Lecture prepares for the off-site experience and future fieldwork IIs by requiring academic & practical competency-based assignments. The externship will be arranged and take place at clinical facility sites within the community under the direction of an academic fieldwork coordinator. Emphasis is to expose students to a variety of diagnoses and to develop professional behaviors and clinical observation skills. This is a designated service-learning course.
Description:
For my Level I fieldwork at Aspen Ridge East Transitional Care, I created a project tailored to the facility's needs. This project consisted of a poster board with matching Velcro decks of cards to address fine motor skills, visual scanning, functional balance, crossing the midline, supination, cognition, and upper extremity ROM.
After observing the facility and consulting with my fieldwork instructor, I identified the project as beneficial for clients and aligned with occupational therapy goals.
Reflection:
I learned that even simple activities can have a profound effect on clients' participation and overall health. This project reinforced my understanding of the impact of OT interventions and expanded my knowledge of the variety of activities that can assist clients with different diagnoses.
This experience deepened my appreciation for OT’s ability to improve mental and physical health. It also helped me develop creativity and adaptability in designing interventions tailored to clients’ specific needs.
Connections:
Through this experience, I demonstrated the ability to provide and accept feedback by modifying my project based on input from my fieldwork instructor. Completing this service-learning project gave me a sense of accomplishment and reinforced my confidence in designing activities that support clients’ therapeutic goals. Observing evidence-based practices at my fieldwork site informed my project design and helped me connect theory to practical application.