Can I share practicum work samples with employers?

Practicum deliverables often make strong work samples because they show applied public health work, not just class assignments. However, the work usually belongs to your site, and it may contain data or details that aren't yours to share.

Ask before you share

Before you graduate, ask your preceptor which pieces you can use in applications and how. Get the answer in writing, even if it's just an email. Some organizations are fine with sharing final public-facing materials, such as a published fact sheet or presentation. Internal reports, draft policies, and anything with client or patient information are much more sensitive. Your site's data use rules and your program's policies both apply, so check with them.

Make it safe to share

When you have permission, prepare a clean version:

• Remove names, identifiers, and any record-level or small-cell data
• Replace sensitive figures with aggregated or placeholder values, and note that you did
• Strip internal comments, tracked changes, and file metadata
• Use an excerpt, such as an executive summary, a few key charts, or one section, instead of the full document

Be clear about your role

Add a short note explaining the context, what you personally produced, and who else contributed. If a sample was a team product, say which parts are yours. Employers value accuracy, and your preceptor may be asked about it.

When you can't share it

Describe the work instead. In a portfolio or interview, explain the problem, your approach, the tools you used, and the result without showing the document. You can also recreate a similar product using public data to demonstrate the same skill.

If an application asks for a writing sample, a cleared excerpt of a policy brief, literature review, or report section usually works well. For how to present samples, see building a portfolio that stands out. Then practice talking through your work in interviews.