Practicum & Applied Practice Experience

 

APPLIED PRACTICE EXPERIENCE 

ONLY required for students who matriculated in Fall 2019 and after.

Applied Practice Experience (APEx) is the new applied learning experience required of all Master of Public Health (MPH) students and is more than what we used to call “Practicum”. APEx is designed to help students apply the knowledge, skills, and theories learned in the classroom to real-world public health issues outside of the classroom. Guided by your departmental practice advisor, faculty, and preceptors, you will be able to demonstrate the attainment of MPH foundational and program-specific competencies, learn from public health professionals from a range of public and private sector disciplines, build the relationships critical to a strong and engaged professional network, collaborate on interprofessional teams, and jumpstart your public health career (or career transition)!

To successfully fulfill the APEx requirement, students must complete a minimum of 120-hours at an approved public health organization (site) and must produce at least 2 work products that benefit the APEx site and demonstrate the student’s attainment of the required competencies. Students will complete the APEx as part of PUBH 6022: Public Health Practice and Leadership 2 and should consult with their advisor regarding program-specific requirements for APEx. 

Students will plan, submit, and log their practicum in the online practicum system, GWork for Public Health (GWork). To learn how to use GWork visit the GWSPH Source and search for Practicum Video Tutorials.  Preceptor Online Practicum System Guidebook

Applied Practice Experience Resources

Applied Practice Experience Contact Information by Department

Environmental and Occupational Health
Peter LaPuma - plapuma@email.gwu.edu
Sabrina McCormick - sabmc@gwu.edu 
Jonathan Yoo - jonyoo@email.gwu.edu

Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Ann Goldman - annieg@gwu.edu
Joseph Schmitthenner- jschmitthenner@gwu.edu

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Michelle Stevens- mmsteven@gwu.edu 

Global Health
Nino Paichadze - npaichadze1@email.gwu.edu
Geri Kemper Seely - gkemperseeley@gwu.edu
 
Health Policy and Management
Lara Cartwright-Smith - laracs@gwu.edu
Karey Harrigan - kharrigan@gwu.edu

MPH @ GW
Kelley Vargo-  kmvfit@gwu.edu
Christiana Ebiasah  - cebiasah@gwu.edu
Vivianne Alves De Sa- vivianne_a@email.gwu.edu
Sara Cho Kim- schokim@gwu.edu
MPH@GW Advising- mphadvising@gwu.edu

Prevention and Community Health
Donald Strong - dastrong@gwu.edu
Courtney Coffey- ccoffey@gwu.edu

For IRB related inquiries, please contact:
SPH Student IRB Liaison -  SPHstudentIRB@gwu.edu

For technical assistance with the online practicum system (GWork), please contact
Brandon Stumbo - bstumbo@gwu.edu 

For all other inquiries:
Dr. Gene Migliaccio, geno@gwu.edu - Associate Dean for Applied Public Health

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PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE

ONLY required for students who matriculated before Fall 2019.

The Practicum Experience is a planned, supervised, and evaluated project in which students gain practical skills and knowledge via a 120-hour real-world work experience with partners outside of GWSPH. During the Practicum, you will work under the supervision of your department’s Practicum Advisor and a Site Preceptor to develop skills and confidence as a public health professional contributing to a community’s resources and to the solution of public health problems. 

If you are new to the field of public health, the Practicum Experience serves as an important first step in a public health career, providing an introduction to the practical skills and experience necessary for a productive and fulfilling career. If you have had prior work experience, you will find that the Practicum Experience provides the opportunity to hone your skills or to gain new experience in a different area of public health. 

Students will plan, submit, and log their practicum in the online practicum system, GWork for Public Health (GWork). To learn how to use GWork visit the GWSPH Source and search for Practicum Video Tutorials.  

Practicum Resources

Guides & Tutorials

Online Practicum System

Forms

Department / Program Specific Resources

Core Competencies

Practicum Contact Information by Department

​Environmental and Occupational Health
Peter LaPuma - plapuma@email.gwu.edu
Sabrina McCormick - sabmc@gwu.edu 
Jonathan Yoo - jonyoo@email.gwu.edu

Epidemiology & Biostatistics
Ann Goldman - annieg@gwu.edu
Joseph Schmitthenner- jschmitthenner@gwu.edu

Exercise and Nutrition Sciences
Michelle Stevens- mmsteven@gwu.edu 

Global Health
Nino Paichadze- npaichadze1@email.gwu.edu
Geri Kemper Seely - gkemperseeley@gwu.edu
 
Health Policy and Management
Lara Cartwright-Smith - laracs@gwu.edu

MPH @ GW
Kelley Vargo -  kmvfit@gwu.edu
Christiana Ebiasah  - cebiasah@gwu.edu
Vivianne Alves De Sa- vivianne_a@email.gwu.edu
Sara Cho Kim- schokim@gwu.edu
MPH@GW Advising- mphadvising@gwu.edu

Prevention and Community Health
Donald Strong - dastrong@gwu.edu
Courtney Coffey- ccoffey@gwu.edu

For IRB related inquiries, please contact:
SPH Student IRB Liaison -  SPHstudentIRB@gwu.edu

For technical assistance with the online practicum system (GWork), please contact
Brandon Stumbo - bstumbo@gwu.edu 

For all other inquiries:
Dr. Gene Migliaccio, geno@gwu.edu - Associate Dean for Applied Public Health

Practicum Equivalent Experience Waiver Information

Students who matriculated before Fall 2019 and have 3 or more years of full-time, professional public health experience prior to matriculation may qualify for a practicum waiver. If approved for a Practicum Equivalent Experience Waiver, students will be required to replace the Practicum Experience credit hours (2) with an approved elective. To be considered for a practicum waiver, students must submit their completed Practicum Equivalent Experience Waiver Application to their departmental practicum advisor, director, or coordinator prior to the end of their first semester (residential MPH students) or their second quarter (online MPH students).