Other OT-Related Information Do you get to choose your fieldwork placement?

[calling4color]

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Hi everyone,

I will be applying to OT school this fall and I wanted to know about fieldwork. When you do level I&II do you get to choose what you want to specialize in? Can it be out of state? Do certain programs have different restrictions? I am interested in amputee patients and patients with brain injuries, and I was wondering how I would go about choosing a placement for the future. Obviously there are some hospitals I would love to do fieldwork in that may/may not be in the same states as the schools I am applying to. How does that work?
Thanks

 

[cb31]

Hi everyone,

I will be applying to OT school this fall and I wanted to know about fieldwork. When you do level I&II do you get to choose what you want to specialize in? Can it be out of state? Do certain programs have different restrictions? I am interested in amputee patients and patients with brain injuries, and I was wondering how I would go about choosing a placement for the future. Obviously there are some hospitals I would love to do fieldwork in that may/may not be in the same states as the schools I am applying to. How does that work?
Thanks

When I was interviewing, schools told me that you can give them where you want to go for fieldwork and they will try, but they can't guarantee you placement. And when visiting schools and talking to student most said they were able to be placed in the field they wanted (i.e. geriatrics, peds, etc etc.) but not always at the specific place/hospital that they wanted, but I imagine this can vary. Most (if not all) programs will let you go out of state for your fieldwork (some even out of the country) so that shouldn't be a problem at all. You should state your interests and ask these questions directly to the schools you are applying too (either in an interview if one is required for your application or just emailing them).

 

[calling4color]

thanks!

 

[c2902]

You will get to give your input as to which areas of practice you are interested in and would like placements in, but as mentioned, you can't say "oh, I want to go here" and expect to get it. You also won't be allowed to do all of them in one type of setting or population, but different schools may have different policies (i.e., some schools might make you do a peds rotation even if you have no interest). You MIGHT get lucky, like I did with both of my level IIs and got exactly the types of settings I wanted. But when I have classmates who still didn't have their second Level II scheduled as of May (and we are all wrapping up our first ones), I am an extreme exception, not the rule. If you plan to go out of state for Level IIs, make sure you work with the fieldwork coordinator at your program to start very, very early; like a year in advance.