Fieldwork Educator benefits

Supporting and Educating OT students can contribute to:

• Development of supervision skills
• Development of advanced professional reasoning skills
• Recruitment and retention of staff
• Decreased cost and time associated with on-boarding new employees

As a Fieldwork Educator you can:

• Give back to the profession
• Stay updated on current practice techniques and research
• Create opportunities for innovation/advocacy for the OT profession
• Keep your clinical skills current
• Promote diversity in workplace
• Meet organizational goals/objects
• Receive PDUs for certification renewal and licensure renewal
• Build networking connections with different universities
• Make a positive impact on the profession through OT students
• Can be a part of the educational journey of future OTs

On the community level:

• Expansion of OT services/reach in meeting society’s occupational needs
• Help expose students to different/new settings, where OTs are needed

Additional Benefits:

• Access to databases
• Discounted courses/perks from academic institutions

Citations

Eddy, E., Tickle-Degnen, L., and Evenson, M. ‘Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Educators: Examining Professional Quality of Life’. 1 Jan. 2021: 479 – 491.

Haynes, C. J. (2011). Active Participation in Level I Fieldwork: Fieldwork Educator and Student – Perceptions. Occupational Therapy In Health Care, 25:4, 257-269.

Swinth, Yvonne (2016). Why should you take a fieldwork student? Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 9(3), 223–225. https://doi.org/10.1080/19411243.2016.1212536

Thomas, Y., Dickson, D., Broadbridge, J., Hopper, L., Hawkins, R., Edwards, A., & McBryde, C. (2007). Benefits and challenges of supervising occupational therapy fieldwork students: Supervisors’ perspectives. Australian Occupational Therapy Journal, 54, S2-S12.