Fieldwork placements provided by the clinical community provide students with the opportunity to integrate theoretical and practical knowledge and to develop professional behaviours and skills. We thank the facilities, the fieldwork coordinators, and the preceptors who work with the University to provide clinical placements for our students for your partnership, and for providing such exciting learning opportunities.

Visit the Placement Sites page in the Current Students section for a listing of the facilities offered to our students.

New: LEAP Placements

A unique aspect of the University of Toronto’s fieldwork program is that all of our MScOT students participate in a LEAP placement before graduation. LEAP stands for: Leadership, Emerging, Advocacy, and Program Development.

LEAP placements can be:

in a program or on a project where there is no existing occupational therapy presence/intervention
in a program that has less than a 0.5 FTE OT where more occupational therapy intervention is thought to be beneficial/warranted
with an OT in an administrative/management/leadership position (e.g. OT Practice Leader)
in a role that is 50% ‘traditional’ combined with 50% of any of the above

LEAP placements are a great opportunity for MScOT students to develop skills of autonomy, resiliency, dealing with ambiguity and practice management. LEAP placements are also beneficial to our fieldwork partners and they often share that the LEAP projects were valuable to the work of the organization.

If you have questions about LEAP placements, please contact Andrea Duncan at a.duncan@utoronto.ca

Fieldwork Resources for the Clinical Community

2021/2022 Fieldwork Schedule

Fieldwork Course	Start - End Dates
Fieldwork 1: 6 weeks full-time January 3 – February 18, 2022; First 2 weeks of virtual and in-person preparation provided by university fieldwork instructors (includes Tech week) with following 4 weeks at a clinical site - in person and/or virtual OCT1183Y	January 3 – 14, 2022: University fieldwork instruction; January 17 - February 10, 2022: Students at clinical sites
Fieldwork 2: 8 weeks full time at a clinical site-in person and/or virtual OCT1281Y	October 25 – December 17, 2021
Fieldwork 3: 8 weeks, 4 days per week OCT1282Y	March 21 – May 13, 2022
Fieldwork 4 9 weeks, 5 days per week OCT1283Y	June 27 – August 26, 2022

Download 2021-22 Fieldwork Schedule

Fieldwork Guidelines, Standards, and Resources

Department of OS&OT Educational Conceptual Framework

The MScOT Educational Conceptual Framework is a document that was created to outline the why and how of the MScOT curriculum that is used to educate students to become occupational therapists. In addition to providing a framework for teaching and learning, the document provides a guide for the renewal of both academic and fieldwork course content and teaching processes.

UofT MscOT ECF 2012 (PDF)

Canadian Guidelines for Fieldwork Education in Occupational Therapy

The Canadian Guidelines for Fieldwork Education in Occupational Therapy is a document created by the Committee on University Fieldwork Education (CUFE) of the Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy University Programs (ACOTUP) that outlines guiding principles, responsibilities, and a quality improvement process for OT fieldwork in Canada. This is an essential document for preceptors, fieldwork facilities, and university programs.

Guidelines and Standards for OT Student Supervision

Preceptors should make themselves familiar with the following documents:

College of Occupational Therapists of Ontario (COTO): Standards for the Supervision of Students (PDF)

Joint Position Statement of Association of Canadian Occupational Therapy University Programs (ACOTUP) & Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT): Joint Position Statement: Professional responsibility in fieldwork education in occupational therapy

New Preceptor Orientation (Updated February 2017): A five-page summary of resources and suggestions for preceptors who are new to the role. Topics include COTO and CAOT documents about fieldwork; responsibilities of preceptors from the perspective of the Department of OS&OT; information about the Competency-based Fieldwork Evaluation, student learning objectives, and practical processes concerning issues that arise; and suggestions about how to use your site fieldwork coordinator and what to orient your student to in your work area/facility.

Resources from OT Clinical Education Workshop, April 16, 2015

1. Overview of Professional Reasoning: What does the university teach?
This session provides an overview of the OCT1131H (OT Practice 1 course) teaching on clinical reasoning. The types of clinical/professional reasoning are described and discussed with case studies used as illustrations. The session also includes methods for encouraging and enhancing student clinical reasoning on fieldwork placement.

Presenter: Prof. Donna Barker, Director of Clinical Education, Department of OS&OT

Link to Recording

Accompanying Handout: Overview of Professional Reasoning

2. Tips on Balancing Clinical Education with Clinical Responsibilities
This session provides tips on how a clinician can approach the challenge of managing the dual roles of preceptor and clinician. Discussion includes an overview of an optimum fieldwork environment for both student and preceptor and ideas for the successful professional development for both the student and preceptor while continuing to provide effective client care.

Presenters: Rhona Anderson and Jameela Lencucha, Sessional Fieldwork Instructors, Department of OS&OT

Link to Recording

Accompanying Handout: Balancing the Dual roles of Clinician and Preceptor – Tips and Resources

Online Preceptor/Student Resources

We encourage preceptors to make use of these excellent on-line resources.

The Preceptor Education Program was developed by an interprofessional research group at the University of Western Ontario and Fanshawe College and funded by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care. The resulting inter-professional web-based, on-line education program is intended to provide practical support to both preceptors and and students. We invite you to make use of this very helpful resource.

The Preceptor Development Initiative was developed by an interprofessional group at the University of British Columbia. It is an excellent inter-active inter-professional web-based, on-line education program for preceptors.

Dalhousie University interdisciplinary Preceptor eLearning Course designed to provide comprehensive information and support for preceptors http://preceptor.healthprofessions.dal.ca/

Saskatchewan Preceptor Website that provides training resources, support and recognition to preceptors www.saskpreceptors.ca

Placement Evaluation Documents

The following documents must be completed and forwarded at the end of placement to the Fieldwork Office by the dates specified below. Evaluations must be returned to us by mail from the site, or in a sealed, signed envelope if given to the student to deliver.

Please read the Instructions on Evaluation of Fieldwork Placement for information on how to complete the evaluation of placement.

Competency Based Fieldwork Evaluation: An electronic version of the CBFE-OT will be provided prior to placement. The CBFE is the preceptor’s evaluation of the student and must be completed at mid-term and final. It should be discussed and signed by the student and preceptor at both mid-term and final periods. Preceptor should use whole numbers only for evaluation and co-preceptors should come to consensus on a mark for each competency. Please note that the completed CBFE form is part of the student’s academic record and is considered a confidential document. Facilities must have the student’s permission to retain a copy.
Student Report on Fieldwork Placement: The Student Report is the student’s evaluation of the preceptor/site/placement experience and must be filled out at mid-term and final. The completed form should be discussed and signed by the student and preceptor at both mid-term and final periods. Alternately, the completed and signed CBFE-OT and the completed and signed Student Report on Fieldwork Placement can be handed into the U of T Fieldwork Office. *NB. If handed in by the student, the evaluation must be in a sealed envelope that is signed over the seal by the preceptor or facility fieldwork coordinator

Please forward completed evaluation documents to:

Nella Campisi
Fieldwork Administrator
Dept. of OS&OT, University of Toronto
160 – 500 University Ave.
Toronto, ON M5G 1V7

Fieldwork Program and Course Specific Information

The following information is provided to facilitate your supervision of our students.

New Preceptor Orientation Updated Feb 2017
Content: A five-page summary of resources and suggestions for preceptors who are new to the role. Topics include COTO and CAOT documents about fieldwork; responsibilities of preceptors from the perspective of the Department of OS&OT; information about the Competency-based Fieldwork Evaluation, student learning objectives, and practical processes concerning issues that arise; and suggestions about how to use your site fieldwork coordinator and what to orient your student to in your work area/facility.
Preceptor Webcast for Intro (23 minutes). Content: Intro to Fieldwork objectives and format; Expectations of the Experience at the site; Peer assisted learning; Evaluation methods; Student journaling; and Administrative information. View the Fieldwork I Pre-Placement Preceptor Information Presentation. Review the presentation slides and notes.
Preparation for Fieldwork I
Content: Fieldwork I objectives; Fieldwork I evaluation – expectations and new electronic forms; IPE during Fieldwork I; returning forms to the university; fieldwork resources and contact information.
Preparation for Fieldwork II (view the webcast – 16 minutes)
Content: Fieldwork II objectives; Fieldwork evaluation – expectations and electronic forms; IPE during Fieldwork II; returning forms to the university; fieldwork resources and contact information. Review the Fieldwork II presentation slides (pdf) (*note: to view the Speaker’s notes in the file, roll over the ‘bubble’ icon in the top left corner of the slide)
Preparation for Fieldwork III (view the webcast)
Content: Fieldwork III objectives; Fieldwork evaluation – expectations and electronic forms; IPE during Fieldwork II; returning forms to the university; fieldwork resources and contact information. Review the Fieldwork III presentation slides (pdf) (*note: to view the Speaker’s notes in the file, roll over the ‘bubble’ icon in the top left corner of the slide)
Preparation for Fieldwork IV (view the webcast – 18 minutes)
Content: Fieldwork IV objectives; Fieldwork evaluation – expectations and electronic forms; IPE during Fieldwork II; returning forms to the university; fieldwork resources and contact information. View the Fieldwork IV Pre-Placement Preceptor Information Presentation.
Instructions on Evaluation of Fieldwork Placement
Course Objectives
Course Outlines: Fieldwork I, Fieldwork II, Fieldwork III, Fieldwork IV
Fieldwork Manual
Responsibilities of Fieldwork Education Partners (Canadian Guidelines for Fieldwork Education)

Interprofessional Education (IPE): IPE is “Occasions when two or more professions learn with, from and about each other to improve collaboration and the quality of care.” – CAIPE, 1997. The University of Toronto Office of Interprofessional Education (IPE) aims to ‘ lead the advancement of IPE through education and research initiatives’. The University of Toronto is committed to having IPE opportunities and requirements in both coursework and fieldwork for practice-based health professionals. Please see Interprofessional Education Curriculum for further details and resources. In the OT fieldwork courses, there are opportunities for both structured IPE placements (where students from different disciplines are learning together in the same setting with structured, facilitated learning sessions), and flexible IPE activities (that involve the student participating in an activity such as interviewing other health professionals and then writing up a reflection paper) that can occur in any placement setting. Please contact one of the OT Fieldwork Coordinators if you would like further information.

Please contact us if you have any questions/comments:

Donna Barker
Director of Clinical Education
160 – 500 University Ave., Room 944
(416) 946-8782
Deb Cameron
International Fieldwork Coordinator
160 – 500 University Ave., Room 940
(416) 946-8568
Nella Campisi
Administrative Assistant
160 – 500 University Ave., Room 986
(416) 978-8234

Fieldwork Manual

The Fieldwork Manual contains information on all aspects of the Fieldwork program, including the placement process and guidelines.

Note Regarding Students from Other Universities

If you get a call or email from a student from another university requesting a placement at your facility, you should direct them back to their university to speak with their Fieldwork Coordinator. National and international out-of-catchment placements must be arranged through the Fieldwork Coordinator at your university. OT students have been instructed by all Canadian university Fieldwork Coordinators that they are not to contact facilities themselves to arrange their own placements.

Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy

Fieldwork Information & Supervision