Public Health Workforce: Field Experience Opportunities

The various types of placements are included to help a potential DPH-based learner understand their options. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list.

Academic placement

The learner is receiving academic credit and needs to meet certain criteria such as hours and deliverables for their field experience which are usually outlined through academic programs. This may be an undergraduate or graduate student. Academic placements typically have a set number of hours a student needs to complete over 12-15 weeks. The number of hours to complete varies by academic program. Non-academic internships are typically 8-15 weeks long and are flexible based on the needs of the student and capacity of the preceptor.

Fellowship

DPH partners with several fellowship programs as a host site. Fellows apply for a competitive program that runs for one to two years and typically provides educational opportunities, professional development stipend and/or funding for the fellow. Fellowships are completed post-degree. Availability varies based on DPH program funding fluctuations.

DPH often works with University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute Service Fellowship Program, Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologist Applied Epidemiology Fellowship and CDC Public Health Associate Program.

Non-academic internship

The learner is looking for public health experience and is not receiving academic credit. Learners may be a part of an internship program, such as Student Development Internship Program (SWSDIP), Wisconsin Area Health Education Centers (AHEC), or are looking to gain experience on their own.

Service-based placement

The learner is a part of a service-based organization which has placement sites are DPH. An example of a service-based organization is AmeriCorps.

The Division of Public Health categorizes all field experience projects under key areas: assessment, evaluation, literature review, educational materials and communication, policy, or other. A few past examples are outlined below to help illustrate the types of projects a potential DPH-based learner can expect.

Assessment

• Outreach to Wisconsin LTHDs that use ESSENCE to gather how they are using ESSENCE data and compile the results into a resource that can be used by all local and tribal health departments in Wisconsin.
• Surveillance project to look at the effect of wildfire-related air quality on asthma and other respiratory conditions. The deliverables for this project include a surveillance brief and a presentation for the DPH Epi Seminar.

Evaluation

Evaluate data, such as demographics, barriers, effective outreach methods, etc. reported by outreach team for newborn hearing screenings to create a data report and presentation to guide outreach methods moving forward.

Literature review

Literature review related to access to and linkages with clinical care in Wisconsin.

Education materials and communications

• Update websites and available resources to partners on prion diseases to make them more readable and interactive.
• Enhance outreach and education regarding Tuberculosis (TB) and Latent TB screening and treatment, specifically targeting refugee populations and newly arrived immigrants. Deliverables for this project include surveys, interviews, and needs assessment summarizing findings.

Policy

Work with the Office of Policy and Practice Alignment and a local health department to create a policy brief relating to the vacancies of public health nursing positions across Wisconsin, to determine if the title of these roles could be changed to expand the hiring pool of applicants.

Other

• Classify presence of chronic waste disease in each county to create and provide resources for food banks regarding venison testing, when they receive donations.
• Create heat emergency response plan for Wisconsin, using resources from other states heat emergency response plan as a template for creating a Wisconsin version.

Do I need to be enrolled in an academic program to participate in a field experience? You do not need to be enrolled in an academic program to participate in field experience opportunities at DPH. We highly encourage anyone exploring a career in public health to apply.

I don’t live in Wisconsin; can I still apply? Unpaid opportunities allow you to live outside of Wisconsin. If you are applying for paid field experiences, you must meet the requirements of a limited term employee.

Does Wisconsin DPH offer paid field experience opportunities? Yes, but not all. Depending on the program area and funding availability, some field experiences may be paid. During the application process, preceptors will make clear if the opportunity they are supporting is paid or unpaid.

How long are field experiences? Field experiences typically run on the following schedule:

• Spring: January- May
• Summer: May-August
• Fall: September- December

Learners can work with their individual preceptors to find a timeline and hours that work best for them and their schedule. Subsequent or continuing placements may be a possibility depending on the project.

Can I work remote? Currently, DPH works primarily in a remote setting so many field experience opportunities are also remote. This is not a guarantee and should be discussed with your preceptor.

How many hours can I complete during a field experience? DPH has worked with learners needing field experience ranging from 150-400 hours. Learners and their preceptors can discuss the number of hours that work for both the learner and the assigned project.

What does the onboarding process look like for learners? After being selected for a field experience and within 30 days of starting your field experience, you will receive an email from your preceptor about onboarding. This will include steps for completing a background check with the bureau of human resources and receiving technology (if needed). Learners will discuss a start date and hours with their preceptors.

If I complete a field experience at DPH, will I get hired for a permanent position? Completing a field experience does not entitle you to a permanent position, however many learners who have completed a field experience have gone on to work for DPH. Learners will gain insight on how to search for and apply for permanent or limited term positions post field experience completion.