The Applied Practice Experience (APE) is a degree requirement for all students in the MPH program, including dual degrees. The APE, typically completed during a student's last semester in the MPH program, is an opportunity for students to apply the knowledge and skills they have learned in the classroom in a professional public health environment. Governmental, non-governmental, non-profit, industrial, for-profit settings or appropriate university-affiliated settings (those that are focused on community engagement) are all potential sites for the APE. Students are welcome to apply to formal internships and fellowships that allow them to meet the APE requirements.
For the APE, the student will work, under the supervision/mentorship of a preceptor at their site, on a project that results in the creation of at least two practical, non-academic work products that demonstrate the attainment of five competencies. The APE is meant to be mutually beneficial to the project site and the student.
International Practice Experience
Students also have the opportunity to complete their APE internationally with SPPH’s Department of Global Health. Students will do an international rotation during which time they will work with long-term collaborators on projects that address needs identified by those partners and the communities they serve. For those that are interested in this opportunity, contact Dr. Robert Rodriguez at roarodri@utmb.edu.
Past APE Sites
Students have completed their Applied Practice Experience at many non- and for-profit sites. Examples of some of these sites include:
- AccessHealth
- American College of Healthcare Executives - Southeast Texas Chapter (ACHE-SETC)
- American Red Cross (D.C.)
- Baylor College of Medicine
- CHRISTUS Our Daily Bread
- City of Galveston Municipal Utilities Dept
- Exploration Medicine
- Family Service Center of Galveston County
- Galveston County Food Bank
- Galveston County Health District
- Galveston Queer’s & Allies
- Galveston Urban Ministries
- Galveston's Own Farmers Market
- Gulf Coast Center
- Harris County Public Health
- Legacy Community Health
- MD Anderson - Dept of Health Disparities Research
- Montgomery County Department of Health & Human Services (MD)
- REACH Coalition
- Region 6/5S - Texas Department of State Health Services
- Sealy Center for Environmental Health & Medicine
- Southeast Texas Poison Center
- St. Vincent's House
- St. Vincent’s Free Clinic
- Texas AHEC East
- Texas HHSC - Austin State Supported Living Center
- University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
- UTMB Institutional Office of Regulation Nonclinical Studies
- UTMB Biocontainment Treatment Unit
- UTMB Center for Global & Community Health
- UTMB Marketing & Communications
- UTMB Special Pathogens Excellence in Clinical Treatment, Readiness, and Education (SPECTRE)
Practice Experience Course Requirements
Students are required to register for SPPH 6070: Applied Practice Experience and earn 4 credit hours towards graduation.
For more information about the APE, please contact Austin Taylor at austaylo@utmb.edu.