Reference no: EM132704188
Assignment: Public Health Competencies Self-Reflection Paper
The Public Health Competencies Self-Reflection Paper is the last assignment that you will save in your ePortfolio this quarter. In practice-immersion learning, you are both a participant and observer; as a participant, you will be contributing to the organization in which you are completing your practicum and learning new skills. But this is not what makes the experience worthy of academic credit; rather, it is the development of your ability to systematically observe what is going on around you and apply the course competencies. A well-written reflection is a tool that helps you practice moving quickly from your working environment to the didactic curriculum and theories you have learned over the course of your MPH program.
Instructions: First, review the six course competencies carefully. Reflect on the past nine weeks at your practicum site, study of the activities, and projects you have worked on during your practicum, and consider how you have grown as a scholar and practitioner in the public health field.
1. Discuss the public health needs and capacities of the population served by your practicum agency.
• Define public health needs and capacities.
2. Discuss how you have applied a socioecological framework to the development of population-based intervention strategies to improve health and reduce inequities for the population you are serving.
• Define the ecological framework.
• Describe how you would apply an ecological framework to the development and implementation of population-based interventions.
3. Analyze the insights gained concerning gender, race, poverty, history, migration, and culture when working toward health equity at organizational, community, and societal levels.
• Discuss how these determinants undermine health and create challenges.
• Discuss inclusive ways to achieve health equity at organizational, community, and societal levels.
4. Differentiate among availability, acceptability, and accessibility of health care across diverse populations.
• Describe how the population your agency serves is accessing health care and services, accepting the services available, and is willing to make behavioral changes.
• Describe potential ways to improve the current state.
5. Compare your practicum agency to other agencies in terms of structure, systems, and public health practices.
• Define the agency structure, systems, and public health practices.
• Provide examples of the agency structure, systems, and public health practices.
6. Explain how professional ethics and practices relate to equity and accountability in diverse community settings.
• Discuss how your own professional ethics have helped improve health equity for the populations served at your practicum site.
• Identify ways to improve your knowledge, ethics, and practices to better serve diverse communities and populations.
7. Analyze the systems-thinking or building tools you have used at your practicum site.
• Define systems-thinking or building tools.
• Describe how you have employed these tools to influence the community's health behaviors to address health disparities or public health concerns.
• Describe other tools you would like to use.
• Describe how use of these tools would benefit the community.
8. Write following APA style for in-text citations and references.
• Determine the proper application of APA formatting requirements and scholarly writing standards.
• Apply the principles of effective composition.
• Describe any professional and scholarly resources, primarily peer-reviewed journal articles, government Web sites, and experiences gained in the practicum.
9. Write clearly and logically with correct use of spelling and grammar.
• Determine the proper application of the rules of grammar and mechanics.
• Assess the relevance and credibility of information sources.
Remember that your instructor will be providing feedback on your assignments.
Additional Requirements
• Written communication: Written communication is free of errors that detract from the overall message.
• APA formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA style and formatting standards.
• Cited resources: Minimum of three scholarly sources that relate to your professional experiences, points and/or course competencies. All literature cited should be current, with publication dates within the past five years.
• Length of paper: 8-10 double-spaced pages.
• Font and font size: Times New Roman, 12 points.