Level I
“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 clinical 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 goal of Level I fieldwork is to introduce students to fieldwork, apply knowledge to practice, and develop understanding of the needs of clients.” (STANDARDS, ACOTE 2018)
Level I Fieldwork experiences are devised to integrate a student's basic academic knowledge with clinical practice through experiential learning in a context critical to later therapeutic application of that knowledge. Level I Fieldwork provides opportunities for the development of appropriate clinical skills, effective communication, and professional behaviors.
Level II
“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.” (STANDARDS, ACOTE 2018)
Level II Fieldwork experiences develop core competencies necessary for entry therapists. These competencies are in a variety of practice areas with clients of various ages and performance deficits. Students will experience supervised delivery of occupational therapy services.
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