Preceptors must first be registered to access APEx.
Please consult the UAB academic calendar for specifics on semester dates, open registration, and add/drop deadlines.
| The semester before you plan to complete your practicum | Meet with your Practicum Coordinator. Students should contact their practicum coordinator to schedule a meeting to discuss the practicum requirements and registration process. |
| ~2-3 months prior to start of practicum | Determine who will serve as your preceptor (site supervisor) at your site. Once you have entered your preceptor’s information into APEx, the OPHP will receive a notification to verify and request approval for your preceptor to be added to the system. Depending on if your preceptor already has an account, is internal to UAB, has a UABMC account, or is external to UAB, the time for approval could take as little as a few minutes to a couple of days; there are additional steps UABMC employees and external preceptor will need to take before they are approved and can access APEx. |
| ASAP after securing your practicum position. | Complete the Practicum Proposal form. This form must be approved and approved by your practicum preceptor and faculty advisor BEFORE you can register for the course and start your practicum. If you complete the practicum proposal form before we are able to verify your preceptor, you will not be able to submit the form. Once your preceptor has been approved, you will receive an email. At that time, you can log back into APEx and submit your proposal. Your faculty advisor and preceptor will automatically receive an email requesting they approve the PP form once submitted. If you do not see your faculty advisor listed in the APEx portal, please contact ophp@uab.edu. Students who enrolled in Fall 2020 and after must complete a background check prior to registring for the practicum (see instructions). |
| Prior to the first day of class | Hold should be lifted from the practicum course by your program coordinator (this will not be available until signatures for your PP form are on file from your Faculty Advisor and Preceptor). |
| Prior to the last day for open registration | Register for the appropriate practicum course for 3 or 6 credit hours. |
| First day of classes for the semester | You cannot start your practicum prior to this date and you must be registered for the 3-credit or 6-credit practicum course under your faculty advisor before starting |
| Every 30 days after you start your practicum | Complete a Monthly Reflection every 30 days after you start your practicum in the APEx portal (i.e. if you start Aug. 24th, you would complete your first monthly reflection when you begin and then additional monthly reflections on Sept. 24, Oct. 24, Nov. 24). Your faculty advisor will be able to leave comments on each of your monthly reflections. |
| Half-way through your practicum (approx. 180 hours with the hosting organization) | Request that your preceptor complete the online Preceptor Midpoint Evaluation of Student Performance in the APEx portal |
| Last day of classes by 5:00PM | All hours and deliverables must be completed and submitted in APEx. 1) Final Work Product(s) which demonstrate DrPH Foundational Competencies #1, #5, and #11 and two (2) Departmental Competencies 2) Written Report summarizing results with suggested recommendations for action, a reflective component of student’s personal and/or professional reactions to the practicum, and description of how the practicum demonstrated the DrPH Foundational and Departmental competencies 3) Presentation of your practicum experience (please work with your faculty advisor to determine when/where you will present) 4) Completed Hour Log for your preceptor to approve 5) Student Final Reflection of Practicum Experience 6) Request that your preceptor complete the Preceptor Final Evaluation of Student Performance |
