Shared from the UBC OT Fieldwork Education blog. If you haven’t already done so, subscribe to the blog to receive updates on helpful topics and tips on working with OT students and hosting fieldwork placements.
Congratulations to Jamie Wolff, Occupational Therapist with Fraser Health, Surrey Memorial Hospital, who has been awarded the CAOT Award for Excellence in Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education for 2023. The UBC OT fieldwork team is very proud of you.
Criteria for nomination
Nominations are submitted by students in our MOT program for an occupational therapist who:
- Created an environment that fostered trust, respect and valued learning;
- Demonstrated enthusiasm for student education;
- Utilized effective communication skills including how feedback was provided, approachable;
- Utilized effective teaching strategies;
- Demonstrated a willingness to educate students (educated more than 1 at a time; multiple placements per year; took students from other parts of Canada);
- Facilitated goal setting throughout the placement with clearly outlined objectives and clearly articulated expectations for success;
- Provided appropriate amounts of challenge and support (increasing independence through the placement);
- Provided timely and appropriate feedback;
- Identified learning needs and opportunities;
- Facilitated clinical reasoning;
- Demonstrated professionalism;
- Utilized evidence-based practice.
Jamie Wolff’s nomination
The profession of occupational therapy is incredibly fortunate to have Jamie providing such expertise and excellence in fieldwork education. Her dedication is both inspiring and commendable.
Jamie’s teaching skills, are founded on her love and passion for mentoring students. She grades the placements at a just right challenge level. Her written and verbal feedback is detailed and thoughtful.
Jamie leads by example in all aspects: interprofessional communication, interactions with clients, efficiency, ability to prioritize, professionalism, and passion. Student’s high level of trust and respect towards Jamie was continually confirmed when other team members expressed how I was so lucky to be her student. I clearly saw the level of respect, credibility, and high reputation Jamie has at SMH.
Jamie created an extraordinarily safe learning environment by modeling open communication, authenticity, compassion, and empathy.
Jamie is flexible and can adapt her teaching methods to meet in the middle with her student’s learning style. Because I had been given accurate feedback I felt her trust in me. Her feedback was so authentic that I knew it would move me forward in my level of competence and independence. Every single one of her instructions, decisions, and suggestions during placement was made with utmost intention. She was grading my learning and setting me up to reach my full potential without me even realizing it. This intentionality showed me even more how much she cared about my learning and development.
Congratulations, Jamie!