UofA MScOT Fieldwork Update re: COVID-19 Pandemic

The UofA Department of OT respects and greatly appreciates the commitment and effort being demonstrated by individuals and agencies in order to provide healthcare and social services, including occupational therapy, during these unprecedented circumstances.

With the overwhelming support of Alberta and Saskatchewan OTs, and the various health regions across both provinces, fieldwork placements for our third year (senior) students are proceeding where possible:

• Level 3a - mid-June to October 2020
• Level 3b - September to December 2020

Alternate or overlapping schedules, as well as creative supervision and practice models, are being used when necessary. Many placements are engaging students and preceptors in tele-rehabilitation and virtual/remote service provision.

Our students are thrilled and very appreciative to have these opportunities to learn and work in the healthcare and social services so they can complete the final steps on their path to graduation!

At this point, we are focused on recruiting placement offers for OCCTH 528 (Level 3b) for Nov 2 - Dec 18.

If your OT practice is ready, and you are willing, to support fieldwork placements during the pandemic, please contact the Department of OT:

otclined@ualberta.ca

Our department and fieldwork team would like to offer our sincere gratitude to the OT communities in Alberta and Saskatchewan for the many placements that are underway and have already been offered for the remainder of 2020.

Your response has been tremendous!

UofA MScOT Fieldwork Update re: COVID-19 Pandemic

The UofA Department of OT respects and greatly appreciates the commitment and effort being demonstrated by individuals and agencies in order to provide healthcare and social services, including occupational therapy, during these unprecedented circumstances.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we were unable to schedule fieldwork placements for first year OT students during spring term (postponed until Jan/Feb 2021) but fieldwork placements for second year OT students are proceeding where possible using a revised schedule:

• Level 3a - mid-June to end of August 
• Level 3a/DUPLICATE - September 8 to October 30 (any 7 weeks)
• Level 3b/FINAL - Nov 2 to Dec 18 (7 weeks) 

Offers are still needed for the Level 3a/DUPLICATE and Level 3b/FINAL placements this fall.

If your OT practice is ready, and you are willing, to support fieldwork placements during the pandemic, please contact the Department of OT:

otclined@ualberta.ca

Our department and fieldwork team would like to offer their sincere gratitude to the OT communities in Alberta and Saskatchewan for the many placements that have already been offered for Level 3a this summer. Your response has been tremendous!

UofA MScOT Fieldwork Update re: COVID-19 Pandemic

The UofA Department of OT respects and greatly appreciates the commitment and effort being demonstrated by individuals and agencies in order to provide healthcare and social services, including occupational therapy, during these unprecedented circumstances.

We continue to be in regular communication with the AHS and Covenant Health Student Placement Teams, the Saskatchewan Health Authority and many other fieldwork sites/partners throughout our catchment area (AB, SK and the NWT) regarding plans for moving forward with OT fieldwork placements where/whenever possible amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

We are hoping to make use of as many summer session placement offers as possible but believe that, due to attrition based on various/many reasons, we will ultimately have only ~20-40% of the 120 offers needed for OCCTH 527 (Year 2/Level 3a).

Given this likely reality, the OT fieldwork schedule for the remainder of 2020 is anticipated be as follows:

• OCCTH 527 (recruited prior to COVID-19 and confirmed as being able to proceed) (Level 3a) mid-June to beginning of Sept using various dates
• OCCTH 527 (Level 3a) Sept 8 - Oct 23 (or alternatively Sept 14 - Oct 30)
• OCCTH 528 (Level 3b) Nov 2 - Dec 18

At this point, we anticipate needing the four-month period from mid-June to the end of October for OCCTH 527 placements.

We recognize that each site has their own realities, challenges and protocols/procedures in relation to this pandemic; therefore:

• During the first 2 weeks of May, we will be connecting with all sites/preceptors that had previously offered summer placements to discuss placement viability and the protocols necessary for students to be able to enter that site.

• Starting on May 1, we will be completing a ‘call for offers’ for placements for OCCTH 527 for early fall (placement requests in HSPnet will be labelled 'OCCTH 527 COVID 19') and also for OCCTH 528 for late fall.

If you have questions/concerns, or feel your practice is ready to host an OT student again, please don’t hesitate to contact the designated fieldwork team member for your region/province or contact our Clinical Education Administrator, Danielle Vallee:

otclined@ualberta.ca

The safety of therapists and students and the safety of clients served by occupational therapy in our AB, SK and NWT communities continues to be our top priority.

Thank you in advance for your continued support of our MScOT fieldwork program!

We are in this together.

UofA MScOT Fieldwork Update re: COVID-19 Pandemic

The UofA Department of OT respects and greatly appreciates the commitment and effort being demonstrated by individuals and agencies in order to provide healthcare and social services, including occupational therapy, during these unprecedented circumstances.

As a response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the MScOT program is cancelling the spring fieldwork session (OCCTH 525 - May/Jun 2020) for Year 1 OT students.

Since the summer placement period is still ~3 months away and the healthcare and societal response to the pandemic is emerging daily/weekly, our department is deferring decision-making regarding the summer fieldwork session (OCCTH 527 - Jul/Aug 2020) for Year 2 OT students until the end of April.

We will continue to actively monitor the emerging situation, including the impact(s) on various fieldwork contexts/sites and inter-provincial/territorial mobility within our fieldwork catchment area re: Alberta, Saskatchewan and the NWT. We will consult and collaborate with the AHS Provincial Student Placement Team, Covenant Health and other major fieldwork stakeholders in Alberta and Saskatchewan before any further recruitment of placements is undertaken for the summer session (OCCTH 527). The safety of therapists and students and the safety of clients served by occupational therapy in our AB, SK and NWT communities continues to be our top priority.

We will provide another update to our fieldwork stakeholders and OT practice communities at the end of April.

Thank you for your understanding and your continued support of our MScOT fieldwork program!

OT Students Host Walker Clinic for Edmonton's Inner City Community

On February 13, as part of their fieldwork placement, and in partnership with Alberta Health Services and Healthcare Solutions, two UofA MScOT students provided walker and mobility assessments at Boyle Street Community Centre.

Watch or read the media coverage!

Global News (video coverage begins at 2:40)

City News (video)

CTV News

UofA FRM Rehab News

Very exciting to see this amount of coverage re: one of our impactful role-emerging UofA OT fieldwork initiatives!

More than just books: Bringing occupational therapy into the library

In spring 2019, two first year OT students completed a role-emerging Independent Community Placement (ICP) at the Abbottsfield - Penny McKee branch of the Edmonton Public Library (EPL).

Read the full story here.

Currently, two more second year OT students are completing an ICP at the EPL Jasper Place branch.

Our MScOT students and fieldwork team are bringing occupational therapy into the library!

Downtown Resource Tour for OT Students Completing Independent Community Placements (ICPs)

11 occupational therapy students participated in the 'Downtown Resource Tour' that Rehab Med's Loriane Kolber, Clinical Education Coordinator for Independent Community Placements (ICPs) organizes for each fieldwork session.

This tour enables students completing ICPs to be introduced to the various agencies/sites/resources available to individuals experiencing homelessness, mental health issues, addictions and poverty in the Edmonton area.

Despite the extreme weather warning, the tour proceeded last week in order to normalize the reality that these vulnerable individuals deal with everyday, whether the elements cooperate or not.

The students are currently completing placements focused on mental health, addictions and/or serving vulnerable populations at the following locations:

• Boyle Street Community Services & Cooperative - Stepping Stones
• Seniors Association of Greater Edmonton - Safe House & Clinic
• Bissell Centre - Hope Terrace
• NiGiNan Housing Ventures - Ambrose Place
• Edmonton Public Library - Jasper Place Branch
• UofA Accessibility Resources

https://www.facebook.com/UofARehabMedicine/photos/a.195061647181674/3058431910844619/?type=3&theater