​​​​​ACOTE Fieldwork Standards

The University of Findlay’s Master and Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs follow standards for education established by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE, 2023). Listed below is the 2023 STANDARDS which refer specifically to fieldwork.  As you will see there are several standards that require increased communication between the fieldwork site and the educational program. As the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Sandra Kleman, MOT, OTR/L is responsible for maintaining compliance with the below stated STANDARDS.

C.1.0 Fieldwork Program 

Fieldwork education is a crucial part of professional preparation and is best integrated as a component of the curriculum design. The fieldwork experience is designed to promote professional reasoning and reflective practice, transmit the values and beliefs that enable ethical practice, and develop professionalism and competence in career responsibilities. Fieldwork experiences should be implemented and evaluated for their effectiveness by the educational institution. The experience should provide the student with the opportunity to carry out professional responsibilities under the supervision of qualified personnel serving as a role model. The academic fieldwork coordinator is responsible for the program’s compliance with fieldwork education requirements. The academic fieldwork coordinator will: 

Ensure that the fieldwork experience reflects the sequence and scope of content in the curriculum design, in collaboration with faculty, so that fieldwork strengthens the ties between didactic and fieldwork education. 

Document a process that ensures all students have access to site information and requirements, objectives, and performance expectations prior to the start of the fieldwork experience. 

 Document that academic and fieldwork educators agree on fieldwork objectives prior to the start of the fieldwork experience. 

Document that all fieldwork experiences include an objective with a focus on the occupational therapy practitioner’s role in addressing the psychosocial aspects of the client’s engagement in occupation. 

Ensure that fieldwork written agreements are sufficient in number and provide varied practice experiences to allow completion of graduation requirements in a timely manner, in accordance with the policy adopted by the program as required by Standard A.3.3. 

Responsibilities of the sponsoring institution(s) and each fieldwork site must be clearly documented in the written agreement (electronic agreements and signatures are acceptable). 

Document the process and criteria for: 

Ensure at least one fieldwork experience (either Level I or Level II) has a primary focus on the role of occupational therapy practitioners addressing mental health, behavioral health, or psychosocial aspects of client performance to support their engagement in occupations. 

Ensure that the ratio of fieldwork educators to students enables proper supervision and provides protection of consumers, opportunities for appropriate role modeling of occupational therapy practice, and the ability to conduct frequent assessment of student progress in achieving stated fieldwork objectives. 

Document a mechanism for evaluating the effectiveness of supervision (Level I and Level II fieldwork). 

Demonstrate support for enhancing supervision (e.g., materials on supervisory skills, continuing education opportunities, student well-being, cultural humility, and articles on theory and practice). 

Document a process for communication with the student and fieldwork educator throughout the fieldwork experience. Ensure all aspects of the student’s progress and performance are addressed and the fieldwork educator is aware of resources that support student well-being. 

All Level I fieldwork must be comparable in rigor.

The goal of Level I fieldwork is to introduce students to fieldwork, apply knowledge to practice, and develop understanding of the needs of clients. The academic fieldwork coordinator will: 

Ensure that fieldwork educators who supervise Level I fieldwork are informed of the curriculum and fieldwork program design and affirm their ability to support the fieldwork experience. This must occur prior to the onset of the Level I fieldwork. Examples include, but are not limited to, currently licensed or otherwise regulated occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants, psychologists, physician assistants, teachers, social workers, physicians, speech-language pathologists, nurses, and physical therapists. 

Demonstrate that Level I fieldwork is provided to students and is not substituted for any part of the Level II fieldwork. Document mechanisms for formal evaluation of student performance. 

Level I fieldwork may be met through one or more of the following instructional methods: 

Document that all students have similar Level I fieldwork experiences (e.g., learning activities, objectives, assignments, and outcome measures). 

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 an 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 academic fieldwork coordinator will: 

Document a required minimum of 24 weeks’ full-time Level II fieldwork. Documentation must specify if part-time completion is available as agreed upon by the site and the program. The length of the part-time program must be equivalent in length to a minimum of 24 weeks full-time.

Ensure that the student can complete Level II fieldwork in a minimum of one setting if it is reflective of more than one practice area, or in a maximum of four different settings. 

Document and verify prior to the start of the Level II fieldwork that the student is supervised by an occupational therapy practitioner who is: 

The fieldwork educator may be engaged by the fieldwork site or by the educational program. 

Document and verify that students completing Level II fieldwork outside of the United States are supervised by an occupational therapist (regardless of title) who graduated from a program accredited by ACOTE, approved by WFOT, or otherwise regulated in the country in which the students are completing fieldwork. The fieldwork educator must have at least 1 year of experience in practice prior to the onset of Level II fieldwork. 

Ensure that Level II fieldwork supervision is direct and then decreases to less direct supervision as appropriate for the setting, the severity of the client’s condition, and the ability of the student to support progression toward entry-level competence. 

Document a mechanism for requiring formal evaluation of student performance on Level II fieldwork. 

Document and verify that supervision provided in a setting where no occupational therapy services exist includes a documented plan for provision of occupational therapy services and supervision by a currently licensed or otherwise regulated occupational therapist with at least 3 years’ full-time or its equivalent of professional experience prior to the Level II fieldwork. Supervision must include a minimum of 8 hours of direct supervision each week of the fieldwork experience. An occupational therapy supervisor must be available, via a variety of contact measures, to the student during all working hours. An on-site supervisor designee of another profession must be assigned while the occupational therapy supervisor is off site. 

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