Practicum Overview

While in school, students will gain knowledge and skills that will prepare them for their new career. The practicum is designed to provide students with the opportunity to utilize this newfound knowledge under the supervision of medical professionals. Through this system of performance and feedback, students will acquire confidence and viable experience to complement their classroom training.

The practicum will consist of training, usually completed within an academic term. In addition to the off-site practicum hours, students are required to attend weekly on-campus seminars. Each student is expected to accommodate the regular hours of the practicum site, including Saturdays, Sundays, and/or evenings. If a student holds a job and his/her scheduled work schedule conflicts with the practicum hours, then the student’s College program must take precedence. A student in a practicum observes the regularly scheduled office hours of the site assigned, rather than the College’s vacation, holiday, or snow hours. Since a prescribed number of hours is required for practicum, the student is responsible for making up all hours missed due to hours canceled by the office. Students must remain at the site for the duration of their scheduled practicum.

Since the practicum period is a culmination of the student’s program and permits the student to practice in a realistic work setting prior to graduation, it is a prerequisite for a student to satisfactorily complete most courses within the program prior to enrolling in the practicum course.

Students will not receive compensation/payment, monetary or otherwise, for the practicum experience. Although practicum sites may hire a student, under no circumstances are they ever obligated to do so.

It is unrealistic for a student to expect that the practicum site will be in his/her neighborhood setting. Practicum sites may be anywhere within a 30-mile radius of the student’s home campus.