Fieldwork Placements
A minimum of 28 weeks of fieldwork is required to complete the program. These weeks are completed within four 6 or 7 week, full-time placements which are dispersed throughout the program. Most of the placements take place within Alberta, Saskatchewan and the NWT.
There are very limited opportunities for students to complete a fieldwork placement outside of the UofA's catchment area (AB, SK, NWT). Only a limited number of students in each cohort (determined by lottery) may have the opportunity to complete a maximum of one fieldwork placement in a non-UofA catchment area (BC, ON, etc).
Some students may have the opportunity to complete a senior level placement internationally at select locations. Due to immigration regulations imposed by the United States, non U.S. citizens are not permitted to complete a placement in the U.S.
Students in the Saskatchewan cohort are eligible to complete only one 7 week placement in Alberta. Three of their placements must be completed in Saskatchewan, the NWT, in other Canadian provinces, or potentially in an international setting during senior placements.
Placements are arranged by the Academic Coordinator of Clinical Education (ACCE) at facilities approved by the Department of Occupational Therapy. Students are not to contact OTs at potential fieldwork sites regarding placement options. Students must attend all days of the 5-day/week, seven week placements in order to meet their fieldwork placement requirement as mandated by the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists.
Expenses: Placement costs (travel, lodging, food, parking, etc.) are the student's responsibility. University fees are charged for placement courses according to the regular fee index charge of the University.
Fieldwork Placement Pre-requisites
The following are the prerequisites for the first placement and are listed here for general information. Further details will be provided once you are admitted to the program.
Valid CPR: To begin placements, students must have a valid Basic Life Support (BLS) level CPR certificate. This certification must remain up-to-date annually, regardless of the expiration of the certificate. The provider of the certificate must use the Heart and Stroke Foundation Guidelines in order to be acceptable. Red Cross or private providers that follow the guidelines will also be accepted. First Aid is not required and their certificates are not accepted in lieu of BLS CPR certificates.
Police Information Check: A Criminal Record Check which includes working with 'vulnerable persons' is required for students to begin their placements. They can be obtained through the Edmonton City Police, the Calgary City Police, the RCMP, or a local law enforcement agency. Any fees associated with this requirement are the responsibility of the student. Failure to obtain a clear check may prevent students from completing the clinical requirement of the program. Students from out of province/country will need to complete the security check in their home province/country prior to starting the program.
Immunization Requirement: To meet patient protection standards suggested by Alberta Health & Wellness, students are required to obtain specified immunizations prior to clinical practice. Further details will be provided on admission to the program.
Fit-testing for the N95 respirator mask: To protect against infectious respiratory diseases, students will be fit-tested for a N95 mask before the first placement once they begin the program.