The University of North Dakota is fortunate to have positive relationships with many fieldwork sites that have provided fieldwork experiences for our students over the past 50 years. With over 170 fieldwork sites to choose from, students have the opportunity to choose from a variety of potential sites in diverse settings and across several age groups. Click here for more information about Fieldwork Settings.

Consistent with accreditation standards, UND offers both Level I and Level II Fieldwork experiences. The goal of Level I Fieldwork is to introduce students to the fieldwork experience, and to develop a basic comfort level with and understanding of the needs of clients. Experiences are designed to enrich didactic coursework through directed observation and supervised participation in the occupational therapy process. Block assignments of one week periods have been organized to provide students with exposure to pediatric and adult populations within educational, psychosocial and physical rehabilitative settings. The goal of Level II fieldwork is to develop competent, entry-level generalist occupational therapists. This involves an in-depth experience in delivering occupational therapy services to clients over a 24 week time period in both physical rehabilitative and psychosocial settings. Most Level II students are supervised 1:1 by a full-time occupational therapist with over one year of experience, but occasionally a group model is followed where one supervisor (also an experienced registered therapist) is responsible for two students, or two sites might work together in providing a full-time 12 week experience for one student.

Students have the opportunity to meet with the academic fieldwork coordinator both individually and in groups prior to making their fieldwork selection. Click here to learn more about the process of choosing required fieldwork. Students are provided with multiple resources to assist them in making their selection, including information from previous students, materials sent from the fieldwork sites, and information obtained from field visits by the academic fieldwork coordinator. The academic fieldwork coordinator maintains regular contact with fieldwork sites through e-mail or phone, as well as fieldwork visits, and completes the fieldwork evaluation process to determine whether the setting is equipped to provide application of principles learned in the academic program and appropriate to the learning needs of the student. Sites are selected based on the variety of treatment conditions available, evaluations and interventions used, opportunities for client participation in the therapy process, facility expectations and student resources for learning, and overall consistency of the learning experience with UND OT Department objectives.

Potential fieldwork educators are sent a standard package which provides a brief description of the UND curriculum design, fieldwork requirements, forms developed by AOTA and a format for writing fieldwork objectives. Once submitted to UND for review, objectives and assignments are evaluated and the educators contacted with suggestions for change or verification of final acceptance.

Recognizing that many fieldwork educators consistently excel in the clinical education of students, yet are rarely recognized, the Occupational Therapy Department at UND has established an Outstanding Fieldwork Educator Award. This award is presented to an individual who has demonstrated outstanding leadership, mentorship and teaching abilities in the fieldwork educator role.