Practicum

Online Practicum System  

Info for Practice Partners | Info for Students

At GW, public health students gain practical skills and knowledge through a practicum project, a real-world work experience at a Washington, DC, national or international health organization. With hundreds of sites in the D.C. area alone, students can choose a practicum site and create a practicum project within her or his area of interest.

In recent years, Milken Institute School of Public Health students have engaged in practicum projects at top public health institutions, including:

  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  • Children's National Medical Center
  • Congressional Research Service
  • USAID
  • Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO)
  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
  • President's Council on Fitness, Sport and Nutrition
  • The World Bank

Practice Partners:

Interested in hosting a practicum for a GW public health student?

We are always interested in making additional sites and projects available to our students. If you are not yet registered in our online practicum system, we encourage you to:

Click here to apply to be a practicum preceptor and practicum site in our online system, please complete an application here. 

Please contact the GW Practicum Director with any questions.

Current students:

Ready to create your practicum?

Use these resources to help guide you:

Practicum Guidebook
Practicum Checklist
Practicum Abroad Information
Forms
Department-Specific Information

Log in to the Practicum Online System

Practicum Guidebook

Review the Practicum Guidebook to understand the timeline for practicum, how to use the online system, and who to contact for assistance with your practicum.

Practicum Quick List

The steps below must be completed in order before you will be able to proceed to the next step.

Progress Task Who’s Responsible
  Review Practicum guidebook and create student practicum account in the Online Practicum System  (OPS)  Student
  Approve student account in OPS
*Some Practicum Directors may require a meeting with student prior to approval*		 Practicum Director
  Complete CITI training & email to GWSPH Student Records Office for review Student
  Verify & record CITI training  GW SPH Student Records Office

The remaining student steps can only be completed if the site, site preceptor and project proposal are already approved and entered into the practicum system. Sites and preceptors not yet in the online practicum system (OPS) need to complete the following steps before students can move to next steps.....

  Create site preceptor account in OPS Preceptor
  Create site account (if organization is not already in system) Preceptor
  Approve preceptor (& site if needed) Practicum Director
  Approve preceptor (& site if needed) Associate Dean of Practice
  Submit a project proposal Preceptor
  Find a site and project in the system, discuss possible plan with preceptor, upload project plan Student
For Practicum sites outside of of the United States, the following steps must be completed before you can proceed
  Create GW Password Account *Practicum Director will provide student with link to GW Passport* Student
  Complete Risk Questionnaire Student
  Approve/ Deny Office of Int. Programs/ Practicum Director
  Complete International Programs Registration Student
 

Complete and sign RTF form*, email to Practicum Director for signature

*Each MPH program has its own section of 6014. Enter the correct CRN. CRN Lookup (view schedule of classes instead of searching)

 Student
  Sign project plan Practicum Director
  Sign project plan Preceptor
  Sign and upload RTF form and e-mail to GWSPH Student Records Office Practicum  Director
  Verify RTF, send to Registrar for processing GW SPH Student Records Office
  Log 60 hours of practicum Student
  Complete Midpoint Evaluation (discuss with Site Preceptor first) Student
  Sign Midpoint Evaluation Practicum Director
  Sign Midpoint Evaluation Site Preceptor
  Log a minimum of 120 hours of practicum (total) Student
  Final Evaluation of site Student
  Final Evaluation of student Site Preceptor
  Review and sign off on final evaluation from preceptor Practicum Director

 

Practicum Abroad Information

There are additional steps for students working at practicum sites abroad. Please review the section of the Guidebook on working abroad carefully and talk to your Practicum Director. Plan to leave ample time to receive the necessary approvals from the GW Travel Abroad office, your Practicum Director and your site before booking your travel arrangements.
 

Related Forms

Practicum Equivalent Experience Application: MPH students with substantial public health experience relevant to their department/track may request to waive the MPH Practicum and substitute elective credits. Prior to matriculation, applicants must have completed more than three years of relevant, full-time, public health experience in which they can demonstrate application of at least one track-specific competency. To request a waiver, complete the Practicum Equivalent Experience Application. Obtain approval from your Practicum Director, Academic Advisor, and the Dean for Public Health Practice. Once completed, submit to the Office of the Dean.

RTF form - Use this form to register for practicum, after your practicum plan has been approved by your Practicum Director. Upload the form containing all necessary signatures to the online practicum system, which will then automatically forward the information to the Records Office to be recorded on your transcript.

Department-Specific Information

Syllabi

Core Competencies