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MPH PRACTICUM COMMITMENT FORM

Baylor University MPH Program in Community Health Science
PRACTICUM STUDENT
Student Name: Christopher Amezcua Semester/year of practicum(e.g., Sum2023):
Sum2023

Phone number (include area code): 281-673-7746 Date to begin practicum (e.g., 6-1-11): 6-14-23

Email: chris_amezcualopez1@baylor.edu Date to end practicum (e.g., 8-14-11): 8-8-23.

Mailing Address (street/box, city, state, zip): 4610 Red Fox Circle, Baytown, Tx, 77523

PRACTICUM ORGANIZATION/PROGRAM
Organization: Baylor in Brazil Program, Baylor Website URL:
University https://www.baylor.edu/publichealth/index.php?id=950602

Address (street address, city, state, zip): Primary health-related service/mission:

One Bear Place #97343, Waco, TX 76798-7343 To equip Brazil churches in southeast Brazil to
Mailing Address (if different from street address): promote health and wellness in their underserved
neighborhoods.
PRACTICUM SUPERVISOR
Name: Dr. Eva Doyle Degrees/Certifications: PhD, MSEd/MCHES

Title: : Full Professor, Department Chair, & Primary responsibilities/expertise: university administrator,
Graduate Program Director (& Director, Baylor instructor of public health intervention development & global
in Brazil) health, experience in community-based health promotion

Program/Department/Division: Years of work experience: >30 years

Dept. of Public Health, Baylor University
Phone: : 254.710.4023 Years of experience in public health/community health: : >30
years
Fax: N/A Email: Eva_Doyle@baylor.edu

Mailing Address (if different from organization):

UNIVERSITY FACULTY SUPERVISOR*

Name: Dr. Eva Doyle Phone: 254.710.4023

Organization (may be different from host organization): Email: Eva_Doyle@baylor.edu

Dept. of Public Health, Baylor University
Mailing Address: Fax: N/A
One Bear Place #97343, Waco, TX 76798

* Faculty member who will supervise the student’s practicum work as instructor of record for PUBH 5V94

BAYLOR PRACTICUM COORDINATOR

Name: Dr. Beth Lanning Phone: (254) 710-4027
Title: Director, MPH in Community Health Science Email: Beth_Lanning@baylor.edu
Address: Department of Public Health, One Bear Place #97343, Waco, TX, 76798-7343
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Organization:
My practicum placement is the Baylor in Brazil Summer Study Abroad Program
(Sponsors: Baylor Department of Public Health/Department of Biology). Its mission is to engage
students and faculty in global community-based partnerships that can impact the health of
communities. It provides health promotion programs in communities and schools, training and
partnership support for local churches interested in developing community health programs. We
will be working in partnership with churches and the underserved communities they work with in
the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil. Our program supervisor is Dr. Eva Doyle, Director, BIB
program. She has a PhD in health education, master certified health education specialist
(MCHES). She has Over 30 years promoting health in U.S.-based populations (schools, seasonal
farmworkers, low-income urban communities) and in global settings (Brazil, Armenia, and
Romania). She began teaching/mentoring university students in 1991. Her responsibilities
include Co-directs program; leads development/implementation of/supervises students in
community-based health promotion projects; teaches global public health course.
Rationale:
This practicum fits my careers goals through certain aspects. I want to be able use my
experience to engage more in global health related areas and to be involved in underserved
communities. In the future, I hope that my career in medicine will allow me to engage with
global populations, to travel and provide education and medicine to underserved populations. I
want to connect with people who are different from me and learn from a new culture I haven’t
been exposed to.
Competency Matrix:

PRACTICUM COMPETENCY MATRIX Competency-based Products for MPH Practicum e-

Folio: Christopher Amezcua
Specific products in e-Folio that demonstrate Competency: MPH Foundational (MPHb ) or
application or practice Community Health Science (CHSCc )
Competency
Implemented at least two presentations related to MPH: 18. Select communication strategies for
bullying and its health effects to Brazilian different audiences and sectors
community groups MPH: 8. Apply awareness of cultural values
and practices to the design or implementation
of public health policies or programs.
MPH: 19. Communicate audience-appropriate
public health content, both in writing and
through oral presentation
CHSC: 1. Describe factors that influence the
process by which people learn
CHSC: 2. Describe factors that enhance or
impede the process of health
education/promotion
Helped coordinate at least two community health MPH: 7. Assess population needs, assets and
fairs in which community members received capacities that affect communities’ health
health information relevant to their daily lives. MPH: 8. Apply awareness of cultural values
and practices to the design or implementation
of public health policies or programs
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MPH: 19. Communicate audience-appropriate

public health content, both in writing and
through oral presentation.
CHSC:1. Describe factors that influence the
process by which people learn
CHSC: 6. Integrate implementation methods
into a health education/promotion plan

Explanation of Competency Matrix/Planned Products:

For this practicum, I plan on implementing a presentation on bullying and its effects to a
young audience of Brazilian youth. It’s important the youth learn about bullying since it’s
prevalent among this population and within social media. This planned presentation will educate
them about a topic that is relevant and relatable to them. Specific MPH and CHSC competencies
are tied to this planned project. Selecting a communication strategy such as a visual presentation
or interactive material adjusted for their literacy level will be effective in educating them on
topics related to bullying. The material must be age appropriate so the audience can understand
what we are trying to communicate. Social media specifically Tik Toc is a big presence among
the youth so talking to them about using social media tied with bullying can be a useful tool to
relate to them because they are familiar with the app. Understanding the Brazilian culture is
important in developing an effective presentation to the youth because it’ll be directly tied to
their culture which they can relate to.
When it comes to the community health specific competencies, I choose these two
competencies due to the population I’m engaging with and my lack of knowledge regarding
methods of promoting health education for the Brazilian youth. Being able to determine the
factors that influence the process of how these youths learn will assist me in creating an effective
presentation and activities. Understanding and learning these factors, I will be able to see their
perspective on learning. With this knowledge, I would be able to create and implement methods
related to health education and promotion. Knowing these factors, we will be able to effectively
communicate our mission statement and make an impact on the health of the community.
Gaining these skills related to these two competencies would provide me the opportunity to use
these skills anywhere once this practicum is complete.
A public health fair can be beneficial to a community. We can provide knowledge and
resources to members of the community. Engaging with the community, we can determine their
needs and capabilities. Creating a tailored public health fair by determining what is and what is
not needed can prove to be helpful to the community. Community members of different ages will
attend so it is important that we can provide resources and information that can be useful for
them. Tailoring to the specific audience and providing audience specific information, we’ll be
able to reach a broader audience. Adapting the health information, we have for them is crucial so
they can understand and relate to it. Doing all of this, we can further develop community health
programs in the churches we are working with and increase the health of the community.
These experiences will help me grow my skills and knowledge. Being able to go to
Brazill will give me the opportunity to grow in areas related to my MPH and CHSC
competencies. Applying my education into practice will give me a different perspective from a
classroom setting
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Professional Strengths and Expected Growth:

I have had some previous experience with international travel in the past, exposing
myself with diverse cultures and people of different backgrounds. It teaches you how to interact
with people of different backgrounds and to have cultural humility, to engage and ask questions
about the culture which helped me build relationships with people. I love to interact with people
and enjoy getting to hear about who they are and their story. The difficult part for me is first
engaging with people due to my hesitancy of being shy. Being able to talk to an audience is
another weakness of mine. Through the competencies of engaging and communicating with the
audience, I hope to grow through my communication skills and abilities. I also hope to grow my
cultural humility and learn more about the people of Brazil.