. presentations, conferences, classes etc.)
Ø
health
communication
Ø
planning
Ø
surveillance/epidemiology
Ø
policy/advocacy
Ø
social
marketing
Ø
community
mobilization/empowerment
Ø
coalition
building
Ø
health
counseling/screenings/behavior modification
Ø
evaluation
(either process, impact, or outcome)
What are learning objectives and how do I
go about writing objectives for my internship experience and personal
objectives for myself?
The learning objectives you are required to
fill out are contained in Form C. Your own personal objectives may be focused
on knowledge acquired, skills used, personal growth, or career development
(i.e. to develop better networking skills, etc.). Talk with your on-site
internship supervisor to get ideas for agency goals.
What are some examples of the Final
Product?
Please see the Health
Promotion Program Internship Coordinator for examples. Eventually there will be
copies of various final products at our Health Promotion website for you to
view at your convenience.
What
does the University require me to do before I officially start my internship?
In order to avoid liability risks, the Health
Promotion Program requires that all interns fill out the necessary forms prior
to starting an internship; otherwise the time put in will not count. In order
to do this, make an appointment with your on-site internship supervisor at
his/her agency prior to your starting date to fill out the needed forms. The
forms may be faxed or given directly to the Program Internship Coordinator
and/or your internship advisor. You are also required to bring Form A Part II
to register for HE 4860 with our department academic advisor, Sherrie Jensen.
What
happens if there needs to be a change in my internship?
Student employees
or interns are expected to accept cooperative education positions with a
seriousness of purpose to perform their work accurately and responsibly. If the
work performance does not meet the established reasonable standards, the
internship provider is not obligated to continue the student’s employment.
Discharge may be for one of several
nondiscriminatory reasons such as:
·
unsatisfactory
performance
·
incompetence
·
irregular
attendance
·
inability
to perform expected tasks
·
habitual
tardiness
·
unsatisfactory
attitude
·
improper
behavior
·
lack
of dependability
·
damaging
relationships between the agency and its partners, etc.
The circumstances that led to a student
being discharged should be carefully documented and reviewed by both the Health
Promotion Program Director and the Health Promotion Internship Coordinator and
your faculty advisor. As a safeguard for all parties, the case should be
referred to the department chair, dean, and if deemed appropriate, legal
counsel.
Should you find yourself terminated without ample warning, you should
follow these instructions. Immediately telephone the Program Internship Coordinator,
Health Promotion Program Director and faculty advisor. When you talk with the Health
Promotion Internship Coordinator, be prepared with the following information:
·
Your
city and state location
·
The
name of the agency with whom you are interning
·
Your
immediate internship supervisor’s name
·
The
office telephone number and E-mail of your on-site supervisor
·
A
full written explanation of the possible reasons for the impending or immediate
termination
The Health Promotion Internship Coordinator
reserves the right to contact the experience provider (internship supervisor)
to check on student progress, solve problems, determine value of internship,
provide input, explain expectations, etc.