Overview
Fieldwork education and the doctoral capstone are essential components of professional doctoral preparation and are integrated in the OTD curriculum design.These learning experiences prepare students to assume the roles of practitioner, manager and contributor upon graduation from the academic program.
Level II fieldwork and the doctoral capstone must be completed within 24 months following completion of the didactic portions of the OTD program.
The OTD program requires students to complete fieldwork education experiences and a doctoral capstone experience (experiential preceptorship) at facilities external to the University of Pittsburgh. All OTD students are responsible for securing required resources and completing required documents to participate in fieldwork education and the doctoral capstone experience including but not limited to transportation, physical examinations and associated testing (i.e., drug screen, vaccinations), health insurance, liability insurance, background clearances, CPR/AED training, first aid training, education modules, parking, housing, food and clothing.
NOTE: A felony conviction may affect a graduate’s ability to sit for the certification examination or attain state licensure.
Fieldwork Experience Overview
Fieldwork experiences provide students with the opportunity to learn professional responsibilities by having them modeled by qualified and experienced personnel and to practice these responsibilities in a supervised setting.
Fieldwork education includes Level I and Level II experiences.
Students can complete Level II fieldwork in a minimum of one setting if it is reflective of more than one practice area, or in a maximum of four different settings. The OTD program only uses sites within the United States that allow for supervision by an occupational therapist who meets state regulations and has a minimum of one year of practice experience, following initial certification.
|
Level I Fieldwork |
Level II Fieldwork |
| When |
Terms 2 and 4 |
Terms 5 and 6 |
| Where |
Clinic/community sites in the Greater Pittsburgh Area that have a signed agreement with SHRS and meet the criteria for Level I fieldwork supervision. |
Clinic/community sites within the United States that have a signed agreement with SHRS and meet the criteria for Level II fieldwork supervision. |
| What to Expect |
Designed to enrich didactic coursework through direct observation and participation and to develop the student’s professional identity. |
In-depth experience in delivering occupational therapy services to clients in traditional and/or emerging settings. |
| Time Commitment |
Includes 4 clinical experiences that are each 1 day per week for 5 weeks and an experience that focuses on the development of the student’s professional identity. |
Minimum of the equivalent of 24 full-time work weeks. |
Doctoral Capstone Overview
The Doctoral Capstone provides an in-depth capstone experience and includes the completion of a capstone project. The focus of the Doctoral Capstone is on the development of skills for increased autonomy as a contributor in advancing occupational therapy practice.
| |
Doctoral Capstone |
| When |
Term 8 |
| Where |
Community sites in the Greater Pittsburgh Area that have a signed agreement with SHRS and meet the criteria for the doctoral capstone experience |
| What to Expect |
An in-depth experience in clinical practice skills, research skills, administration, leaders, program and policy development, advocacy, and/or education and includes the completion and implementation of a capstone project. |
| Time Commitment* |
16 weeks (1 term), 512 hours |
*Prior fieldwork, volunteer, and/or work experience hours cannot be applied towards doctoral capstone experience hours and a student’s current work setting cannot serve as their doctoral capstone experience site.
