Field Experience
Field Experiences
The Health Sciences department’s required field experience course provides senior level students with an on-site experience working within local hospitals, nursing homes, government regulatory agencies, or non-profit organizations dedicated to public health or health advocacy.
Placements in the field are arranged with and supervised by a faculty member. On-site supervision is provided by a preceptor within the host organization. During the course of their field placement, students will have many opportunities to learn from practitioners and to practice their professional skills in real world settings. In the field, students will be expected to apply concepts and skills from their previous coursework to practical problems in their organization. The field experience also offers students a unique opportunity to “test drive” a career. A successful internship will provide students with letters of reference, networking opportunities, and first hand experience in the “real world” prior to graduation.
Students obtain a field placement through a process of mutual selection. Working with the department’s Field Experience Coordinator, students prepare a resume and a cover letter that summarizes their qualifications, skills, and interests and contact organizations. Currently, the program has an ongoing relationship with more than 40 different placement sites in the greater Providence area and Boston. Once students have selected a site, they must develop a learning agreement that specifies the objectives, activities, supervision, and daily responsibilities for the internship. This form is required by the College and must be signed in order for students to receive credit in the course. All students must complete 120 hours of work at a field experience site to earn credit for HPM 450.
HEALTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONS OF INTEREST
Athletic Trainer
Consultant
Data Analyst
Dietician
EHR/Health IT
Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic
EPI/Public Health
Finance / Accounting
Geriatrics/Long Term Care
Human Resources
Hospital/Healthcare Administration
Insurance
Law/Policy/Regulation
Massage Therapist
Nurse
Occupational Therapist
Pharmacologist
Physical Therapist
Physician Assistant/Medical Doctor
Quality Improvement
Researcher
Social Worker
Speech Language Pathologist
Substance Use Rehabilitation/Counselor
*This list is not exhaustive
ACTIVE FIELD EXPERIENCE SITES
Bay State Physical Therapy – Providence
BCBSRI
Brown University Health – Connect for Health
Care Transformation Collaborative of RI
Crouse Medical Practice
Healthy Babies, Happy Moms Inc.
Highbar Physical Therapy
Kent Hospital – Patient Experience
My Brother’s Keeper
Next Step Counseling
Office of the Heealth Insurance Commissioner
PACE-RI
Partnership to Reduce Cancer in Rhode Island
Rhode Island Hospital
Learn More
For more information about hosting HPM students as interns, or to learn more about the internship experience, please contact the HPM Field Experience Coordinator, Dr. Alexandrya Cairns.
Student Internship Presentations – 2025
