For Fieldwork Educators

As a fieldwork educator (FWE) you are a licensed OT who supervises, mentors, and assesses students during their clinical placements, bridging academic knowledge with real-world practice in settings like hospitals, clinics, or community agencies to develop their professional skills, reasoning, and identity as future OTs. You provide hands-on guidance, feedback, and create learning opportunities that foster clinical competence and professional growth. 

Key roles of a fieldwork educator

Supervision & Mentorship: Guides students through complex cases, models effective practice, and helps them integrate theory with practice.

  • Skill Development: Facilitates the growth of technical skills, clinical reasoning, evidence-based practice, and professional behaviors.
  • Assessment: Evaluates student performance and learning, providing constructive feedback.
  • Professional Role Model: Socializes students into the profession, helping them understand the OT philosophy and ethical responsibilities.
  • Resource Provider: Shares clinical experiences, directs students to relevant literature, and fosters critical thinking.
  • Experience Designer: Assigns tasks that are appropriately challenging to build confidence and competence, adapting to the student's learning needs. 

If you have any questions, please contact: otfwork@dal.ca.

Offer a Fieldwork Placement

Placement dates for 2026

January 2nd to February 27th 2nd-year students will be entering their 2nd-to-last fieldwork placement   
March 4th to April 30th 2nd-year students will be entering their final placement
May 4th to June 29th 1st-year students will be entering their first placement

Why become a fieldwork educator?

  • Give back to the profession and academic programs.
  • Stay current with new research and practices.
  • Develop your own supervisory and advanced clinical reasoning skills.
  • Help shape future OTs and expand the profession's reach. 
  • It takes a community - FWEs are crucial for transforming a student into a competent, confident, and self-directed occupational therapy practitioner.

What students are saying about their placement experience

  • My preceptor was great, she is a great teacher, she provided me with the perfect level of challenge, and she is really dedicated to her work which I found inspiring.
  • My preceptor has made this experience positive as she cared a lot about my learning and consistently made a huge effort to ensure I had the best learning experience possible.
  • My preceptor has taught me invaluable knowledge within these past 8 weeks. She has been an amazing mentor as she has displayed patience through having a student and has challenged my clinical reasoning skills which has allowed to grow significantly as an OT student.
  • I had very supportive preceptors who taught me valuable skills. I was able to grow in my confidence, skills and gain independence throughout the placement.
  • This was a great placement! I appreciate all the learning moments with each of my preceptors and I enjoyed working with them. THANKS GUYS :) 
  • The whole team made this experience so enjoyable and everyone welcomed me with open arms, especially my preceptor who I learned a great deal from. Her constant support pushed me to where I'm at today and I can't thank her enough for all she did in helping me prepare for my future as an OT.

Examples of suggested placement activities

To offer a placement for fieldwork sites, use our simple form. Please complete a separate form for each facility and each placement block. If you are unsure or have any questions please contact the Fieldwork Team via email at otfwork@dal.ca.

Everything you'll need for a placement

Preceptor orientation & training resources

Fieldwork education evaluation and feedback forms

Competency Based Fieldwork Evaluation for Occupational Therapists (CBFE-OT) form, or another appropriate fieldwork evaluation tool, for preceptor and student to complete at mid-term and final.

Student Evaluation of Preceptor and Site form for student to complete at mid-term and final

Helpful hints for completing the CBFE-OT or another appropriate fieldwork evaluation tool.

Additional guidance on CBFE scoring.

Note: One copy of CBFE-OT is completed and signed, front and back, by the preceptor and the student. The second copy of the CBFE-OT is completed by the student and signed, front and back, by the preceptor and the student (there should be a total 6 signatures on each). The Student Evaluation of Preceptor and Site form also needs to be signed by the preceptor and the student.

Please email both copies of the CBFE-OT and the Student Evaluation of the Preceptor and Site form electronically on the final day of placement otfwork@dal.ca and cc’d cia.tweel@dal.ca.

School of Occupational Therapy MSc(OT) Curriculum outline

Link to be provided.

Dalhousie Accident/Incident Report form

Dalhousie Accident/Incident Report form to be completed in addition to on-site requirements & returned to OT Fieldwork Coordinator (otfwork@dal.ca) in the event of an accident/incident.

Link to be provided

Fieldwork Manual

Fieldwork Manual with fieldwork policies and procedures.

Additional fieldwork educator resources and training.

Fieldwork educator recognition

Appreciation certificates - pin recognition

Fieldwork educator awards

CAOT Fieldworker of 2025

CAOT Fieldworker of 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I become accredited to educate students for a fieldwork placement?

I am a new graduate and would like to take a student. I've hearc that you require at least one year experience. Is that true?

Can I share a student with another therapist?

I'd like to take a student but I work irregular hours. Can students complete their placements on weekends and evenings?