Internship International Public Health

URL study guide

https://studiegids.vu.nl/en/courses/2024-2025/AM_471139

Course Objective

The aims of the master’s internship are: · The student learns to independently conduct scientific research. · The student is able to independently find scientific information and to evaluate this for the benefit of his or her own research question. · The student is able to apply scientific methods and knowledge, to answer research questions and to generate evidence‐based knowledge. · The student is able to formulate a research question, to choose, to implement and to evaluate the (appropriate) research method, and to phrase the obtained results in a scientific report. · The student is able to cooperate with researchers of various disciplines. · The student is able to write a scientific report of the research on the level of peer-reviewed academic journals. · The student is able to orally present the research results and to discuss the findings. · The student obtains a good impression of a potential future field of career.

Course Content

The internship is a compulsory part of the one year specialisation as part of the regular master Biomedical Sciences and therefore needs to have a biomedical context. The internship has to be preceded by a draft research proposal. During the internship, you write an extended research design, collect your data and you do the final analysis. Finally you present your findings both orally and in a report.

Teaching Methods

Internship, under supervision of VU-staff.

Method of Assessment

Formative: Within six weeks after the start of the internship a Go/No Go evaluation is made by the VU supervisor. The aim of this interim evaluation is to decide whether the project and the student both have enough potential to continue (Go) or not (No Go). This evaluation is based on:
• Written material by the student: either the Introduction or Methods section of the report or both.
• Attitude of the student and execution of the project during the initial stage. Summative: The final assessment of the internship is undertaken by the VU-supervisor and the second assessor. In the final assessment, the VU supervisor assesses four different aspects of the internship:
• the attitude of the student
• the execution of the research (40%)
• the final report (40%): average of both assessors
• the oral presentation (20%) The second assessor provides an assessment of the final report only. Only if all marks for each category given by the VU-Supervisor and the Second assessor are a 5.5 or higher, will the thesis/placement be regarded as sufficient. In addition, the student has to pass the category attitude.

Target Audience

MSc Biomedical Sciences, specialization International Public Health

Custom Course Registration

Internships can only start when the draft research proposal is approved by the specialization coördinator and the master's coordinator, at least two weeks in advance (assignment on Canvas). Only when the proposal and agreements have been fully approved, you can start the internship (on the set date). The Placement Manual and Thesis and Placement Regulations describe the process of completing the internship from the beginning to the final stage. The various stages of the process will be supported by assignments and links to forms.

Additional Information

The Placement Manual is based upon the 'Thesis and Placement Regulations ' of the Faculty of Science and the 'Teaching and Examination Regulations' (TER). Duration of the internship is one semester (30 EC). The internship cannot overlap in time with courses or the literature thesis.

Entry Requirements

The student is enrolled in the Master’s programme Biomedical Sciences of which the internship is part. The student attended and passed the courses: o AM_1255 Research Methods for Health Sciences (ór AM_470817, 6EC, Research Methods for Need Assessments) o AM_470127 Containment Strategies of Infectious Diseases in Global Context o AM_470819 Policy, Management and Organization in International Public Health The second internship can only start after passing the first internship.

Explanation Canvas

On Canvas you can find the Placement manual, Thesis and Placement Regulations, examples and more. Also the assignment for the research proposal and other links/forms can be found on Canvas.