New fieldwork programs
New fieldwork programs
VCU collaborates with community partners to extend professional learning to the field. Students work with clients of all ages, with a range of occupational challenges, in all practice settings. We are interested in working with you to develop an educational program for occupational therapy students in your setting. After sharing our program’s philosophy, mission, curriculum and fieldwork goals and objectives, examining the VCU Fieldwork Selection Criteria for Fieldwork Placements and discussing your program’s structure and function, we will pursue a written agreement between VCU College of Health Professions, Department of Occupational Therapy and your facility that defines the scope of our collaboration. We will provide resources, technical assistance and training to you while you develop your facility’s fieldwork program. In addition, The American Occupational Therapy Association provides an array of resources that you might find helpful:
- Developing a Fieldwork Program
- Steps to Starting a Fieldwork Program
- Recommended Content for a Student Fieldwork Manual
- Sample Fieldwork Site Objectives
- Strategies for Creative Fieldwork Opportunities
- Self-Assessment Tool for Fieldwork Educator Competency
Why Take a Fieldwork Student?
Benefits to the Profession:
- Give back
- Reciprocity
- Professional obligation
Benefits to the Therapist:
- Self-analysis: "Keeps me on my toes"
- Improve knowledge/learn new techniques
- Self-gain
- Enjoy teaching, training, educating
- "Breaks up routine"
- Continuing education credits
- Career development
- "More free time when student becomes more independent"
Benefits to the Facility:
- Staff recruitment
- Students provide tools/equipment
- Students provide inservices
- Students teach/share new research, treatment to staff
- Required by teaching hospitals
Benefits to the Student:
- Train, educate, teach
- Great need for clinical site
- Gives students opportunity to learn with "actual patients"
- Help students gain confidence, reach their potential
- Networking
Benefits to the University:
- Essential part of the student education; meets ACOTE standards
- Gives students opportunity to learn and gain confidence with actual clients, families, and OTRs and other professionals.
- Opportunity to keep in touch with changes in health care or education within the community and the country
- Networking and collaboration in research
- Mentoring new fieldwork supervisors and students
- Learning from others not educated at VCU
For more information in partnering with VCU’s Occupational Thaerpy Department in fieldwork education please contact Patty Laverdure at PLaverdure@vcu.edu .