COPH FORM: DrPH Applied Practice Experiences 5.31.17.docx

Purpose & Setting: All DrPH students will engage in one or more practice-based experiences. The applied practice experiences should develop the student’s advanced practice and leadership skills and knowledge through completion of meaningful projects for public health organizations, including government, non-government, non-profit, industrial, and for-profit settings. These can include the student’s own work setting, or another setting that the student selects, and the student must identify a mentor in the organization who will guide the student during these experiences. Please see the section on Practice-Based Mentors.

Process: While attending each DrPH Institute, the student will start a proposal for an applied practice experience. The student will then work with their faculty advisor and an identified mentor to develop a complete proposal for the competencies, learning objectives, activities, and deliverables required for each applied practice experience. The final proposal must be approved by the student, the faculty advisor, the mentor, and the DrPH Director.

Competencies: The student is expected to achieve demonstrated growth in at least five of the DrPH competencies throughout the series of practice experiences, and at least one competency must relate to leadership or management. The student will identify the targeted competencies for each applied practice experience in their proposal, drawn from the competencies specified in the list of DrPH Courses and Competencies for their concentration. The experiences proposed to meet these competencies can be done in a single large project, or several smaller projects, and can be spread across multiple semesters; this depends on the objectives, activities, and deliverables of each practice experience.

Learning Objectives: In consultation with the faculty advisor and mentor, the student will identify the learning goals for the applied practice experiences based on the competencies targeted. The student will honestly assess their experience and build upon any limitations to enhance the skills and knowledge needed as an advanced professional, or to inform the doctoral project the student would like to pursue. Carefully considering the additional experiences needed to round out the student’s skills and practical knowledge is primary, along with ensuring that opportunities are included to enhance leadership skills.

Activities: Details of the practice activities are developed and agreed to jointly by the student, mentor, and faculty advisor. This represents the heart of the three-way agreement that is integral to developing practice experience. It is necessary to describe the specific actions, projects, processes, and tasks that will allow the student to meet the chosen competencies and objectives. Activities should take the form of statements that begin with action verbs, that are specific, measurable, and time-limited. The student should also state the expected dates for involvement in and completion of the activities, including a temporal view of the entire lifetime of each proposed activity.

Deliverables: The proposal must include deliverables that both meet the needs of the organization, and demonstrate reflection on development of the stated competencies and fulfillment of the learning objectives. This may require more than one deliverable (e.g., the completed project for the organization plus a reflection on competencies and learning objectives achieved). The student should consider what type of deliverables are appropriate for the organization, whether a report on activities performed, a summary of data collected and analyzed, tests from training sessions, etc.

Evaluation: The practice site mentor provides guidance on an ongoing basis, and assists the student with the project deliverables as needed. The student will submit the final deliverables to the faculty advisor, who will provide a final Please see the section on Practice-Based Mentors.

Process: While attending each DrPH Institute, the student will start a proposal for an applied practice experience. The student will then work with their faculty advisor and an identified mentor to develop a complete proposal for the competencies, learning objectives, activities, and deliverables required for each applied practice experience. The final proposal must be approved by the student, the faculty advisor, the mentor, and the DrPH Director.

Competencies: The student is expected to achieve demonstrated growth in at least five of the DrPH competencies throughout the series of practice experiences, and at least one competency must relate to leadership or management. The student will identify the targeted competencies for each applied practice experience in their proposal, drawn from the competencies specified in the list of DrPH Courses and Competencies for their concentration. The experiences proposed to meet these competencies can be done in a single large project, or several smaller projects, and can be spread across multiple semesters; this depends on the objectives, activities, and deliverables of each practice experience.

Learning Objectives: In consultation with the faculty advisor and mentor, the student will identify the learning goals for the applied practice experiences based on the competencies targeted. The student will honestly assess their experience and build upon any limitations to enhance the skills and knowledge needed as an advanced professional, or to inform the doctoral project the student would like to pursue. Carefully considering the additional experiences needed to round out the student’s skills and practical knowledge is primary, along with ensuring that opportunities are included to enhance leadership skills.

Activities: Details of the practice activities are developed and agreed to jointly by the student, mentor, and faculty advisor. This represents the heart of the three-way agreement that is integral to developing practice experience. It is necessary to describe the specific actions, projects, processes, and tasks that will allow the student to meet the chosen competencies and objectives. Activities should take the form of statements that begin with action verbs, that are specific, measurable, and time-limited. The student should also state the expected dates for involvement in and completion of the activities, including a temporal view of the entire lifetime of each proposed activity.

Deliverables: The proposal must include deliverables that both meet the needs of the organization, and demonstrate reflection on development of the stated competencies and fulfillment of the learning objectives. This may require more than one deliverable (e.g., the completed project for the organization plus a reflection on competencies and learning objectives achieved). The student should consider what type of deliverables are appropriate for the organization, whether a report on activities performed, a summary of data collected and analyzed, tests from training sessions, etc.

Evaluation: The practice site mentor provides guidance on an ongoing basis, and assists the student with the project deliverables as needed. The student will submit the final deliverables to the faculty advisor, who will provide a final evaluation of the quality and achievement of the deliverables, and whether the student met the stated learning objectives. The deliverables, reflection paper, and signed evaluation must also be submitted to Academic and Student Affairs at cophpermits@health.usf.edu, and the student must upload a copy into their student Box folder at this link: https://usfhealth.account.box.com/login.the DrPH Director for final review and approval. 

Please look at the descriptor that applies to the catalog you will graduate under.

• The student must complete a dissertation that is designed to influence programs, policies, or systems addressing public health practice. The dissertation must also demonstrate synthesis of competencies across all domains in the student's concentration, as follows:
  • Advanced Practice Leadership in Public Health:
    • Community Engagement
    • Leadership and Management
    • Communication and Education
    • Evidence-Informed Public Health

• When the majority of the student’s coursework is satisfactorily completed, the student must pass a qualifying examination. The student is required to submit a concept paper describing the proposed dissertation project, followed by an oral examination that relates the content, approach, and deliverables of the project to the DrPH curriculum domains in the student’s concentration. The examination will be administered and evaluated by the student’s doctoral project committee. The student must enroll in at least two credits in the semester the exam is completed.

• The concept paper will be initially developed in the Evidence-Informed Public Health 2 course. The student should then work with the Major Professor and other committee members as needed on completing the concept paper prior to submission for evaluation.

• Once approved by the Major Professor, the student will notify the committee members of intention to be examined on the concept paper, and will schedule the oral examination with the committee members at a mutually agreeable time. The oral examination can take place via electronic means of communication if the student is unable to be physically present at the Tampa campus. The student must submit the final draft of the concept paper to the committee members a minimum of two weeks prior to the scheduled oral examination.

• The oral examination will consist of questions and clarification on the content, approach, and deliverables of the proposal, as well as questions on how the proposal demonstrates synthesis of competencies across the domains in the student's concentration. Typical questions for the concentration in Advanced Practice Leadership in Public Health could include:
  • How does the proposed project engage the community? Explain how your content, approach, and deliverables are grounded in your knowledge of community engagement.
  • How does the proposed project develop the leadership skills or management goals of yourself or others connected to your project? Explain how your content, approach, and deliverables are grounded in your knowledge of the development of leadership skills, and how organizations and systems are managed.
  • How does the proposed project provide for the communication and education needed for transforming public health practice? Explain how your content, approach, and deliverables are grounded in your knowledge of communicationa and education in public health practice.
  • How are the approach, procedures, and deliverables of your project evidence-based? Explain how your content, approach, and deliverables are grounded in research evidence and methodology, and/or in evidence-based program or policy evaluation or program delivery methods.

• The committee members will verify satisfactory completion of the qualifying examination by providing their signature on the Admission to Candidacy form, within one week of completion of the qualifying examination. After submitting the Admission to Candidacy form to Graduate Studies and obtaining approval, the student will be eligible to enroll in PHC 7910: Dissertation in a subsequent semester. 

• If the student's research involves human subjects, the student is responsible for applying for review by the appropriate IRB review board before proceeding with the proposed work.

USF ADMISSION TO CANDIDACY FORM

In order to be admitted to doctoral candidacy, students must meet the following requirements at USF:

1. admission to a doctoral program
2. appointment of a Doctoral Committee (see Dissertation Committee section of the guidebook)
3. attainment of an overall and degree program Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.00 at USF at the time of candidacy. All “I” and “M” grades, including “IF” and “MF”, must be cleared before candidacy may be finalized
4. successful completion of a qualifying examination
5. certification by the Doctoral Committee that the above qualifications have been successfully completed

The Admission to Candidacy form should be submitted for approval during the semester that the qualifying exams were completed, but no later than the semester following the successful completion of the exam. The form will be approved by the Dean of the College and forwarded to the Dean of the Office of Graduate Studies for final approval. Doctoral Candidacy is effective as of the day that the Office of Graduate Studies approves of the request and changes the student’s status to 6C. For procedures and processing deadlines refer to the Office of Graduate Studies website at www.grad.usf.edu.

Once candidacy status is approved, students with approved candidacy are eligible to enroll in dissertation hours (7980) in the semester that immediately follows the last business day of the approval window. For example, students approved during the Fall approval window may enroll in the Spring. Students approved during the Spring approval window may enroll in the summer and students approved during the Summer approval window may enroll in the Fall. Students may NOT enroll in dissertation hours prior to being admitted to doctoral candidacy. 

Each degree program has a required number of dissertation hours for completion of the degree. Departments may, with College approval, apply Directed Research hours toward the total number of dissertation hours required. Directed Research hours shall not exceed 50% of the dissertation hour requirement. No directed research hours will be converted to dissertation hours (i.e. a directed research course dropped and a dissertation course added) prior to or during the approval window.

Institutional Review Board Approval (IRB) All research investigators at USF are responsible for making the initial determination as to whether their research will involve human subjects as defined in the Quick Start Guide for Investigators (2004), available online at http://www.research.usf.edu/cs/quickstart.htm.

When it is not clear whether the research involves human subjects, research investigators must seek assistance from the USF Office of Research. If it is determined that human subjects are involved, the investigator is responsible for applying for review by the appropriate IRB. This task is accomplished by research investigators preparing a protocol giving a complete description of the proposed research, a detailed application and, when appropriate, a sample of the proposed informed consent form. All forms can be found online at http://www.research.usf.edu/dric/

As a part of the application process, the student should ensure that adequate scientific review of the research study has been performed, via the student's signature, the major professor's signature, and the signature of the DrPH Program Director or designee before the IRB form is forwarded. All doctoral students must complete the IRB training during their first semester following admission. IRB training courses are available online at http://www.research.usf.edu/dric/

 In the semester in which the final manuscript has been received, reviewed, and certified for permanent filing in the University Library, the Office of Graduate Studies submits the change of grade from “Z” to “S” for the last registration of dissertation courses to the office of the registrar when all grades are due at the end of the semester.