Bachelor of Health Sciences placement

HLTH3001 Practicum in Health Sciences has been developed to provide final year Health Science students with hands-on work experience in a health-related work environment. The course will draw from the student's accumulated knowledge and skill base and prepare them for future employment within the health care industry. The course also delivers important vocational skills training.

Placement

HLTH3001 Practicum in Health Sciences

(90 hours; 1 day per week for 13 weeks)

Practicum aims

HLTH3001 will provide students with the opportunity to:

Gain a minimum of 90 hrs of supervised work experience in a health-related work setting
Integrate key professional skills and competencies and apply them successfully in a real-world environment
Develop professional modes of behaviour suitable for the workplace
Broaden understanding of employment options within the health sector
Develop employment-seeking skills

Pre-placement requirements

Students must have completed 2 full years of the Bachelor of Health Sciences program.

Students should meet with the Course Coordinator before the end of Semester 1 for Semester 2 enrolment in HLTH3001 of the same year to discuss the practicum and their preferred placement.

Students must review the HLTH3001 Placement Handbook (PDF, 667.8 KB) prior to commencing this course.

Students must have completed the required checklist items (i.e., blue card application, hepatitis B vaccination schedule, met with the course coordinator) before enrolling in this course.

For placement providers

Placement Providers can review the HLTH3001 Placement Information Sheet (PDF, 1 MB) to gain an understanding of the types of activities a student might undertake whilst on placement.

HWQld has partnered with UQ to provide emerging public health professionals the opportunity to better understand the importance of working across sectors to achieve public health outcomes. The industry placements provided opportunities for students to work directly with public health workforce in exploring and applying strategies to halt the high rates of obesity in Queensland, whilst gaining critical understanding of the challenges and complexities involved. It was rewarding to be part of the students’ practical experience as they develop skills in evidence based practice, literature review and analysis, stakeholders engagement, and communication to a diverse audience. HWQld gains valuable insights from engaged and proactive students who raised profound questions and challenged perspectives we may not have otherwise considered.
Judy Nean, Senior Director, Health Promotion
Health and Wellbeing Queensland

Additional information

Are we required to find our own placement sites or are they allocated to us?

Most placements will be allocated to students taking into account their areas of interest, however if a student has a contact at a specific organisation that may be suitable for a placement, they should contact the course coordinator.

Can I undertake a placement in a regional or remote area?

There are a small number of regional and remote placements throughout the year, if you are interested in these please contact your course coordinator. These placements are usually self-funded for travel and accommodation, however at times the School of Public Health can provide some additional funds to support students with these costs.

Can I undertake a placement interstate or overseas?

Occasionally students have completed placements that are interstate or overseas, however these have been organised by the student who has had existing contacts at the location and placement organisation. If the students think they have a suitable placement option outside of Queensland, they should contact the course coordinator to see if it is a viable option.