Occupational Therapy Level II Fieldwork Impact on Clinicians: A Preliminary Time Study

The aim of this preliminary study was to quantify the amount of time clinicians spend at work with and without a student and identify predictors of time spent at work with a student. A quasi-experimental design evaluated 22 occupational therapists that supervised a student. The occupational therapists completed a time log for 3 months without a student and 3 months while supervising a student. A statistically significant difference in overall time spent at work while supervising a student compared to when not supervising a student was found. Clinicians spent an average additional 25 minutes at work per day when supervising a student. Clinician years of experience and time spent without a student were found to be predictive of the time spent at work with a student. The additional time spent at work when supervising a level II fieldwork student should be considered along with all of the documented benefits of supervising a student by potential fieldwork educators.