Program Fieldwork (for fieldwork sites and students only)

Fieldwork education is a crucial part of your preparation to become an occupational therapy assistant. It provides you an opportunity to carry out practice and other professional responsibilities under the supervision and role modeling of an experienced practitioner.

Review a detailed definition of occupational therapy assistant fieldwork (PDF).

If you are interested in hosting a Central Piedmont occupational therapy assistant fieldwork student, or if you have any comments or questions, please email Gwendolyn Marseille, academic fieldwork coordinator (AFWC).

Fieldwork Policies and Procedures

  • Policies and Procedures

  • Health Record Requirements

    To ensure the safety of students and clients while in fieldwork, students must complete the following once admitted to the occupational therapy assistant program:

    • a 13-panel urine drug screening from a federally-approved laboratory
    • a physical exam performed by a physician, physician assistant, or nurse practitioner
    • complete all required vaccinations, including the flu shot
    • read and sign acceptance of essentials functions for the occupational therapy assistant program
    • obtain AHA health providers CPR
    • submit proof of health insurance

    Students must sign authorization forms for the following:

    • authorization for disclosure: Central Piedmont internal release
    • medical record release of information to off-campus clinical facilities

Information for Fieldwork Facility Partners

  • New Fieldwork Partnerships

    There are specific processes for fieldwork site selection that are required to ensure facilities meet the criteria set forth by Central Piedmont's occupational therapy assistant program and ACOTE.

    Process of fieldwork site selection (PDF)

    In collaboration with the Central Piedmont occupational therapy assistant program Academic Fieldwork Coordinator (AFWC), each facility must complete the following:

  • Current Fieldwork Affiliations

    Maintenance of current fieldwork partnerships requires up-to-date:

    Each time a student is placed at a facility, the following forms must be completed:

      • Fieldwork educator information sheet: complete for each clinician who has a fieldwork student. This form should be updated once a year, but if an educator takes multiple students in one year, only one form is necessary.

      • objectives acknowledgement forms (for objectives and other guidelines for supervising students, refer to the Level I & Level II Fieldwork Guidelines section)
    • AOTA Fieldwork Resources

      Enhance Your Supervision Skills

      Information on this page is to help mentor occupational therapy practitioners who are or will be supervising students from the Central Piedmont occupational therapist assistant program. Supervising students for fieldwork is a rewarding task but can be challenging. The Central Piedmont occupational therapist assistant program Academic Fieldwork Coordinator (AFWC) and faculty hope this information will be helpful. If you have questions that are not answered in the resources provided or need clarification on any of the information, please contact us.