DESCRIPTION OF FIELDWORK

Two levels of fieldwork are required of the occupational therapy students enrolled at St. Ambrose University.  Level I Fieldwork occurs while the students are enrolled in coursework and follows our developmental program sequence (meaning the initial experiences are with children and then progress through the lifespan to adults and older adults).  Level II Fieldwork occurs once students have completed all academic coursework.  Placements for Level I and Level II are both local and throughout the U.S. in traditional and emerging areas of practice.  There is a myriad of other fieldwork experiences within many of the classes as highlighted on the curriculum table.  The following describes the “formal” fieldwork program that is set up by the fieldwork coordinator.

Level I Fieldwork:

There are three Level I Fieldwork experiences —pediatrics, adult, and older adult.  These courses integrate information learned in other MOT courses through both field experiences and classroom activities.  Students are placed in a variety of settings to obtain hands-on experiences with individuals and groups.  The MOT program believes in learning by doing and as a result, active participation is encouraged with the level of involvement determined by the site, the clients served and the student’s skill level.  During these experiences, students work to improve skills such as observation, communication—both written and oral, assessment, treatment planning, and intervention.  Students also grow to understand the OT process and how it impacts the clients and the facility.  In the classroom, students have the opportunity to discuss and synthesize their experiences.  Through the clinical and classroom experiences, students should learn to appreciate the role of occupation as it promotes health and wellness, develop professional work skills and behaviors, and exhibit ethical integrity.  OTR supervision is not required for Level I Fieldwork.

Level IA – Pediatric – MOT 465 – occurs in the spring semester of the first year.  Students can choose to complete this fieldwork either during the semester ½ day a week at two sites or one full-time week during interim/summer.  Placements utilized include pediatric OT clinics, schools, special education classrooms, mental health facilities, and adaptive equipment clinics.  The knowledge gained during OT with Pediatrics and Occupational Studies I assist the student in comprehending the dimensions of a child’s occupations and the contexts observed during fieldwork help to solidify this knowledge.

Level IB – Adult – MOT 535 – occurs in the fall semester of the second year.  Fieldwork is completed in 2 one-week blocks—in two different practice settings.  Students complete these experiences during two of the following months: August, October, and December/January.  Placements utilized include community mental health facilities, hospitals, and various outpatient clinics.  Again, fieldwork, in concert with OT with Adults and Occupational Studies II, assists the student in applying their knowledge and skills when dealing with the occupations of adults.   

Level IC – Older Adult – MOT 566 – occurs following the second year.  Students complete this 3-consecutive week experience during the summer months.  This placement is a culmination of skills learned in OT with Older Adults and Occupational Studies III as well as all the MOT courses to this point.  This concentrated period allows students to synthesize information, put it into practice, and evaluate the results when dealing with older adults and their occupational interests.

Level II Fieldwork:

Level II Fieldwork is intended to emphasize the application of an academically acquired body of knowledge by providing the student with an in-depth experience in delivery of occupational therapy service to patients/clients.  This experience occurs after successful completion of all coursework.  By the end of the Level II experiences, students are expected to be functioning at the level of an entry-level practitioner.  This is an exciting phase of the professional program as the students move from “novice” in the OT profession toward “advanced beginner”. This readies them to spring into the world of OT practice and be a lifelong learner with the goal of achieving the level of an expert practitioner.

The equivalent of 24 full-time weeks of Level II fieldwork must be completed.  This may be completed on a full-time or part-time basis, but may not be less than half-time.  The student can complete Level II fieldwork in a minimum of one setting and a maximum of four different settings.

Students should strive to select sites that provide experiences across the lifespan and with a variety of diagnoses.  Students typically select two different twelve-week experiences.  In addition to the required 24 weeks, students may also select an additional optional rotation in a special interest area.  Optional rotations can be any length from 2-12 weeks though typically run 4-8 weeks.

This chart is a visual representation of all field experiences offered during the MOT curriculum.  Intensity is depicted by degree of shading.  (Lighter shading indicates a lighter amount and intensity of field experiences; darkest shading depicts intensive, formal field experiences.)

For further information, please contact Shelli Engelbrecht, MBAH, OTR/L, Fieldwork Coordinator/Instructor at 563-333-6353/EngelbrechtShelli@sau.edu.

AOTA Fieldwork Information for Clinical Educators

AOTA Fieldwork FAQ's for students

Fieldwork Data Form

Fieldwork Policies for Students

E-groups for MOT Students 

Job postings for OTRs