HAP 786: Workshop in Health Informatics

Preceptors Guide to Practicum Project

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Overview

• Overview of expectations Slides► Video►

Preceptor's Role 

Students are supervised in the practicum by the academic advisor and a host agency/organization preceptor. The preceptor must have a minimum of a master’s degree in health care or a related discipline. Following are the preceptor’s responsibilities:

• Project Description: Identify a suitable project. Any data analysis or project management effort is acceptable. The preceptor should write a paragraph describing the project,  including the availability of the data. The project scope of work must be clear and doable within 4 months, with 20 hours of effort per week. 
• Assistance in Student's Orientation: The preceptor assists the student in orient himself/herself to the organization. The preceptor involves the student in relevant meetings.
• Supervision of the Project: The project must be supervised by the preceptor.  The preceptor must meet regularly (e.g., once a week) with the student during the practicum to check on the student's progress.
• Review of Project Presentations & Reports: The preceptor is asked to review and approve the student's final report and presentation. The student may ask the preceptor if parts of the report can be posted online, or in the student's LinkedIn (r) account.
• Feedback to the Program: The preceptor is asked to help the university improve its curriculum by writing to the program director, Dr. Janusz Wojtusiak at jwojtusi@gmu.edu ►

Process

These are the steps in completing a practicum project from the preceptor's perspective:

1. The preceptor and the university complete an affiliation agreement (see the section below)
2. The student sometimes is asked to complete a background check (see the section below)
3. The preceptor describes the project in an email to the faculty who distributes it to potential student and identifies a number of interested and qualified students.
4. The selected students will email their professional portfolio including resumes, cover letters, and work samples directly to the preceptor to get an interview. They will use this title in the subject line “GMU-Capstone Internship – [STUDENT’S NAME]” and copy the course faculty Dr. Eman Elashkar at eelashka@gmu.edu. 
5. The preceptor will meet individually with the students to discuss the student’s skills, expectations of both parties, goals, and the topic and scope of the project, whether it’s an existing project or other options. 
6. Three parties sign the addendum of the Experiential Learning Agreement: the selected student, the preceptor, and the faculty.
7. The student will start the administrative /onboarding process and training required by the host organization, including background checks. GMU also offers background check through a third-party partner, CPT for international students, IRB, and/or any other required documents. 
8. The preceptor will meet regularly (once a week or biweekly) with the student to monitor their progress and assist them in removing barriers to progress.

Timeline

The expected internship duration is typically 12 weeks for the traditional in-person program and 6 weeks for the online students. Fall semester: 10–12-week project (First week of September to Mid-November) Spring semester: 10-12 week (First week of February to Mid-April) Summer semester: 6-week (Mid-June – End of July)

Background Checks

Organizations can require students to complete a background check, which may include, but is not be limited to, law enforcement finger printing, state driving records, credit reports, and a criminal records check. Since background checks take considerable time, students can start the process in the semester prior to taking the practicum course.

Affiliation Agreement

Prior to the student joining the organization an affiliation agreement between the organization, the university, and the student needs to be signed.  Agreement►

Employment after Graduation

The capstone practicum provides students with an opportunity to gain meaningful experience in a local health care organization. There is no guarantee that this will lead to employment with the organization. Employment will depend on a variety of factors including the availability of positions; the student’s performance; and the suitability of the student for available opportunities. However, a successful performance will typically lead to good references and a meaningful engagement to place on a student’s resume.

Most of the students in our Health Informatics programs are international students.  These students typically have an F1 visa that allows them to work inside United States for three years, as part of their training. At the end of this period, under certain circumstances, organizations can sponsor the student for work visa. If you agree to be a preceptor, you are not necessarily agreeing to sponsor the student for work visa.  Preceptors are only agreeing to help the student train.