Looking for fieldwork ideas

[STCM]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Hey, all. I'll be starting my first year of OT school in a couple of weeks and I'm starting to look into fieldwork options. I'd like to eventually go into peds, so a school setting is close to the top of my list.

I've also noticed a few paid internships around, including one in the Kent school district near Seattle and some at state mental hospitals in California.

Anyone have any ideas/experience to share?

 

[speedyy12]

You should not be looking for your own fieldworks. Your clinical director will be doing that for you. I would suggest talking to them about your interests to find the best matches. If AOTA sees that you are seeking fieldwork on your own rather than through the school, you risk your school's accreditation status. This was told to the students in my program.

 

[STCM]

Interesting, I hadn't heard that before. I was told that we could do fieldwork anywhere that our school could get a contract with. I know one second year student looked into opportunities in India and is working with the fieldwork coordinator to finalize a contract with a setting there. I've also heard it's a good idea to do an out-of-state fieldwork.

Anyone else have insight into this?

 

[speedyy12]

You can't make your own fieldwork contracts. If your school is able to make a contract with a particular site (if the school doesn't have one already) then that's great! However, you can't go to a site and say I want to do my fieldwork here. You have to discuss this with your clinical director and let them reach out to the site. My clinical director said that if any of us are caught doing that, plus AOTA finds out, our program would lose accreditation meaning you won't get your license and ruin it for the current students.

 

[OTlove88]

I'm also confused about how she is doing fieldwork in India - unless it's level I? AOTA requires level II fieldwork to be in the states if I'm not mistaken. I never heard about losing accreditation because students are looking for their own fieldwork sites. My coordinator told us if there is a site we are interested in but there isn't a current contact - we can bring it up to her and she can see if she can draw up a contract w the site. I'm sure you're program has many contracts set up already but I think if there is somewhere you're interested in I don't see why you can't discuss it with your coordinator. Just don't contact the sites yourself haha

 

[CharacterZero]

I attended UPS's info session and one of the girls in the program did a level II FW in India - however, from what I understand you do 2 level II FWs (in the US) and can do an optional 3rd level II if you want to do an international site or a specialized setting like early intervention

 

[gialuan]

Students can seek out fieldwork sites and gather contact information. The contact information gets passed on to the fieldwork coordinator, who will contact the site to set up a contract. This was what I did.

 

[STCM]

Thanks for the info, everyone. I guess my original question was more about ideas for fieldwork settings you all would like to do.

I'd like to eventually work at a pediatric clinic, but it looks like they mostly want therapists with 2-5 years of experience. I'm thinking maybe I'll have to start out working in schools, but I've heard that's discouraged for new graduates. So, to get to the point, I'm wondering if I should do a fieldwork in a peds clinic or a school. Anyone have input on that?

 

[BowlofSunshine]

OP, usually your fieldwork coordinators look for and establish your Level I fieldworks. That's not to say you can't give them leads but it is preferred your school's coordinators make the connection.