Occupational Therapy

Occupational Therapy
Western Michigan University
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5333 USA
(269) 387-7260

Fieldwork

 
Fieldwork connects what you learn in the classroom with supervised clinical experience to give you the skills to become a competent occupational therapy practitioner. Whether you are in the undergraduate OTA program or in the OTD doctoral program, your fieldwork is broken down into Level I and Level II experiences.

  • Level I Fieldwork: Early in your program, you will participate in a in depth clinical experience supervised by WMU faculty. During Level I fieldwork, you will assess clients, develop and implement treatment plans, evaluate individual's progress, and work interprofessionally with other fields.
  • Level II Fieldwork: At the end of your academic program, you will participate in this full-time clinical experience in a clinic, hospital, school or community agency, where you will be supervised by a clinical practitioner. During Level II fieldwork experiences, you will further develop clinical skills and professional behaviors you will need as an entry-level OT practitioner. Level II fieldwork is guided by Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards.

Learn more below. You can also contact the WMUOT fieldwork coordinator with questions.

Level I Fieldwork Locations

Grand Rapids Michigan skyline

Grand Rapids Clinics

GR locations
Kalamazoo Michigan skyline

Kalamazoo Clinics

Kalamazoo locations

Level I Fieldwork

During Level I Fieldwork you will get in-depth clinical experience, participating in the OT process with clients in the community, while supervised by full-time or part-time WMU faculty. 

You will develop assessment skills, develop and implement treatment plans, evaluate individual's progress, and work interprofessionally with other fields. In addition, you will develop professional behaviors and documentation skills required to become an entry-level practitioner. A group supervision model is used to facilitate peer learning.

 The WMU OT academic fieldwork coordinator and faculty members serving as fieldwork educators ensure that these ACOTE (2018) standards are met in all level I fieldwork courses:

Ensure that qualified personnel supervise level I fieldwork.

  • The supervision in for all WMU’s level I fieldwork experiences is provided by an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant.
  • The Department Head approves workload for WMU faculty supervising fieldwork experiences and reviews the credential of the additional adjunct faculty hired to teach some of the Level I Fieldwork experiences. The level I fieldwork supervisor is the instructor of record for level I fieldwork courses.

Document that level I fieldwork is provided to students and is not substituted for any part of the level II fieldwork. Ensure that level I fieldwork is integral to the program’s curriculum design and include experiences designed to enrich didactic coursework through directed observation and participation in selected aspects of the occupational therapy process and include mechanisms for formal evaluation of student performance.

  • WMU’s level I fieldwork experiences allow students to practice the assessment, intervention skills, and documentation skills they have learned in the classroom curriculum with real clients in the community.
  • WMU provides clearly documented student learning objectives expected of each level I fieldwork.
  • WMU level I fieldwork experiences are one-semester courses with a formal midterm and final evaluation. Students are given a pass/fail score at the end of the course based on the performance evaluation results. The level I fieldwork evaluations are shared with the academic fieldwork coordinator. All level I fieldwork experiences must be completed successfully before registering for the level II fieldwork courses.  
Image

WMU Clinical Feature

In April 2019, our level I fieldwork clinics were featured in the American Occupational Therapy Association's OT Practice Magazine.

If you have an AOTA account, please read the Faculty-Facilitated Clinics With a Group Supervision Model written by WMU OT faculty members: Sara Clark, Holly Grieves, Nancy Hock, Michelle Suarez, and Tracy Young. 

Level II Fieldwork

Level II fieldwork experience is a full-time, supervised clinical experience in a clinic environment, hospital, school or community agency. You will focus on developing and integrating clinical skills and professional behaviors in designated practice areas to ensure your competence as an entry-level practitioner. These experiences occur in the community at two separate clinical sites and are designed in accordance with Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards.

Level II fieldwork experiences occur at the end of your academic program.

You will be matched with a clinical site based on your interests, academic performance, professional behaviors and geographical location. You will be exposed to a variety of practice areas to prepare you for the NBCOT exam and for future employment as a generalist OT practitioner.

Peer learning

During level II fieldwork, you will participate in online course discussions about your clinical experiences (while respecting site and patient confidentiality, of course). These valuable peer-learning conversations will cover topics like ethics, evidence-based practice and psychosocial factors that impact occupational performance.

Learning about your fieldwork site

The WMU OT department has an online repository of information on all of our Level II Fieldwork sites. Once you're assigned a fieldwork site, you must review all available material on your site before your start date. In addition to weekly expectations and site-specific objectives, which will be critical to know before you begin at a site, you will also have access to AOTA data, previous student evaluations of fieldwork experience, site visit reports and other documentation that may be very beneficial to you as you begin your fieldwork assignment.

Other site requirements

Fieldwork sites may have certain requirements - background checks, immunization history and titers (MMR, varicella, Hepatitis B), drug screens, training, certifications, etc. - before beginning your experience at their location. WMU uses CastleBranch to track such student information.

Other student resources

WHO DOES A FIELDWORK EDUCATOR TALK TO ABOUT MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO TAKE A STUDENT?

Please contact Sara Clark at @email or Dr. Cara Masselink at @email to make arrangements to accept a level II fieldwork student.

HOW MANY HOURS ARE REQUIRED FOR LEVEL I AND LEVEL II FIELDWORK?

  • Our students participate in a minimum of 45 hours for each level I fieldwork experience. Level I fieldwork rotations are offered in 8 week (summer I, summer II for OTD program) or 15 week terms (spring, fall for OTA program).
  • For the OTD program, level II fieldwork experiences are full-time as defined by the clinical site, for 12 weeks each, in accordance with Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards. For the OTA program, Level II fieldwork experiences are full-time as defined by the clinical site for 8 weeks each, in accordance with Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) standards.

WHEN DO STUDENTS COMPLETE LEVEL I FIELDWORK DURING WMU’S ACADEMIC PROGRAM? 

For WMU’s entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program, students begin their first level I fieldwork experience in their fourth semester and will have subsequent level I fieldwork experiences until in their sixth semester. Please see an example of our typical OTD program progression. For WMU’s entry-level occupational therapy assistant bachelor’s degree program, students begin their first level I fieldwork experience in their third semester and will have a second level I fieldwork experience in their fourth semester. Please see an example of our typical OTA program progression

WHEN DO STUDENTS COMPLETE LEVEL II FIELDWORK DURING WMU’S ACADEMIC PROGRAM?

At WMU, level II fieldwork is completed at the end of the academic program. For the OTD program, this is just prior to the capstone experience. Please see our sample OTD academic curriculum and sample OTA academic curriculum.

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS FOR FIELDWORK?

Students are required to submit evidence of a physical assessment, immunizations record, criminal background check, drug screen, TB test, flu shot, HIPAA training and CPR certification and other site-specific documents as requested.

WHERE CAN A STUDENT PERFORM LEVEL II FIELDWORK? 

There are a variety of practice settings in which students can perform level II fieldwork including but not limited acute care hospitals, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation facilities, outpatient pediatric rehabilitation, mental health facilities, school systems, outpatient adult rehabilitation, home health care and nontraditional settings. WMU’s OT program meets the Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) requirement that all level I and level II fieldwork experience has “include a psychosocial objective” (C.1.3) and that “at least one fieldwork experience (either level I or level II) must address practice in behavioral health, or psychological and social factors influencing engagement in occupation“ (C.1.17).

WHAT IS WMU’S ATTENDANCE POLICY FOR FIELDWORK?

The level II fieldwork site and the academic program together collaborate to decide time off during fieldwork. The student is responsible to meet the time requirements of the placement. 

When a student completes a placement in a school system, WMU has a specific school system tracking form to track the days off and make-up projects and experiences to account for those days.

DOES THE FIELDWORK EDUCATOR NEED TO BE ON-SITE ALL OF THE TIME AND/OR EVERY DAY?

ACOTE Standard C.1.13 states that “supervision is direct and then decreases to less direct supervision as appropriate for the setting, the severity of the client’s condition, and the ability of the student to support progression toward entry-level competence." Supervision should also be consistent with state licensure regulations, reimbursement guidelines such as Medicare and Medicaid, and facility policy. Unless specified by reimbursement guidelines or other regulatory requirements, supervision need not always be "line of sight." Telephones, mobile phones, or other communications technologies may supplement on-site supervision.

Remember that other professionals can participate in student supervision, but the primary supervisor must be an OT practitioner. The ACOTE Standards permit Level II Fieldwork to be in a setting where there is no occupational therapist employed by the facility. In such cases, the program must document that there is a plan for the provision of supervision by an OTR.

On-site supervision must be provided in accordance with the plan and state credentialing requirements, and the student must receive a minimum of eight hours of occupational therapy supervision per week, including direct observation of client interaction. Additionally, the OT FWEd must be readily available for communication and consultation during work hours.

DOES THE FIELDWORK EDUCATOR NEED TO BE ON SITE ALL THE TIME AND/OR EVERY DAY WITH THEIR LEVEL II FIELDWORK STUDENT? 

ACOTE Standard C.1.13 states that, “supervision is direct and then decreases to less direct supervision as appropriate for the setting, the severity of the client’s condition, and the ability of the student to support progression toward entry-level competence." Supervision should also be consistent with state licensure regulations, reimbursement guidelines such as Medicare and Medicaid, and facility policy. Unless specified by reimbursement guidelines or other regulatory requirements, supervision need not always be "line of sight." Telephones, mobile phones, or other communications technologies may supplement on-site supervision.

Remember that other professionals can participate in student supervision, but the primary supervisor must be an OT practitioner. The ACOTE Standards permit Level II Fieldwork to be in a setting where there is no occupational therapist employed by the facility. In such cases, the program must document that there is a plan for the provision of supervision by an OTR.

On-site supervision must be provided in accordance with the plan and state credentialing requirements, and the student must receive a minimum of eight hours of occupational therapy supervision per week, including direct observation of client interaction. Additionally, the OT fieldwork educator must be readily available for communication and consultation during work hours.

Please contact the WMUOT fieldwork coordinator for more information

WHAT HAPPENS IF THE FIELDWORK EDUCATOR OR STUDENT BECOMES ILL OR IF THE FIELDWORK EDUCATOR GOES ON VACATION DURING PART OF THE FIELDWORK EXPERIENCE?

These situations should be discussed with the student's academic fieldwork coordinator (AFWC). Any time that the fieldwork educator is away, another person must be designated as the responsible party and contact person to whom the student can go for guidance. Any state licensure regulations and reimbursement guidelines such as Medicare or Medicaid must be followed.

DURING WHAT TIME OF YEAR DOES WMU PLACE STUDENTS FOR LEVEL II FIELDWORK? 

At WMU, we admit students to the entry-level occupational therapy doctoral degree program at our Kalamazoo campus and to our Grand Rapids campus once annually (during summer II semester). Therefore, students are placed for Level II Fieldwork experiences in summer II semester (June – September) and fall semester (September – December).

At WMU, we admit students to the entry-level occupational therapy assistant bachelor’s degree program at our Kalamazoo campus once annually (spring semester). Therefore, students are placed for Level II Fieldwork experiences in spring semester (January – April).

CAN A FIELDWORK EDUCATOR EARN CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDIT FOR TAKING A LEVEL II FIELDWORK STUDENT?

Yes, a fieldwork educator can earn 12 professional development units (PDUs) for providing 12 weeks of full-time level II fieldwork for an OTD student and 8 professional development units (PDUs) for providing 8 weeks of full-time level II fieldwork for an OTA student. Educators earn one PDU for each week of level II fieldwork supervision.

IT IS POSSIBLE TO PROVIDE SPLIT SUPERVISION WITH ANOTHER OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST DURING LEVEL II FIELDWORK?

Yes, supervision of a level I or level II fieldwork student can be split in numerous ways. The fieldwork sites can collaborate with the WMU academic fieldwork coordinator to develop the best plan for split supervision.  

HOW MUCH EXPERIENCE DOES AN OT PRACTITIONER NEED TO HAVE IN ORDER TO SUPERVISE A LEVEL II FIELDWORK STUDENT?

For level II fieldwork, OT students must be supervised by an occupational therapist (OTD or OTA student) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA Student) who meets state regulations and has a minimum of one year of practice experience, subsequent to initial certification.  

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU THINK A STUDENT IS AT RISK OF FAILING FIELDWORK?

The first step is for the fieldwork site to notify the student that he/she is at risk of failing fieldwork. Then the site should let the student know that the site will now notify the academic fieldwork coordinator (AFWC) and encourage the student to call the AFWC as well. One of the roles of the AFWC is to serve as a mediator between student and fieldwork educator concerns. The AFWC can provide the site and student with a different perspective, can advise on possible solutions, and can guide all parties through the necessary next steps. 

HOW MANY TIMES CAN A STUDENT FAIL LEVEL II FIELDWORK?

Each academic program establishes their own policy on fieldwork failure and whether or how many times a student will be allowed to repeat fieldwork.

WMU allows students to receive “no credit” grade on one level I or one level II fieldwork experience. If a student receives a “no credit” for a second level I or level II fieldwork experience, they are dismissed from the OT academic program.

DOES THE ACADEMIC PROGRAM HAVE TO TELL THE FIELDWORK SETTING THAT THE STUDENT HAS A DISABILITY?

The academic program is not required to inform the fieldwork site of a student's disability without the student's permission. It is the student's decision whether or not to disclose a disability. The academic fieldwork coordinator will counsel students on the pros and cons of sharing this type of information prior to beginning fieldwork. If a student decides not to disclose, the academic fieldwork coordinator is legally not allowed to share that information with the fieldwork setting, in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) laws.

A fieldwork setting cannot refuse to place a student with a disability unless that student is unable to perform the essential job functions with or without reasonable accommodations. To refuse placement solely on the student's disability is discriminatory and illegal.

CAN A STUDENT COMPLETE ONE OF THEIR LEVEL II FIELDWORK EXPERIENCES INTERNATIONALLY?

To ensure adequate preparation for the NBCOT exam following graduation from our OT program, we require that our students complete both level II fieldwork experiences within the United States. Students may have the option to complete an international fieldwork experience as a third level II experience if available.

CAN A STUDENT JOB SHADOW AT A SITE THEY WOULD LIKE TO COMPLETE FIELDWORK PRIOR TO COMMITTING TO THE SITE FOR LEVEL II FIELDWORK?

We strongly advise against requesting a job shadow at a potential fieldwork site due to the overwhelming amount of job shadow requests received by many facilities.

WHAT IS A PASSING GRADE FOR LEVEL II FIELDWORK?

WMU awards a credit/no credit grade for level II fieldwork. This grade is determined based upon a student’s score on the fieldwork performance evaluation (FWPE) which is provided by your fieldwork educator. Scores are determined as satisfactory or unsatisfactory at halfway or midterm point of fieldwork. Final evaluation scores are provided near the end of the fieldwork experience. This score indicates whether a student has passed or not passed their level II fieldwork experience.

The Successful Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Student Book - Help prepare for fieldwork assignments, assess various situations and demonstrate clinical reasoning.

The Level II Fieldwork Survival Guide - Information about professional behaviors, advice from previous fieldwork students and tips for a successful experience. 

AOTA Fieldwork FAQ - Information about fieldwork requirements, fieldwork supervisors and grading criteria. 

Interdisciplinary Learning - Interprofessional learning experiences are often part of level II fieldwork. This article can help reinforce awareness of occupational therapy's unique contributions in such a setting. 

Fieldwork Experience Assessment Tool (FEAT) - Use this tool to assess the fieldwork environment, student and educator to facilitate student and educator discussion.

Managing Productivity Requirements as a Level II Fieldwork Student - Five tips to help reduce pressure to meet productivity standards.

Navigating Fieldwork Ethical Issues - Although ethical challenges are uncommon, it is important to understand relevant issues and resolution techniques that may surface during a fieldwork experience. 

Lead Your Own Learning - Active, self-directed learning is an important part of your individual professional development goals and outcomes from fieldwork related to your own career aspirations. 

Fieldwork coordinators

Image

Sara Clark, MS, OTRL
OTA Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
@email
Phone: (616) 422-9091
Fax: (269) 387-7262

Image

Cara Masselink, PhD, OTRL, ATP
OTD Academic Fieldwork Coordinator
@email
Phone: (616) 422-9091
Fax: (269) 387-7262

Fieldwork educator resources

Aside from WMU's Department of Occupational Therapy, state and national OT organizations offer a number of resources for fieldwork educators.

  • The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) website includes a lot of information for fieldwork management.
  • On the state level, Michigan Occupational Therapy Education Consortium (MOTEC) is a group of the academic fieldwork coordinators and assistant fieldwork coordinators from all of the OT and OTA programs in the state of Michigan. They are expressly concerned with promoting quality fieldwork and doctoral capstone education for all levels of occupational therapy students and their website is a tremendous resource.

Forms

Self-assessment tool

Training opportunities

  • AOTA Fieldwork Educator Certificate Program - This is a two-day training for fieldwork educators or clinical coordinators.
  • MOTEC Educator Days - Every year MOTEC provides free Fieldwork & Capstone Educator Days events. These events are designed for fieldwork and capstone education coordinators, experienced fieldwork educators and capstone site mentors, and those who are new to or interested in becoming educators.

Other resources

Meeting the Healthcare Needs of the LGBT Community: Promoting Inclusivity: Clinical Student, Client, and Healthcare Provider Perspectives

One Solution to Fieldwork Placement Shortages: Faculty Facilitated Clinics with a Group Supervision Model

Supporting Muslim Fieldwork Students: Understanding Religion Rituals in Various Practice Settings - FAQ Sheet

Collaborative Supervision Models

A How-To Guide for Implementing Level I Faculty-Facilitated Fieldwork Sites: A Western Michigan University Model

Jordyn Diaz, OTD & Holly Grieves, OTD, OTRL 

At Western, there are 11 Level I faculty-facilitated fieldwork sites that are on-campus and community-based to provide occupational therapy services to vulnerable populations in the community. Clients receive services pro-bono or pay a fee on a sliding scale depending on site funding and other factors.

The purpose of this how-to guide is to assist occupational therapy programs with the start-up and maintenance of Level I faculty-facilitated fieldwork sites.

WMU's main campus is located in Kalamazoo, MI. The regional campus is located in Grand Rapids, MI. The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator (AFWC) oversees and manages all of the Level I fieldwork sites, the fieldwork educators, and intervenes on all student concerns. Since the AFWC is physically located in Kalamazoo, the Grand Rapids program director is available as an on-campus support for the Grand Rapids Level I fieldwork sites. 

Each WMU Level I fieldwork site uses the faculty-facilitated model. These sites occur on campus or within a community partner's organization, referred to as push-in community sites. The full version of this how-to guide describes these sites in more detail.

On-Campus Sites
  • Grand Rapids Hand Clinic
  • Grand Rapids Neuro Rehab Clinic
  • Auxiliary Enterprise of Unified Clinics (Adult, Pediatric, Skills for Living, and Work-to-Work Clinics)
Push-In Community Sites
  • ADLS Clinic at Center of Disability Services 
  • Calvin University Pediatric Clinic 
  • Bethany Christian Services 
  • Kalamazoo Psychiatric Hospital 
  • Student Occupations for Academic Readiness Clinic (School-Based)

Faculty-facilitated sites may have multiple students to one fieldwork educator, otherwise known as a collaboration model7. In this model, students work together to grow in clinical and professional skills with a licensed and registered occupational therapist to guide them in bridging the gap between coursework and clinical practice3,8.

Western's Structure for Faculty-Facilitated Sites in the OTD Program
  • Each site is supervised by a licensed and registered occupational therapist, referred to as the fieldwork educator.
  • Each site has a fieldwork educator to student ratio of 1:6 to comply with Michigan OT state practice supervision guidelines. 
  • Each site is registered as as a four-credit course for students and to assign paid workload for fieldwork educators.
  • Students work in partnerships to evaluate and treat clients 8 hours per week for an entire 16-week semester.
  • 2nd year OTD students participate in a total of three Level I faculty-facilitated fieldwork experiences across the lifespan.
  • At least one Level I fieldwork experience must have a primary focus addressing mental health, behavioral health, or psychosocial client factors (ACOTE C Standard C.1.6.)
To Support Students
  • The projected outlook for occupational therapy jobs is expected to increase by 17% as of 20226. 
  • As of 2024, there are 492 accredited OT/OTA programs and 181 additional programs in the accreditation process9. 
  • There is a need to find and revise strategies to properly educate students that intend to fill program seats and job positions5. The faculty-facilitated model can accommodate this expected increase in occupational therapy students and optimize their fieldwork education.  
To Support the Community
  • There is a shortage of licensed occupational therapists that are qualified to become fieldwork educators and a burden on local communities to accommodate for this shortage1,5,7,8.
  • The implementation of faculty-facilitated sites is a desirable solution to reduce burden and benefit the community. 
Community Benefits
  • A faculty-facilitated site reduces the burden placed on community partners to meet the demands of students seeking fieldwork placements1,4,5,7,8.
  • Provides needed services to underserved populations and reduces health inequities in the local community1,4,5,8,10.
Student Benefits
  • The hands-on learning within this model improves self-confidence, understanding of OT’s distinct value, competence in site operations, clinical reasoning, and overall growth due to self-direction, active learning, and habitual self-reflection1-4,7,8,10.
  • Peer collaboration is promoted in this model which improves conflict resolution skills, adaptability, professionalism, and the ability to work within a team7,8.
  • The active learning environment within this model promotes student accountability for professional development and encourages creative problem-solving, use of evidence-based practice, self-reflection, and planning skills3,8.
  • Due to the higher prevalence of complex cases in underserved populations, students may demonstrate practice competence earlier in their education compared to students who have not received training at a faculty-facilitated fieldwork site8. 
Fieldwork Educator Benefits
  • Fieldwork educators find their role in educating students to be significant even though external barriers such as time, costs, and productivity exist4,5.
  • Time Constraints
  • Staffing and Associated Workload
  • Financial Investment
  • Space Limitations
  • Lack of Consistent Clientele

These barriers were identified in the creation of this how-to guide and are supported in the literature2-4,7,8,10. However, the benefits of faculty-facilitated fieldwork sites are extensive and continue to outweigh the added workload needed to overcome these barriers1,2,4,7,8,10.

The aforementioned drawbacks may vary from program to program based on their current administration, finances, and available faculty members1,5. However, it is important to note that these drawbacks are external factors that can be properly addressed at the front-end to support the longevity of faculty-facilitated sites.

Refer to the How-To Guide Focus Areas below for a quick look at what the full version of this how-to guide can offer to your OT program.

  1. Benaroya, T. L., Swarbrick, M., Zechner, M., Murphy, A. A. & Cimmino, M. (2022). Faculty-led virtual level 1 community fieldwork during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 6(2). doi: 10.26681/jote.2022.060217

  2. Blausey, J. & Valdes, K. (2021). Feasibility of a student-run pro bono clinic: a survey study. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 75(2).

  3. Clark, S., Grieves, H., Hock, N., Suarez, M. & Young, T. (2019, April 2). Faculty-facilitated clinics with a group supervision model. American Occupational Therapy Association. https://www.aota.org/publications/ot-practice/ot-practice-issues/2019/fieldwork-models

  4. Erickson, K. & Hutson, S. (2023). On-campus occupational therapy clinic: exploring a supervision model for level I fieldwork within curriculum. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 7(1).

  5. Evenson, M. E., Roberts, M., Kaldenberg, J., Barnes, M. A. & Ozelie, R. (2015). National survey of fieldwork educators: implications for occupational therapy education. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69(2). doi: 10.5014/ajot.2015.019265

  6. Harvison, N. (2022, March 29). Enrollment trends in OT/OTA education [PowerPoint slides]. American Occupational Therapy Association. https://www.aota.org/-/media/corporate/files/educationcareers/alc-2022/enrollment-trends.pdf

  7. Hanson, D. J. & Deluliis, E. D. (2015). The collaborative model of fieldwork education: a blueprint for group supervision of students. Occupational Therapy in Health Care, 29(2). doi: 10.3109/07380577.2015.1011297

  8. Keptner, K. M. & Klein, S. M. (2019). Collaborative learning in a faculty-led occupational therapy level I fieldwork: a case study. Journal of Occupational therapy Education, 3(3). doi: 10.26681/jote.2019.030308

  9. Kilburg, L., Nielsen, S., & Brininger, T. (2024, March 24). ACOTE update: Academic Leadership Council [PowerPoint slides]. Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education. https://www.aota.org/-/media/corporate/files/educationcareers/alc-2024/wedacote-updatealc-32024.pdf 

  10. McAndrew, R. & Kaskutas, V. (2020). Use of a logic model to develop an innovative hand therapy clinic to provide experiential learning for occupational therapy students. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 4(3).

How-To Guide Focus Areas

The full version of this how-to guide was a result of thorough investigation of these WMU's Level I faculty-facilitated fieldwork sites and associated faculty, fieldwork educators, and students. Included are several recommendations and resources organized into six focus areas. These focus areas are briefly described below.

The most important factor is financial support from your university. There is an expense with every space, resource, and to pay the fieldwork educator(s) that will require approval from higher administration (i.e. Program Chair, Dean, and Provost). 

Provided in this how-to guide are needs assessment resources to support the goal of seeking approval from higher administration at the beginning of the development process.

Other Included How-To Guide Resources:

  • Western examples of how dedicated workload helps pay the fieldwork educators
  • Strategies to gain additional financial support
  • Advantages and disadvantages associated with the location of the site (i.e. on-campus, push-in community, or virtual sites)
  • Recommendations on how to provide faculty support and, in turn, sustain this model long-term
  • Supportive documents for the clinic space and budgeting of materials and equipment 

The purpose of this section is to outline requirements that involve significant time at the front-end of implementing Level I faculty-facilitated fieldwork sites. Additionally, considerations for the AFWC are described in detail. 

Included How-To Guide Resources:

  • Sample forms and strategies to comply with ACOTE Standards (2023)
  • Consideration of OT State Practice Supervision Guidelines
  • Supportive documents for site operations, marketing, and client recruitment of the sites
  • Resources and suggestions to support student learning
  • Fieldwork educator materials to support their role in teaching, evaluating, and supporting fieldwork students
  • Detailed recommendations for obtaining outcome measures

This section describes the advantages and disadvantages of different documentation systems (i.e. Electronic Medical Records, Microsoft Teams). Additional recommendations for submission, organization, and storage of documentation is also offered for programs that elect to use shared word documents through Microsoft Teams, etc. 

Included How-To Guide Modifiable Documentation Templates:

  • Pediatric & Adult Specific Evaluation 
  • Evaluation Billing & SOAP Note 
  • Daily Documentation Note 
  • Progress Report
  • Treatment Planning 
  • Student Review of Intake Form and Chart 
  • Pediatric & Adult Printable Specific Intake Form

The purpose of this section is to provide considerations on the number of days and how long the clinic should be open. For reference, WMU's Level I fieldwork sites, their opening hours, and purpose for these hours are provided in detail. Additional considerations are provided to ensure longevity of the site. 

The purpose of this section is to provide strategies and considerations to help new fieldwork sites obtain referral sources and to provide considerations to streamline the referral process at the front-end. Additional recommendations and resources are discussed regarding the client intake form process and scheduling of clients. 

It is essential that the fieldwork educator has the support, guidance, and mentorship from the fieldwork site coordinator and AFWC to run a site successfully. With support, the fieldwork educator can focus more on the benefits and rewards of this role (i.e. satisfaction associated with serving the community, building their professional development). 

For this reason, a robust orientation is recommended to prepare the educator for success and enhance the Level I fieldwork experience for students. This ensures a structured course set-up for student learning and clinical operations alike.

Included How-To Guide Resources:

  • A sample orientation checklist that can also be used for student orientation
  • Considerations for the student partnership & student-to-client matching process
  • An example fieldwork site schedule for a 16-week semester
Request the Full How-To Guide