Clinical Experience

Leadership

She / Her / Hers
Position: Department Chair & Professor
Organization: Department of Occupational Therapy

901 Walnut Street, 6th Floor
Suite 644
Philadelphia, PA 19107

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Admissions

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Frequently Asked Questions

The Level I Fieldwork Experiences vary from semester to semester, but typically students complete three Level I Fieldwork experiences throughout the program. Each experience consists of 32-40 hours at a fieldwork site over a semester.

In addition, each student is required to successfully complete two full-time Level II placements. For occupational therapy students, each Level II placement is 12 weeks duration. While occupational therapy assistant students have Level II placements that are 8 weeks duration. These Level II placements should be viewed as a 40-hour work week for three months in one setting, then another in a different setting. Schedules do vary. For example, days in hospitals can be longer, and days in school systems can be shorter. Some sites may have evening hours and others weekend hours. Some weekly schedules involve four 10-hour days. Part-time fieldwork may be available in special situations and is determined on a case-by-case basis.

There are no mandatory types of Level I or Level II Fieldwork experiences. Students work with individuals of different ages throughout their lifespan with a variety of physical, cognitive, and psychosocial conditions in a variety of practice settings.  

Various fieldwork placement sites are available in and around the Philadelphia region.

Fieldwork Level II placement sites are available in other areas of the United States. Thomas Jefferson University students have completed fieldwork placements in 24 states (including Hawaii and California) and three countries outside the U.S.

As part of your pre-matriculation requirements, you have to have a physical, complete your health forms and complete your immunizations. This will be important for your Fieldwork because most sites ask for proof of health records and updated immunizations. It is important that you complete these forms and keep current on your immunizations and background checks to make your Fieldwork experiences go as smoothly as possible. Many sites will not recognize documents more than one year old.

The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act (HIPAA) training is an important part of confidentiality not only for Fieldwork but for ethical clinical practice. You must complete the online HIPAA training for admission to Thomas Jefferson University as part of your pre-matriculation requirements. Additionally, you may have to complete HIPAA orientation or training at your Fieldwork placements.