Information sessions and resume workshops are offered at various times throughout the academic year. All sessions are via Zoom.

The information session will provide students with all the information they need about the application process and what to expect from the placement, while the resume/interview skills workshop will help students become competitive candidates as they apply for these opportunities.

Before applying, each student must attend these sessions. If you cannot attend for some reason, email experiencefhs@uwo.ca to make alternative arrangements.

Please see session dates and registration links here.

Western FHS uses a program called InPlace to gather applications and match students with employers. InPlace is also used to submit some (but not all) pre-placement requirements (see below).

To apply for the practicum on InPlace:

1. Visit https://uwo-ca.inplacesoftware.com and click the blue Staff and Students button.
2. Click the first item on your To Do List on the left side of the page.
3. After entering your personal information, answer the Program for Placement question by selecting the practicum courses you wish to apply for. Then, click Save in the bottom right corner.
4. The remaining application questions will appear. Complete all questions and remember to save your answers by clicking Save in the bottom right corner.
5. While the application is open, you can edit your answers by selecting My Details from the tabs at the top of the page. This will take you to your questions and saved answers.

IMPORTANT: Please note that there is no final submit button. If you have saved your answers to all required questions before the application deadline, your application is complete.

6. Within one week of the application deadline, you will receive an email from experiencefhs@uwo.ca confirming that your application has been received. Applications must be fully completed to be considered for a placement.

Not all applicants will be accepted. Applicants will receive communication regarding acceptance or rejection via their Western email account. Placements may vary from year to year, depending on the needs of the organizations.


The application deadlines for all practicum applications are as follows:

• Fall (and Full-Year) Practicum:
  
  • Applications open: March 1
  • Application deadline: April 1
• Winter Practicum:
  
  • Applications open: September 15
  • Application deadline: October 1

*Please note that if the deadline falls on a weekend or statutory holiday, the deadline will be the next business day.

Once the Experiential Learning Team has reviewed all applications, they will match students with employers.

Students will receive an email from their prospective preceptor (supervisor) with details for an interview. Once the interview is completed, the student and supervisor will indicate whether the placement is a good fit.

The student should email experiencefhs@uwo.ca within 48 hours of attending the interview to indicate if they are accepting the placement or not. If the placement is declined by the student, there is no guarantee that the student will be matched with another organization.

If both the student and the employer indicate ‘yes’ and accept the placement, the EL team will confirm that the student can begin the pre-placement requirements.

Find your own placement. If you have a mentor, a specific organization of interest, or connections from a past place of employment, let us know and we can see if it’s eligible to count for credit as a Foods and Nutrition EL placement. This will guarantee your spot with that organization, and you will get a guaranteed match.

Synergy

Western’s Faculty of Health Sciences uses a program called Synergy to ensure all pre-placement requirements are met.

There are different types of Synergy requirements. The EL Team will notify each student which level they fall under.

• Synergy Basic:
  • N-95 Mask Fit (if applicable)
  • Vulnerable Sector check (if applicable) - Note: the VSC can take a few weeks, so students should submit this as soon as possible. Also, if students require a supplementary letter for the VSC (usually OPP areas), email experiencefhs@uwo.ca
• Synergy Basic, Enhanced: all documents above in addition to, but not limited to, childhood vaccinations, TB Test (2 step), Covid vaccine, flu shot etc. The employer determines which vaccinations are necessary and this will be communicated to each student separately. If your placement requires a Synergy Enhanced clearance, the immunization review will be built into your ERV Review ($52.50 total). You do not need to book a separate immunization review after the ERV review).
  
  
• Remote placements: No Synergy requirements are necessary for entirely remote placements. Students, however, must provide completion of Western’s “Office Ergonomics at Work” online training module.

IMPORTANT: Each employer may have their own separate requirements that must be completed in addition to the Synergy requirements below (e.g. CPR, First Aid, etc.). It is the student’s responsibility to contact their supervisor and ask if there are any additional requirements. Proof of completion should be given as a hard copy to the supervisor on the first day of the placement.

Each student must book an Electronic Requirement Verification (ERV) appointment to verify uploaded documents. The fee for the ERV Review is $27.50. If all requirements are met, the student will receive a ‘Pass’. If the placement requirements Basic, Enhanced clearance the immunization review will be included at the same time as the ERV Review (for a total of $52.50).

If you need to book an immunization add on (if you have Synergy Basic, Enhanced), there is an additional charge of $31.25. You must book the immunization review after you’ve had your ERV Review.

• Students can reschedule the ERV review as many times as they like at no fee. All they need to do is ensure they reschedule their review before 9am on the date of their review to be able to do so.
• If students are missing one or more documents at the time of their review, they will receive a Fail status and can book a follow up review at a reduced $10 to update their documents including their VSC. No matter the number of times they fail they will always be able to book their follow up at the reduced fee.
• Only when students need to update their documents will they need to book a new review at the full fee.

IMPORTANT: Students cannot start the placement until all preplacement requirements are completed. Getting all required testing, documents, and booking the ERV takes time. Start early to avoid placement start-date delay.

Student Declaration & Ergonomics at Work

Once students have matched with the placement employer, the EL Team will send a student declaration form. Each student must complete, sign, and return this form to InPlace.

If the placement is entirely or partly remote, proof of completion for Western’s “Office Ergonomics at Work” online training module should be uploaded to InPlace.

Read our student pre-placement requirements guide here.

Once these have been completed:

• Synergy Basic (or Basic, Enhanced)
• Ergonomics at Work (if applicable)
• Student Declaration

• Read every email from the EL Team completely and carefully! Our team will send out information about requirements, timelines, and everything you need for the placement. If you still have a question after you have reviewed all the information carefully, email us.
• Start EARLY. As soon as you get the information about your pre-placement requirements (VSC, mask fit, vaccinations, etc.) get it started right away. Requirements take time (up to 8 weeks!) to complete and you cannot start the placement without them.
• Trust the EL Team – and please be patient! The EL Team has placed hundreds of students and works with dozens of employers. We know what placement will have the best impact on your career aspirations, skills, and goals. Also, remember that we are working with over 200 students at any given time so give us time to respond to your emails.
• Commit to your placement. Before deciding to accept a placement, consider all aspects of that placement (location, responsibilities, etc.). When you and your supervisor have confirmed a match, it is your responsibility to keep it and not back out at the last minute.