Potential Field Placement Projects

Field Placement opportunities are listed by the MPH program for no longer than six months and with the most recent submittal first. Listing on this website is a service to our students and community organizations but in no way indicates the MPH program's endorsement of the position. In addition to any hiring processes defined by the site, students must complete all required planning aspects of the Field Placement course.

If you would like to recommend updates to this page or post an announcement, please send information to mph@mcw.edu.

Positions
Summer, 2013 - Healthiest Manitowoc County (Manitowoc, WI)
Summer, 2013 - Transform Rock County Healthy Living Coalition (Janesville, WI)
Fall, 2013 - Wellness Program Implementation at Lake Area Free Clinic (Oconomowoc, WI)
Summer & Fall, 2013 - Scenic Rivers Area Health Education Center (Cashton, WI)
Spring, 2014 - Rock County Health Department Lead Prevention Program Assessment (Janesville, WI)
2013-2014 - Wisconsin Office of Rural Health (WORH) Program Planning and Evaluation (Various Locations)
2012-2013 - Assessment and Social Media at the City of Cudahy Health Department (Cudahy, WI)
Ongoing - Quality Improvement at Lake Area Free Clinic (Oconomowoc, WI)
Ongoing - Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc. (Milwaukee, WI)

Summer, 2013 - Healthiest Manitowoc County (Manitowoc, WI)

Healthiest Manitowoc County (HMC), is a community-based initiative with a mission to improve the health of all people in Manitowoc County.  Most of the HMC efforts are carried out by countless volunteers who represent all sectors of the community.  Some coalitions and programs may have paid staff, but this is based on available funding.  HMC has a steering committee who oversees all efforts, a communications committee to help promote HMC's messages and needs, and three coalitions to specifically address health concerns.  Currently the three coalitions focus on three identified health initiatives: physical activity and nutrition, mental wellness and substance abuse prevention.

Students can choose one or more of the Field Experience projects listed below.

• Physical Activity and Nutrition Coalition: Students will help create a directory of resources that will include local farmers and the food items they sell; a map of where local produce can be purchased; a list of fee-based and free activities; and tips for healthy living and eating.  Students will work with coalition members to identify key contacts, collect the essential information and develop a directory of resources.
• Mental Wellness Coalition:  Students will help analyze successful mental health programs in the state that can then be utilized in Manitowoc County.  Students will assess the effectiveness and any implementation challenges of the identified programs.  Students will then report findings to the HMC Mental Health Committee to determine which models could best meet the needs in Manitowoc County.
• Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition: Students will assist in developing the "Nobody Plans to be an Addict Kit."  Tobacco, alcohol, marijuana and prescription drugs may all seem harmless, but many people struggle with the negative consequences of these substances.  Students will collect data on the use of these susbtances and assist in creating educational print and web based materials.  Students will work with police, hospital staff, health department staff, counselors and school faculty to gather testimonials for the materials.
• Juvenile Crime Enforcement: There are not many interventions in place when a juvenile commits a minor offense.  Because of this, there has been an increase in misdemeanors.  A committee has been formed to research, develop and establish a Youth Court Diversion Program.  Students will assist with the research and creation of procedures and policies need to establish the Youth Court Diversion Program.

Students will attend the immersion week from June 3-6, 2013.  Field placement work will take place between June 10 and August 11, with a final community presentation on August 14.

Contact Information:
     Annie Short
     Grant Coordinator
     Healthiest Manitowoc County
     annies@newahec.org   

Posted 4/9/13

Summer, 2013 - Transform Rock County Health Living Coalition (Janesville, WI)

Transform Rock County is a community-based initiative, with a mission to improve the health of all people in Rock County.  The Transform Rock County efforts began as a response to the Rock County Community Health Needs Assessment that was carried out by all four of the local hospitals, the Health Department and UW-Extension. 

Transform Rock County is focusing on three areas:

• Smoke-free housing and the reduction of tobacco use,
• Farm to School efforts to increase access to local healthy foods into schools and childcare centers, and
• Increased physical activity efforts through joint use agreements and increasing access and opportunity for physical activity.

Students can choose one or more of the Field Experience projects listed below.

• Physical Activity: Students will work with local and statewide StrongWomen programs to collect data and evaluate the program.  Additionally, students will assess all current joint use agreements with local schools across Rock County.  Using mapping software, students will develop a list of physical activity related resources in schools and community centers, and update the Transform Rock County website with current information.
• Farm to School and Farm to Preschool: Students will assist in the creation of a resource directory that highlights local farmers' and their products.  The final product will also include a map that indicates where local produce can be purchased.  The Rock County website will be updated with current information based upon this assessment.  Students will explore the Farm to Preschool program and work with local preschools to incorporate this program into their curriculum.  Students will work with coalition members and community partners to increase the Farm to School/Preschool efforts in Rock County. 
• Health Activity - Spanish: Students will assist in identifying health/education needs of Spanish speakers in Rock County and explore opportunities to reach this diverse audience.  Students will work with local health organizations and home visitor netowrks to identify successful models for reaching Spanish speakers about health, including but not limited to: oral health, car seat safety, smoking cessation, and substance abuse.  Students will compare models and give recommendations which will be considered by local care providers.

Students are required to be on-site during Immersion Week from June 3 - 6, 2013.  The field experience will occur between June 10, 2013 and August 11, 2013.  

Contact Information:
     Angela Flickinger, MPH, 
     Family Living Educator
     UW-Extension Rock County
     angela.flickinger@ces.uwex.edu 

Posted 4/9/13

Fall, 2013 - Program Implementation at Lake Area Free Clinic (Oconomowoc, WI) 

Lake Area Free Clinic's mission is to provide high-quality free medical services to those who are uninsured and unable to pay.  We are the medical home to Waukesha County Residents who are uninsured and whos household income is at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.  Patients are provided with necessary lab work, imaging and medication along with access to specialities.  Independent but supported by Prohealthcare and Aurora, Lake Area Free Clinic (LAFC) is funded solely with grants and donations, and staffed by volunteers.

As the focus of healthcare turns towards a model of prevention rather than of illness, LAFC is going to start a Wellness and Nutrition program.  An MPH student will implement the program as part of their Field Placement project.  Working closely with the dietician and nurse practitioner (NP), the student will design and initiate the tracking mechanisms to evaluate the program's success, and influence on the participants.  The student will play a role in securing program presenters as directed and produce a report showing quantifiable results and illustrating hte program's effect on the wellness of the participants.

Required Skills:

• Computer proficiency
• Organizational skills
• Knowledge related to programming and quality improvement

The hours of the project will be very flexible with teh start of the project to be in Fall of 2013.

Contact Information
     Mary Reich
     Executive Director, LAFC
     Phone: (262) 569-4990
     Email: maryreich@lakeareafreeclinic.org

Summer & Fall, 2013 - Scenic Rivers Area Health Education Center (Cashton, WI)

Scenic Rivers Area Health Education Center (AHEC) is a non-profit organization located in Cashton covering a ten-county region as part of the Wisconsin AHEC program.  AHEC is a health professions education and outreach program supported by the State of Wisconsin, federal grants, health professions training programs, health care institutions and local communities by partnering to improve accessibility and quality of primary care, resulting in better health.

Students will partner with Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers for their field placement opportunity.  Scenic Bluffs Community Health Centers is an independent non-profit primary care clinic known as a Community Health Center.  Students can choose one or more of the following projects to work on during the field experience.

• Pertussis: Students will continue work on a multi-county, multi-medical student project concerning the increased incidence of pertussis in western Wisconsin and the need for immunization awareness.  A late summer/early fall health education campaign has been designed, but needs implementation of the plan and coordination of immunization clinics and continued education.  Working with the Coulee Region Immunization Coalition will be a highlight of this student opportunity.
• Oral Health: Access to dental health care for individuals living in poverty is extremely difficult across the state of Wisconsin.  However, Vernon County residents in western Wisconsin have an additional burden by having no access to community water fluoridation.  Students will have the opportunity to work with multiple community partners to address the oral health needs of the residents through work with a newly emerging county coalition.
• Food Insecurity: Hunger, and more specifically, food insecurity are growing concerns in western Wisconsin.  Students will have the opportunity to work with recent survey findings in rural Monroe County, as well as La Crosse County, to identify potential solutions to this growing need.  More research and data collection is needed in this area.  An interdisciplinary team will continue to work on this project throughout the year.

Students will attend an immersion week from July 21-25, 2013 in Ontario, WI.  The field experience begins in August and goes through December.  

Contact Information:
     Martha McCabe
     Executive Director
     Scenic Rivers AHEC
     mmccabe@scenicriversahec.org

Posted 4/9/13

Spring, 2014 - Rock County Health Department Lead Prevention Program Assessment (Janesville, WI)

The Rock County Health Department (RCHD) is a Level III Public Health Agency with two offices, located in Janesville and Beloit, WI.  RCHD has a project available for a student interested in program evaluation and/or environmental health.  The project includes reviewing RCHD's current approach to lead prevention and investigation of elevated lead levels in both the nursing and environmental health divisions.  The final product would be a report on what RCHD can do to maximize resources in primary prevention through the use of birth certificates to target at-risk neighborhoods, education of homeowners and landlords on the reduction of lead in the home, and what best practices exist that might help RCHD refine its efforts.

A review of lead data collection would also be conducted including:

• What common systems of data collection exist between nursing and environmental health,
• What kinds of data collection could enhance RCHD's current efforts and eliminate redundancy in entering into multiple systems, and
• What data might be missing that could assist RCHD's efforts in the future.

Students should have working knowledge of lead effects in the body and likel exposure in the environment.  Additionally, working knowledge of Microsoft Ecel and Access data systems is required.

To learn more about Rock County Health Department, please contact Ms. Karen Cain, Health Officer, or visit the department's website.

Contact Information:
     Karen Cain, RN, MS
     Health Officer, Rock County Health Department
     3328 US Hwy 51 N
     Janesville, WI 53545
     608-757-5440
     cain@co.rock.wi.us

Posted 4/23/13

2013-2014 - Wisconsin Office of Rural Health (WORH) Program Planning and Evaluation (Various) 

The Wisconsin Office of Rural Health's (WORH) Rural Community Grant Program provides funding to coalitions, which include a rural hospital with fewer than 50 beds, to address a population health care issue.  MPH students participating in this group placement will provide technical assistance to the Rural Community grantees.  This unique group field experience will provide students with an opportunity to learn about and apply program planning and evaluation concepts.  The field experience will commence in the Summer 2013 with a week-long, didactic course that will be offered from 8:00AM - 4:30PM, August 12-16, 2013.  The field placement will begin in the Fall 2013 and continue through the Spring 2014.  

Activities include:

• Participating in the grant selection process,
• Meeting with the rural community coalitions,
• Assisting with the development of outcome based evaluation strategies, and
• Sharing a final evaluation plan for each of the grantees.

Students who participate in this experience will receive a $1000 stipend.  

Contact Information:
     Mark Edgar, PhD, MPH
     Wisconsin Office of Rural Health
     medgar@wisc.edu

Posted 4/9/13

2012-2013 - Assessment and Social Media at the City of Cudahy Health Department (Cudahy, WI)

The mission of the City of Cudahy Health Department is to prevent illness and injury and to promote and protect the health and well-being of the Cudahy community. Our vision is that all members of the Cudahy community will work together with key resources to ensure optimal health and well-being.

We offer a wide variety of programs and services to help meet the needs of the more than 18,000 citizens in our community.  Some of the programs offered include: W.I.C. (Women, Infants, and Children) Program, Immunization Program, Lead Prevention Program, Prenatal Care Coordination Program, Child Passenger Safety Program, Emergency Management Program, Communicable Disease Program, and Environmental Health Programs.

Required Hours:  Each of the following projects will require at least 80 hours.  However, the amount of hours and the start and end time can be negotiated.  The days and times that the student(s) would work on the project would be very flexible and much of the work could be done from home.

Project #1:  Assessment

The City of Cudahy Health Department is currently working on developing a strategic plan in preparation for applying for accreditation.  As a part of this process, we are seeking assistance from a student (or students) to help in the assessment process.  This would involve helping to develop, implement, and evaluate surveys to assess areas, such as customer satisfaction, community/partner agency opinion, and employee wellness.  There may also be the opportunity to help facilitate focus group discussions, as well.  The student would have the opportunity to be mentored by an experienced researcher.

Qualifications:

• Knowledge of the survey research process.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Proficient computer skills, including the ability to format surveys and input data into a spreadsheet.
• The ability to work collaboratively with others.

Project #2:  Social Media

The City of Cudahy Health Department is currently looking to expand our social media and social marketing outreach into our community.  As a part of this process, we are seeking assistance from a student (or students) to help develop and enhance our presence in social media.  This would involve helping to redesign the content and layout of our website and facebook page as well as develop targeted, evidenced-based, health promotion messaging and education to post on our newsfeeds.  Additionally, the student would explore ways to increase the number of individuals who access information via social media in our community, specifically focusing on adolescents and young adults.

Qualifications:

• Proficient computer skills, including the ability to work with a web developer to make changes on a website and independently redesign facebook content and twitter newsfeeds.
• Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written.
• Knowledge of basic health promotion in order to develop appropriate social media messages.
• The ability to work collaboratively with others.

* Both of these projects are open to medical students and PhD in Public and Community Health students as well as MPH students.

Contact Information:
    Kim E. Whitmore, RN, MSN, CPN
    Health Officer, City of Cudahy Health Department
    5050 South Lake Drive in Cudahy, WI  53110
    Office Phone: 414-882-2390
    Fax: 414-769-2291
    Email: whitmorek@ci.cudahy.wi.us

Posted 9/10/12

Ongoing - Quality Improvement at Lake Area Free Clinic (Oconomowoc, WI)

Since the doors opened on July 3, 2001, the Lake Area Free Clinic has welcomed individuals and families who lack health insurance and whose income is below 200% of the federal poverty level.  Volunteers from all walks of life have stepped forth to plan, create, and make the Free Clinic a caring and vital part of the Waukesha County community.  These volunteers help the Free Clinic provide medical care and practical information aimed at prevention for hundreds of people who would otherwise go without.

The Free Clinic is engaging in a number of new quality improvement initiatives for which they are seeking student assistance. Examples of student opportunities include the following.
- Extract data regarding quality indicators for diabetes clinic
- Expand data extraction to include quality indicators for hypertension and hyperlipidemia
- Create and conduct a patient satisfaction survey for the general clinic as well as the diabetes clinic

* This project is open to medical students and PhD in Public and Community Health students as well as MPH students.

Contact Information:
     Mary Reich, RN
     Executive Director, Lake Area Free Clinic
     Phone:  262-569-4990
     Email:  maryreich@lakeareafreeclinic.org
     Website:  http://www.lakeareafreeclinic.org/

Posted 6/20/12

Ongoing - Internship with the Planning Council for Health and Human Services, Inc. (Milwaukee, WI)

Under general supervision of professional staff, the intern provides project support in the areas of planning, evaluation, and research. Project assignments will depend on current contracts and on the interests and skill level of the intern.

Responsibilities:
- Gather and analyze qualitative and quantitative data.
- Research evidence-based and best practices.
- Prepare plans, reports, and other documents.
- Design surveys, focus groups, and key informant interviews.
- Attend community meetings with staff members.

Required Skills:
- Ability to conduct literature reviews and familiarity with research language, and the ability to synthesize and present information in a professional report or presentation.
- Ability to work independently and as part of a small team.
- Ability to work with culturally and professionally diverse groups with a wide range of work styles.
- Familiarity with or willingness to learn data management programs.
- Knowledge of PC applications, including Microsoft Office software and the Internet.

Further information available as PDF:  http://www.mcw.edu/FileLibrary/Groups/MPHProgram/FP/SitePosting_PlanningCouncil.pdf

Contact Information:
  Planning Council for Health and Human Services
  1243 N. 10th Street, Suite 200
  Milwaukee, WI  53205
  Phone:  414-224-0404
  Fax:  414-224-0243
  Email:  internship@planningcouncil.org
  Website:  http://www.planningcouncil.org

Re-posted 9/10/12