Expectations for Specific Fieldwork Courses
Students are responsible use the E*Value software platform to log-in their “duty hours” for each type of fieldwork placement in the curriculum, represented by the different course numbers for the progression of placements (OT 660, OT 661, OT 662, OT 663, OT 664, OT 761 and OT 762). Students are obligated to be on- site from the start through the end date of the placement as assigned unless approved by the site and fieldwork office.
Level I and Level II Fieldwork Attendance
Attendance is mandatory for all fieldwork experiences. Students are strongly discouraged from requesting time off for personal reasons. However, should there be a need for such a request, students must inform the IHP Fieldwork Team if their fieldwork educator granted such a request. Any site approved time off may require compensatory measures, as determined by the site and/or the IHP Fieldwork Team, to fulfill the required hours and responsibilities of the placement. Absence from the fieldwork site, except in the case of illness, bereavement, emergency situations or religious observances, will be considered unexcused and may result in a grade of “F” for the course.
Students are expected to attend all fieldwork experiences during the hours specified by the fieldwork facility, including evening, weekend and holiday work schedules, rather than the Institute’s academic calendar.
Attendance may be required for pre-placement orientations, as well as for end-of-placement debriefing and wrap-up.
For all Level I and Level II fieldwork related experiences, in the case of illness, bereavement, or other unanticipated absence, students must contact the fieldwork site, fieldwork educator, and in the case of IHP-based fieldwork meetings, the course faculty before the start of the scheduled fieldwork hours to report the absence. In the case of an anticipated absence, as for religious observance, the student is expected to discuss the absence with the Fieldwork Educator in advance of the scheduled session. In addition, all absences, late arrivals and early dismissals must be simultaneously reported to both the AFWC or CEPSA.
Make-Up Time for Level I and Level II Fieldwork Experiences
For Level I Fieldwork, students are permitted to make up one missed session in any placement due to illness or other justifiable reasons, at the discretion of the course faculty. However, missing two or more sessions in any fieldwork experience will necessitate making up all missed time, though not all missed sessions may be eligible for make-up. Failure to complete the necessary make-up sessions, or in cases where make-up is not possible, may result in failing the course.
Per EL-OTD policy, students are not permitted to miss more than three days during each Level II fieldwork experience (excused or unexcused). Should additional absences occur, students are required to make up the missed time. Note that clinical sites may have varying expectations regarding the handling of missed days. Some Level II fieldwork sites may mandate that all missed days and/or time be made up prior to the successful completion of the fieldwork. In cases where absences exceed three days, a medical provider's clearance may also be required for the student to return to the fieldwork facility.
Students are required to keep the fieldwork office informed of any missed days, including delays or early dismissals, during fieldwork, even as a result of a fieldwork educator’s absence requiring missed fieldwork days to ensure that all requirements of 12 full time weeks for fieldwork can be met.
Plans for make-up of any missed time in the placement will be determined by the fieldwork facility’s Site Coordinator and/or Fieldwork Educator, in conjunction with the AFWC or CEPSA, based on the fieldwork site’s ability to schedule such time. Missed time may be made up following the experience or during it by adding additional hours. Students are expected to be flexible in making up time and must keep fieldwork a priority in their schedules. Missed time not able to be made up within the academic term may result in a grade of Incomplete.
Inclement Weather/Snow Policy
On-campus classes may be canceled when the Institute is closed for inclement weather. For Level I Fieldwork, students must still contact the fieldwork facility designated contact person (site coordinator or direct fieldwork educator) prior to the start of the scheduled fieldwork session to confirm a plan, which may include: absence or missed attendance due to extent of weather disruption; reformatting participation to online telehealth services; shifting hours/time, or verifying original schedule.
In the case of full-time Level II fieldwork experiences, students are expected to make every reasonable effort to report to the fieldwork site for all scheduled fieldwork hours unless instructed otherwise by fieldwork facility’s personnel. If travel to the facility is impossible, or if tardiness is unavoidable, the student is expected to contact their fieldwork site before the start of the scheduled fieldwork hours to report the absence or delayed arrival. The student must also report the absence to the AFWC and CEPSA. Schedule disruptions for students’ attendance during Level II fieldwork should be avoided whenever possible.