This document summarizes feedback from OT students and practitioners regarding fieldwork sites and programs in the Chicagoland area. It provides ratings of fieldwork experiences across different settings and identifies strengths and opportunities for different sites. Recommendations are given for OT programs to better prepare students and for students to have a successful fieldwork, including being respectful of supervisors, keeping an open mind, communicating needs, and asking questions. Acute care experiences were highly rated while behavioral health sites could be improved. Programs should focus more on hands-on learning and interventions.

1. Chicagoland OT
Fieldwork Site Study
REVIEWS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FROM CURRENT OT STUDENTS
AND PRACTITIONERS
BY BHUMI BHATT | BHUMIBHATT0312@GMAIL.COM | 11/30/2015
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2. Contents
1. Study Overview
2. Fieldwork Site Ratings
3. Fieldwork Site Strengths and Opportunities for Improvement
4. OT Program Strengths and Opportunities for Improvement
5. Fieldwork Preparation Recommendations for OT Students
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3. Study Overview
•The purpose of the study was to:
• Determine how to optimize student fieldwork experience
• Receive suggestions for structuring fieldwork curriculum
• Obtain a list of possible fieldwork sites and learn their strengths/weaknesses
•OT students and practitioners were surveyed via email and social media from 11/25/15 to 11/29/15
• Received 9 responses from the Chicagoland area, 2 from Indianapolis
•6 practice areas were represented: behavioral health, transitional care/subacute rehab, inpatient rehab, acute
care, clinic and school-based pediatrics, hand therapy/outpatient
•Study participants consistently rated acute care fieldwork as a highly educational experience with little to no
complaints or suggestions for improvement
•Participants consistently stated that they think OT programs should focus more on practicing interventions and
that programs should spend less time on group work
•The main advice for OT students was to be confident and respectful and to communicate well with their
Fieldwork Educators.
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4. Fieldwork Site Ratings (1 of 2)
Fieldwork Company/Hospital Fieldwork Setting
Overall
Experience
(1 to 5 scale)
Alexian Brothers Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital Inpatient Rehab 5
Alexian Brothers Rehabilitation Hospital Inpatient Rehab 5
Anaheim Unified School District School based 5
Athletico Outpatient 5
Eskenazi Health Mental Health 4
Eskenazi Hospital Mental Health Inpatient 5
Hinsdale Hospital Inpatient behavioral health 3
Kids In Sync Pediatric outpatient facility 4
Lutheran General inpatient rehab 5
Marionjoy sub-acute rehab 4
Northshore University Health: Glenbrook Hospital Acute care 5
Northwestern Memorial Hospital Acute 5
Northwestern Memorial: Stone Mental Health Center Behavioral health (outpatient) 3
Pathways outpatient pediatrics 3
Pediatric Therapy Network Clinic and School- Pediatrics 5
Physiotherapy Associates: the Pediatric Place outpatient pediatrics with SI focus 3
Provena Mercy inpatient behaviorial health 5
Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago Inpatient - TBI 4
Riverview Health Transitional Care 4
Shira Siegal Occupational Therapy Hand therapy 5
South Bend Memorial Hosptial Acute Hospital 5
University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System Acute rehab, acute care 5
Rating Scale:
• 1 = Not Recommended
• 5 = Highly Recommended
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5. Fieldwork Site Ratings (2 of 2)
Rating Scale:
• 1 = Not Recommended
• 5 = Highly Recommended
3 3.5 4 4.5 5
Behavioral health
Transitional Care/Subacute
Hand therapy/outpatient
Acute care hospital
Pediatrics (clinic and school-based)
Inpatient rehab
Average Fieldwork Rating by OT Practice Area
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6. Fieldwork Site Strengths
Alexian Brothers Inpatient Rehabilitation Hospital: Prevents mistakes when needed, lets students make mistakes to learn from opportunities and use own strengths to problem-solve
Anaheim Unified School District: Collaborative supervision model offering input from 3 different supervisors
Eskenazi Health: Constant supervision throughout
Kids In Sync: Allowed work with experienced therapists
Lutheran General Hospital: Challenges students to be more creative and functional with treatment ideas
Marianjoy Rehabilitation Hospital: Reviews documentation with students, fostering good skills for employment
Northshore University Health Systems, Glenbrook Hospital: Well-paced experience with good student resources
Northwestern Memorial Hospital: Very organized, has weekly meetings with students and accompanying student binder as a resource
Northwestern Memorial Stone Mental Health Center: Good structure of fieldwork and creative opportunities
Pathways: Challenges students to be more confident during therapy delivery
Pediatric Therapy Network: Accommodating, meets student at their level of comfort in practice
Physiotherapy Associates at the Pediatric Place: Offers variety of experience within pediatrics including home visits, EI and School-based practice in addition to regular clinical schedule
Provena Mercy: Opportunity to independently drive intervention
RIC: Allows variety of experiences due to variety of patients
Riverview Health: Allows opportunity to be as independent as comfortable
Shira Siegal Occupational Therapy: CI was patient, offering direct applicable feedback
South Bend Memorial Hospital: Broad and realistic representation of acute care practice
University of Illinois Hospital and Health Sciences System: Effective mentoring, professional growth opportunities, organizational support
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7. Fieldwork Site Opportunities for
Improvement
•Students want the opportunity to practice with more independence
•Students want to implement interventions based on EBP and have a way to measure outcomes
•Students appreciate the opportunity to observe other settings available in the facility and to
observe their clients in their natural environment
•Students want to see best practice implemented in intervention, whether that be group or
individual therapy
•Students have a more positive experience if their FWE is a good communicator and is positive
towards having a student.
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8. OT Program Strengths
•OT students & practitioners identified the following as helpful things their OT Program did well:
• Stressing the importance of professionalism
• Weekly discussion boards
• Focus on biomechanical/rehabilitative intervention
• Independent study classes for students who are having difficulty
• Teaching students how to be active learners
• Hands-on training
• Emphasis on patient care and the importance of interdisciplinary communication
• Providing structure in FW and requiring multiple, varied placements
• Facilitating effective time management
• Facilitating knowledge of functional treatment ideas
• Provide students the opportunity to interact with people with disabilities to increase student comfort in working with
patients
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9. OT Program Opportunities for
Improvement
•OT student & practitioners’ recommendations for their OT programs to improve current and
future students’ fieldwork experience:
• Talk to students individually to review what to expect
• Put a greater focus on realistic small groups
• Provide assistance in finding accommodations
• Focus more on actual interventions and exercise programs with more hands-on workshops
• Provide fewer group assignments and put more focus on intervention throughout the program
• Provide more education regarding medical conditions
• Provide Further education on medications
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10. Fieldwork Preparation Recommendations
for OT Students (1 of 2)
•“Respect and listen to your CI, they are the ones filling out your evaluation. Accept responsibility
eagerly and do not ask for more independence before your supervisor is ready to grant it to you,
you are practicing under their license and need to respect their judgment.”
•“As an OT that recently went through fieldwork and has had students, I think it is best that
students keep an open mind, listen to their CI, ask questions, ask to participate in therapy
sessions and do everything they can to learn while they are in their fieldwork. One of the biggest
things I have seen from the CI role is that students come in thinking that they know everything
and are unwilling to listen and learn. It is important that students know their role and do not
overstep boundaries as well. They need to remember that they are the student and the purpose
of fieldwork is to get them ready to be an entry level therapist.”
•“Be prepared to put in time all day and outside of work too to reflect and prepare for the next
day, it's a constant, reflective learning experience.”
•“Relax! You know more than you think you do, just be confident!”
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11. Fieldwork Preparation Recommendations
for OT Students (2 of 2)
•“Figure out what accommodations you need if you are someone with a disability.”
•“My advice is to be transparent with your supervisor about your goals, what you
do/don't know, and where you need their support. As a therapist who has had two level
II fieldwork students thus far, it is only easy to a point to see where your student is
struggling. It is helpful to keep the doors of communication open so the student can tell
you where you can assist them to facilitate their experience.”
•“Have an open mind, be self-reflective; be kind.”
•“Not to be too timid but not overconfident either.”
•“Keep an open mind, prepare to work really hard, and don't be afraid to ask a lot of
questions.”
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12. Bhumi Bhatt’s Contact Information
Please feel free to reach out with your
questions and comments:
•Email: bhumibhatt0312@gmail.com
•Phone: 847.769.0689
•LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bhumi-bhatt-b8328741
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