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Degree & Non-Degree Programs:
Fieldwork Education
What is Fieldwork?
Fieldwork is a crucial part of occupational therapy education. These experiences
provide role modeling and opportunities to carry out professional
responsibilities under supervision. Fieldwork takes place in a variety of
settings and emerging areas of practice. Two types of fieldwork experiences are
included within the curriculum, Level I and Level II fieldwork. The Tufts
Fieldwork Coordinators in collaboration with faculty, students, and sites
arrange these fieldwork placements.
Fieldwork Placements
Placements are subject to
availability at locations that have contracts with Tufts. The availability at
any particular location and the locations that have contracts with Tufts vary from semester to semester.
Fieldwork Coordinators
The Fieldwork Coordinators negotiate the logistics of recruiting, assigning,
confirming, and monitoring Level I and Level II fieldwork placements. The
Fieldwork Coordinators serve as a resource for students, fieldwork sites and
supervisors, faculty & advisors, as needed, in regards to negotiating logistics
and processing outcomes of fieldwork experiences. Additionally, the Fieldwork
Coordinators provide orientation to the fieldwork program and process, upon
admission, and, throughout participation in the Tufts program. A semester seminar
is dedicated to preparing and supporting students as a preparation to engagement
in fieldwork.
Same Site Model [SSM] of Fieldwork
A unique approach to structuring learning during fieldwork has been designed
and piloted at Tufts that involves a student completing a Level I and Level
II fieldwork experience at the same training site. Students and fieldwork
educators have identified the perceived benefits of this model to include:
- Becoming familiar with the setting
- Increasing comfort by lessening anxiety
- Gaining preparation for Level II fieldwork
Pilot survey results suggested that the SSM may help to decrease stress for
both fieldwork students and educators (Evenson, Barnes & Cohn, AJOT 2002). Research in the area of fieldwork
education has shown that students may perceive the learning experience to be
stressful, but, overall feel that it is controllable and important (Mitchell & Kampfe, AJOT 1993).
Benefits of Fieldwork Supervision
Fieldwork provides opportunities for exchange of academic and practical
knowledge and skills as students work under the supervision of practitioners in
the field. In doing so, students can share the latest on theoretical and
research developments with practitioners while learning to assume professional
roles and responsibilities.
Upon completion of a student's Level II fieldwork, Tufts -- Department of
Occupational Therapy awards a
Credit
Voucher to the training site, valid for full tuition of one eligible course at
the University (a Tufts course awards one course credit which is equivalent to 4
semester hours at other colleges).
Additionally, the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
credits fieldwork supervisors 2 Professional Development Units (PDU) per 6 weeks
of Level II fieldwork, up to a maximum of 36 units over a period of 3 years.
Continuing Education Resources
Mary Alicia Barnes has authored chapters on the subject of structuring learning during fieldwork and supervision for publications by Slack, Inc. and AOTA, Inc. Additionally, Tufts co-hosts two continuing education workshops annually, in collaboration with Boston University, offered free of charge to practitioners who have supervised a Level II fieldwork student from these academic occupational therapy programs during the past year.
Important Links:
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