Fieldwork Experience

Our Occupational Therapy program provides local and international fieldwork experiences for students in the Summer and Fall, made possible by clinical partnerships with over 300 centers.

D’Youville offers a five-year occupational therapy program leading to a combined bachelor’s and master’s degree featuring strong professional involvement and an ongoing curriculum review. The Master of Science degree in occupational therapy is an entry-level degree created for students with a BA or BS in another area of study. The three-year degree program includes courses in occupational therapy theory and practice, six months of supervised fieldwork, and research.

Students may be placed in the Western New York area based on clinician availability. D’Youville OT programs have contracts with sites in most states, and will work individually with students to attempt to place them in their preferred location.

Mission service trips are available to substitute for a local clinical experience. Past students have gone to Panama, Costa Rica and Baton Rouge.

Visit the American Occupational Therapy Association's page on Fieldwork Management for resources about fieldwork education including Level I and Level II fieldwork, resources for new programs, and more.

Fieldwork Requirements

Fieldwork Preparation
  • CPR certification
  • Current physical
  • Current Immunizations/vaccinations (including PPE)
  • HIPAA and OSHA training
  • Team STEPPS certification
  • Child Mandated Reporter Training
  • World Health Organization Modules on hand hygiene, PPE donning/doffing and Covid prevention
  • Current Health Insurance
  • Background checks, Fingerprinting and drug screens may be required by clinical sites.
  • Course Requirements:
    • OT 321/521 Fieldwork Seminar I Prepares students for Level I Fieldwork and Level II fieldwork selection.

    • OT 432/632 Fieldwork Seminar II prepares students for Level II Fieldwork

Level I Fieldwork

Experiences during the academic phase of the program enable students to apply classroom learning in the clinical setting. These experiences are associated with specific intervention courses and place students in various healthcare arenas with a variety of consumers/patients.

Courses:

  • OT 313/513: Psychosocial Level I Fieldwork
  • OT 323/523: Child and Adolescent Level I Fieldwork
  • OT 330/530: Adult and Geriatric Level I Fieldwork
Level II Fieldwork

Consists of two full-time 12-week clinical training experiences, (Part-time options are available); two internships provide students with the opportunity to treat a wide range of disabilities and age groups. Emphasis is on applying knowledge through in-depth activities, tasks, and the responsibility for delivering healthcare to patients. Clinical experiences may include acute hospital settings, inpatient psychiatric settings, rehabilitation centers, day treatment centers, nursing homes, school systems, developmental centers, and community health initiatives.

Courses:

  • OT 640: Clinical Fieldwork I (12-weeks full time in the summer)
  • OT 641: Clinical Fieldwork II (12-weeks full time in the fall)
Community Practice

An advanced placement in a community setting or educational environment allows you to explore non-traditional or specialty applications of occupational therapy. Community Practice occurs in the graduate year following Level II fieldwork.

Site Visits

Visits to healthcare agencies are part of certain entry-level courses. These visits orient you to a variety of services provided in the local area, focusing on the context in which occupational therapy services are delivered or could be provided.

Visit Western NY OT Fieldwork Consortium to learn more about fieldwork opportunities.