How did you find your practicum?
I found this practicum position through an email to MPH students from our practicum coordinator. The folks in the School of Public Health Sciences are very helpful and responsive, and I appreciated their guidance in connecting their students with valuable practicum opportunities.
What projects did you work on?
I completed my practicum at the Canadian Public Health Association (CPHA), where I prepared policy materials. This included analyzing public health topics of interest to the CPHA, performing literature searches, writing a student blog post, and completing other tasks and written materials to support the development of policy positions. Through this practicum learned about the functions of a non-governmental and not-for-profit organization, and developed skills such as implementation of advocacy strategies, critical analysis, and integrating science and policy.
What was the highlight of your practicum?
The highlight of my practicum was working with an excellent supervisor. I was lucky to learn from someone so knowledgeable, approachable, and committed to the professional development of her students.
Why did you pick this program?
I chose this program because it combines science, health, and helping others. It provides a broad range of career opportunities, where graduates can help develop long-term and sustainable strategies for keeping populations healthy and reducing health inequities. Combined with the practicum work opportunity, wide variety of classes, and the flexibility of taking courses part-time and online, pursuing this program was an easy choice.