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1. Prepare. Update your resume, tailor your cover letter, prepare for the interview, etc.
2. Research. Think about the career you hope to pursue and the experience you will need to get there and then start looking for an internship.
   • The first place to start will be in . 
   • Try Career Studio and their internship board.
   • Try the Office of Service Learning and Civic Engagement to get some ideas.
   • A good old fashioned Google search can go a long way. Feel free to go outside the box, but be sure to follow instruction on getting a site approved if you do.
3. Site approval. You don't want to line-up an internship and find out later that the site is not an approved Â鶹ӳ»­ internship site. Get ahead of the game and find out if the sites you have chosen are approved sites.
   • Note: If you can see the site in Sonia, the site is approved. If you don't you will have to submit the Site through Sonia for approval. See Step 4 of your Sonia Student User Guide. Also, contact your instructor immediately to let them know your site potentially needs to be vetted for approval so they can move this process along as quickly as possible.
4. Contact the site. Now that you have identified your top 3-5 sites, now it's time to reach out and line-up some interviews. It sounds old-fashioned, but phone calls can go a long way and be sure to follow-up with an email if possible. Treat it as if you were trying to get a job. Who knows, this could turn into a job if you play your cards right.
   • Be sure to tailor the internship solicitation template to use for each site you pursue. Keep in mind most of our sites take students every semester and they can tell if you tailored this document or not. Make sure you make it unique to you and your skillsets.
   • Make sure you're sending your resume with any email correspondence you have with potential sites.
   • Have your "elevator speech" prepared
   • Be able to tell your potential Preceptor who you are, your affiliation with the University, the class you will be taking as part of this internship, the internship timeline, the experience you hope to gain and highlight your strengths and added value to their organization.
   • Prepare for that interview
5. Choose. You chose five great internship sites, interviewed at three, and were accepted to two. Now what? Well, now you choose which site will ultimately be the most rewarding for you and your career goals.
   • Don't waste anybody's time, once you narrowed it down to the best internship for you, call them and accept the opportunity. Be sure to thank them and line-up a time to meet to talk about your internship project, expectations, and timeline of activities.
6. Thank you. Be sure to send thank you emails or letters to every site you interviewed at and inform the sites you didn't choose of your final decision. This will allow that site to move on to the next person on their list.

You will not be able to start your internship immediately. There are a series of checks you must complete before you can begin your internship.

Checks include the following:

1. Complete the Title IX Sexual Harassment training in your respective Canvas course. 
2. Submit your internship placement in Sonia (see Step 4 of Sonia Student User Guide). Once approved, you can move on to step 3. 
3. Read and sign your student forms located under “checks” in Sonia (i.e. Student Agreement and Student Waiver). There will be a link to a DocuSign form, be sure to choose your respective form (i.e. undergraduate or graduate). Your internship must be approved by your instructor before you complete this task. 
4. Complete your Project Management Plan (undergraduate) or Student Learning Contract (graduate). Depending on your current program, processes vary. Please ask your instructor on what processes are necessary to complete this action. 

• Student Learning Agreement. In this agreement, you are agreeing to all the academic requirements for your field internship class. It also covers expectations of student conduct; ensures you will comply with all host site rules and regulations. It covers disciplinary procedures in the event you do not comply with this agreement and covers expectations around safety and transportation. Lastly, this agreement covers insurance and liability terms.
• Student Waiver, Release and Indemnification Agreement. Upon signature, you understand the internship may involve certain risks. It states an informed consent will be given to all students for internships that may include any dangers, hazards and inherent activity risk. This is a release and waiver of liability.
• Project Plan or Contract. The Project Management Plan (undergraduate) or Student Learning Contract (graduate) is unique to your internship and will serve as a guide to completing your project as well as serve as an evaluation tool throughout your internship. Your preceptor, faculty advisor (if applicable to your program) and the field studies instructor will offer you input into its development. This has to be completed before starting internship hours.
• Individual Professional Development Plan. The Individual Professional Development Plan (IPDP) helps students identify their career goals and the strategies for achieving them by linking them to MPH coursework and other educational and professional development opportunities. 
• All instruction regarding student forms can be found in your respective Canvas course and Sonia.

Just because you found an internship, doesn't mean it is an approved internship site. According to Â鶹ӳ»­ policy, all internship sites must be vetted every five years with a safety assessment form, proof of liability insurance, a sexual harassment policy and a signed organizational agreement on file. If your internship site doesn't have these things on file, you will not be able to start your internship until they are. This process is initiated by your class instructor.

The process can be very time consuming depending on the organization, so the earlier you can find out if your site is approved, the better. Below are some Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) to find out if your site is approved or not.

FAQs

• I found my internship through Sonia, are those approved sites?
  • Yes. Most internship sites you see in Sonia have been vetted and approved. The only exception is if their contract expired. Ask your field instructor if all University compliance measures with your chosen site are up to date.
• What is the procedure to find out whether my internship site is approved or not?
  • Although most sites in Sonia are approved, that doesn't mean all approved sites are reflected in Sonia. We are still in the process of populating all of our sites into the system, so even if you don't see your site in Sonia, it could potentially still be approved.
  • Go ahead and submit your site through Sonia, this will be a catalyst to seek approval. See Step 4 of your Sonia Student User Guide on how to do this.
  • Youcan also email your instructor directly to look-up the site in the University system.
• What if my internship is not an approved site?
  • If you started looking for your internship early enough before the semester, there may be time to get your site vetted before you need to begin your internship.
  • Submit the following information to your field instructor to begin the vetting process:
    
    • Name and address of the organization
    • Full name of the contact
    • Contact email address
    • Contact phone number
• How long does it take to vet an organization thoroughly?
  • It depends on the organizational structure and how big/small it is. If it is a large organization or is outside the state, it can take anywhere from 3-12 months.
  • Mid-size organizations such as non-profit agencies are usually quick and can take 1-2 months if they have general liability insurance.
  • A start-up agency can be difficult to vet because they might not have a site or have liability insurance. It tends to be very difficult to get these types of sites approved.
  • Government agencies, especially non-local government agencies and large hospital systems are the most difficult and can take up to a year to be fully vetted.
• What if my internship is not vetted in time to begin my internship?
  • Unfortunately, if your site is not thoroughly vetted per University policy, you will not be able to do your internship at your desired site.
  • It is our recommendation that you always have 2-3 sites lined up in the event your first choice does not get approved in time.
  • Also, start finding your internship site early. The earlier you begin your search, the more prepared you'll be to start your internship on time.
• Is it my responsibility to get the paperwork on file for University approval?
  • No. It is the responsibility of your class instructor to initiate the approval process.
  • However, it is your responsibility to make sure the site has been approved by following the instructions above.
• Am I guaranteed an internship for this course?
  • No. It is your responsibility to find your own internship and to make sure it is an approved Â鶹ӳ»­ site so you may begin your internship.
  • If you end up in a situation where you cannot find your internship by the class deadline, you will be asked to drop the class and will have to take the course the following semester.

Background checks policy for University programs

Some state, as well as federal laws, now require that any individual who regularly provides services to certain segments of the population (generally, those deemed "vulnerable" or "special," including but not limited to children and the sick) must submit to a criminal background check in order to obtain and maintain privileges in clinical and/or educational settings. Additionally, many sites affiliated with the Â鶹ӳ»­ for educational purposes have adopted this requirement.

It is not Â鶹ӳ»­ policy to perform background checks on all Â鶹ӳ»­ students, and the Â鶹ӳ»­ does not certify or vouch for the background of the students who participate in an internship. Accordingly, an organization must conduct its own background check or require the student to obtain a background check, if the organization wants to determine fitness for duty using that information. It shall be the organization's responsibility to evaluate the results of such background check and determine the student's fitness for duty.

Disclosure: Background check requirements

As a student in the School of Public Health, you may be required to submit to a background check before being assigned to a clinical facility. The clinical facility will review your background and either accept or reject you for clinical placement. If you receive an adverse action notice from the agency conducting the background check, you have the right to contact the director of human resources at the clinical facility where you are being placed. You may explain the adverse action to the clinical facility and request to be accepted for placement at the facility. If the facility rejects you for placement after review and discussion with you, the clinical facility will notify your program and your field education coordinator for your program will attempt to place you at another facility. If you cannot be placed at a clinical facility and failure to have a clinical rotations or internship will prevent you from completing your program, you will be advised to withdraw from the program.

Students must be aware that:

1. If a criminal background check is required for placement at any internship or clinical facility, the expense for the check will be borne by the student or requesting
2. Student's responsibilities: Each student required to provide a criminal background check must provide documentation that they have completed the fingerprinting and criminal background check as required by the clinical facility. Students may need to provide this information prior to beginning a clinical or educational Students need to be aware of the requirements of their program and provide this information in compliance with the stated due date.
3. Results of a criminal background check will not be the property of The University and will not require the submission of results to the School of Public Health or the University.
4. If a student fails to pass a criminal background check they may be ineligible for enrollment and/or participation in the course/activity being
5. The School of Public Health or the University does not accept responsibility for any student being ineligible for coursework or continued enrollment in the School of Public Health for any reason, including failure to pass a criminal background.

Yes. Some agencies, such as Northern Â鶹ӳ»­ Public Health, Renown Health and Saint Mary’s Regional Hospital all require additional documentation, immunizations, drug screenings and/or background checks. Talk to your class instructor on what these requirements are.