Internship Host Site Requirements
Each intern is assigned to a designated host site and preceptor at a local health department. Internship duties must be suitable for college-level students with little to no public health experience. Interns are not required to be public health majors for the Pathways internship program.
Host sites must:
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Provide necessary workspace, computer access, etc. for the intern to perform their internship duties
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Provide program-specific training to the intern
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Provide a work experience suitable to help the intern learn about public health (internships that focus primarily on “administrative/office” tasks are prohibited)
Host site preceptors are the local health department staff responsible for the day-to-day guidance and direction of the interns. The Pathways team is the supervisor of record for the interns and will handle timecards and human resources for the interns.
Host site preceptors should:
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Work with the availability of the intern to set a weekly work schedule that meets the host site and intern’s needs
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Orient the intern to their host site and new team members
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Provide guidance, direction and feedback to the intern on their daily work
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Monitor assignments to ensure the intern is involved in appropriate and meaningful work experiences
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Have weekly or bi-weekly meetings with the intern to provide mentoring, guidance, and on-the-job training
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Communicate with the Pathways team to identify and resolve any issues regarding the internship assignment
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Complete the required evaluation surveys throughout the internship (which take no more than five minutes per evaluation)
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Allow the intern to attend the virtual Pathways professional development sessions live (when applicable)