Community Health and Epidemiology
Queen's UniversityFrequently Asked Questions
Questions:
- Am I eligible to apply for any departmental funding?
- As a Master of Public Health student, am I expected to set up my own practicum placement?
- If I am not interested in setting up my own practicum placement, how do I go about securing a practicum?
- Will I be paid for my practicum placement?
- How long is the practicum?
- Do lunch breaks or work-related conferences/meetings count towards my practicum hours?
- Is the Community Health & Epidemiology Research Series mandatory to attend?
- Are the Practicum I public health skills sessions mandatory to attend?
- Is there anyone available to look at a draft of my CV or to assist me with interview preparation?
Q) Am I eligible to apply for any departmental funding?
Answer: Every Master of Public Health students is eligible for a $250.00 professional development bursary to put towards the cost of a conference and related travel. Bursary application forms can be obtained from and then returned to Lee Watkins, Department Administrative Assistant, 2nd floor Carruthers Hall, Office 208.
Q) As a Master of Public Health student, am I expected to set up my own practicum placement?
Answer: No, Master of Public Health students are not required to set up their own practicum placement; however, if there is a specific public health organization or agency of interest to you that the Master of Public Health program is not yet affiliated with, you are permitted to arrange for your own placement. All proposed, new placements have to be reviewed and approved by Colleen Davison, Practicum Coordinator, in March (please see the Student Handbook for exact dates). If you are considering arranging your own placement, you should inform the Practicum Coordinator as soon as possible because, in certain cases, paperwork may have to be initiated prior to the practicum approval deadline in March.
Q) If I am not interested in setting up my own practicum placement, how do I go about securing a practicum?
Answer: In September all incoming students will be given a list of practicum placements that were undertaken by the previous MPH students. This will give them an introduction to the kinds of placements that are appropriate for EPID 887. The Practicum Coordinator will hold a meeting in the early part of the Fall semester to explain the practicum placement process and answer any questions.
The Practicum Coordinator will provide a list of placements that have been established for MPH students by the Department through its partners in March. This list will include placements in Kingston, Belleville and the surrounding area. In the past, students have had options to be placed in many different types of projects hosted by such organizations as:
- Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health
- Hastings and Prince Edward Counties Health Unit (Belleville)
- Kingston Community Health Centres
- Queen’s University (various host agencies)
- Local Health Integration Network (Belleville)
- Kingston Lab of Public Health Ontario
- South Eastern Ontario Regional Cancer Program
- The International Centre for the Advancement of Community-Based Rehabilitation
Q) Will I be paid for my practicum placement?
Answer: The great majority of placements are not paid. A few placements may have a small stipend, such as those that are selected on a competitive basis at provincial or national public health agencies. The practicums arranged by the department are not paid.
Q) How long is the practicum?
Answer: 400 hours, minimum. This requirement is usually fulfilled by attending practicum placement for 25 hours per week for 16 weeks between May and August.
Q) Do lunch breaks or work-related conferences/meetings count towards my practicum hours?
Answer:Yes, as long as these are a reasonable length and no not take away from your ability to productively complete your practicum activities.
Q) Is the Community Health & Epidemiology Research Series mandatory to attend?
Answer: Yes.
Q) Are the Practicum I public health skills sessions mandatory to attend?
Answer:Yes. Practicum I carries a credit that must be earned through session attendance and participation.
Q) Is there anyone available to look at a draft of my CV or to assist me with interview preparation?
Answer:Yes, meetings can be arranged with a faculty member. In order to schedule an appointment, please contact Gerri Lyman, Master of Public Health Graduate Assistant.