Global Health Professional Practice Application Process
Update during Covid-19
Dear Students,
After careful deliberation, BScN Program is looking at reintroducing the Global Health Program with the goal of resuming placements in Fall 2022. Admissions process details will be posted shortly.
Based on the information received throughout this application process, the Global Health Education Committee (GHEC) reserves the right to decide whether or not the student is eligible for a Global Health Professional Practice Placement. Our goal is to help you achieve success. You must meet all criteria in order to be eligible for a Global Health Professional Practice Placement. If successful, you will be contacted by the BScN Program Coordinator. All application questions are to be directed to kadic@mcmaster.ca.
Note: Students in the Accelerated (F) Stream of the BScN Program who are interested in a Global Health Professional Practice are strongly encouraged to contact Academic Advising Services during their first term of studies to discuss options.
How to Apply:
Please review the steps involved in obtaining a Global Health Professional Practice Placement as outlined below. Please note the steps below may not occur in the order they are listed.
Important Dates
Note: The deadlines are listed below. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that their file is complete by the deadline.
- Application Deadline: TBA
- Interviews: TBA
- Reference Letter Deadline: TBA
- Pre-departure Documents: TBA
- Pre-departure Workshop: TBA
- Re-Entry Session: TBD
Step 1: Create Your Application Profile
Your profile will consist of the following documents:
A) Cover Sheet
B) Letter of Intent
C) Resume
D) Global Health Clinical Preparation Checklist
A) Cover Sheet
Available under the “Forms” section
B) Letter of Intent
The Letter of Intent must meet the following criteria:
- 3-page maximum
- 1" margins
- 12-point font
- single-spaced
- Addressed to Nina Cavey, GHEC Chair and the Global Health Education Committee
The Letter of Intent should address the following subjects:
- Why you are interested in a Global Placement; outline your goals
- Your geographic preference
- Your knowledge of the site you wish to visit (i.e. geography, history, demographics, health care system, priority health care issues, role of nursing, etc.)
- Your clinical focus (i.e. community or other)
- Type of population you may care for
- Your language skills (if relevant to the language of care)
- Your knowledge of the nursing profession in the country or role of the nurse in the clinical setting
- How this placement will differ from those in Southern Ontario
- Which term you plan to complete your global placement (Spring/Summer or Fall).
C) Resume
D) Global Health Clinical Preparation Checklist
- Submit a completed Global Health Clinical Preparation Checklist. Found under "Forms" section
- This form helps you organize the planning of your professional practice placement and gives the Global Health Education Committee (GHEC) an idea of how far along you are in the process. The more thorough you are in completing this form the better it will give the Committee an idea of your level of commitment to the application process
Application Deadline: TBA
To submit your Application Profile. Please save all four documents listed above in one PDF file using the following file name template: 'Global Health Placement Application - YEAR - YOUR NAME'.
Email file to Mediha Kadic (kadic@mcmaster.ca) with subject line "Global Health Placement Application - YOUR NAME"
Step 2: The Interview
The documents submitted in your Application Profile (Step 1) will be assessed by the Global Health Education Committee (GHEC) and, if complete and successful, you will be contacted to attend an interview.
Successful applicants will be interviewed by two faculty members who are members of the GHEC. One of the Interviewers will typically be from your BScN site. Interviews are scored. Should you fail the Interview, you will not have the opportunity for a second attempt and will not proceed to the next level of the screening process.
In preparation for the Interview, review your Letter of Intent (Step 1A) and consider the following:
- Your understanding of BScN curriculum
- The SON philosophy of learning
- NURSING 4J07 course aims as they relate to your planned practice placement (refer to N4J07 Course Curriculum on Avenue).
- The challenges of being placed in your planned setting.
- Your personal attributes for success, including interpersonal, problem - solving, group skills, etc.
Step 3: Academic Record
Your grade report will be reviewed by Academic Advising Services to ensure that you meet the minimum academic requirements for success. If your academic record does not meet the requirements, you will be informed by the Chair of the Global Health Education Committee (GHEC).
Prerequisites include but are not limited to:
- A GPA of 8.0 from all mandatory HTHSCI/NURSING courses in Level II and Fall term of Level III (Basic Stream); Winter term Level II and Fall term Level III (Post RPN Stream); Fall, Winter, and Spring/Summer terms Level III (Accelerated)
- A grade of ‘P’ (Pass) in all Professional Practice NURSING courses
- A minimum grade of C- in NURSING 4H03
Step 4: Letters of Reference
Using the standardized reference form, found under "Forms" section, submit two Letters of Reference to Mediha Kadic
(kadic@mcmaster.ca) by 4:30 PM on TBD (Basic and Post Diploma RPN Stream) and by 4:30 PM on TBD (Accelerated Stream)
For Basic (A) Stream students: Letters of reference from clinical tutors (one from Level II and one from Level III)
For Post Diploma RPN (E) Stream students: One from a clinical tutor and one from an employer.
For Accelerated (F) Stream students: Letters of reference from professional practice tutors (one from term 1 and one from term 2 of their first academic year).