Fieldwork

Division of Fieldwork Education

Level I Fieldwork
The Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 2008 Standards state, "The goal of Level I Fieldwork is to introduce students to the fieldwork experience, and develop a basic comfort level with an understanding of the needs of clients. Level I fieldwork shall be integral to the program's curriculum design and include experiences designed to enrich didactic coursework through direct observation and participation in selected aspects of the occupational therapy process. The focus of these experiences is not intended to be independent performance. Qualified personnel for supervised Level I fieldwork include, but are not limited to, occupational therapy practitioners initially certified nationally, psychologists, physician assistants, teachers, social workers, nurses, and physical therapists".

Each student must successfully complete three Level I placements:  One week in a Psychosocial setting and one week in a Physical Disabilities setting during the Fall semester; one week in a Pediatric setting during the Winter semester.   

Overview of Level II Fieldwork
The Accreditation Council of Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE), 2011 states, "The goal of level II fieldwork is to develop competent, entry-level, generalist occupational therapists. Level II fieldwork must be integral to the program's curriculum design and must include in-depth experience in delivering occupational therapy services to clients, focusing on the application of purposeful and meaningful occupation and research, administration, and management of occupational therapy services. It is recommended that the student be exposed to a variety of clients across the lifespan and to a variety of settings."

 The Fieldwork experience includes but is not limited to:

1. Enhancing abilities in clinical reasoning and reflective practice.
2. Enhancing abilities to assess clients' psychological and social factors that influence engagement in occupation.
3. Training and practice in evaluation and assessment techniques, treatment intervention planning and implementation, documentation and reporting.
4. Interacting with persons involved in general facility operations.
5. Enhancing professional communication skills.
6. Being exposed to or involved in department administration and management.
7. Being involved with political and economic health industry issues that will/are effecting clients, OT practice and the profession.
8. Being involved in and with clients' communities and their immediate environments

For more information, please contact:

Kim Banfill, MOT, OTRL
Coordinator of Fieldwork Education and Assistant Professor
kbanfill@wayne.edu 
Telephone: 313-577-5883

Please visit the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) website for further fieldwork information.

Additional Fieldwork Resources

• 2018 Standards-and-Interpretive-Guide-August 2022.pdf
• BLANK_AOTA_Fieldwork_Data_Form[2].doc
• persdata.doc
• SEFWE.doc