As fieldwork educators, you facilitate the learning of students by creating a climate to promote the development of knowledge, skills, behaviours, and attitudes relevant to occupational therapy. As a fieldwork educator, your role will involve:
- Integrating your student into practice,
- Modelling professional practice behaviours,
- Developing your student’s competency within the setting, and
- Providing formal and informal feedback and evaluation on performance to the student and appropriate university personnel.
If you have any questions, please contact osot.fieldwork@ubc.ca
Key Fieldwork Resources
Offer a Fieldwork Placement
How to Submit a Placement Offer
We call for offers 3 times per year, September for placements from January-March, January for May-June, and June for November-December.
All placement offers from Health Authorities in BC should be submitted through HSPnet.
We accept placement offers from non-health authority sites via our website.
If you have any questions, please contact osot.fieldwork@ubc.ca
Placement Dates
| Cohort | Placement Level | Dates | Length |
| MOT1 | 2026 Shadow Visits (AM) | September 8, October 5 or October 9 | 1/2 day (8:30-11:30am) |
| MOT2 | Level 2B | November 2 – December 11, 2026 | 6 weeks |
| MOT1 | Level 1 | January 4 – February 5, 2027 | 5 weeks |
| MOT2 | Level 3A | February 8 – March 19, 2027 | 6 weeks |
| MOT2 | Level 3B | Tues March 30 – May 14, 2027 | 7 weeks |
| MOT1 | Level 2A | May 17 – June 18, 2027 | 5 weeks |
| MOT2 | Level 2B | November 8 – December 17, 2027 | 6 weeks |
Six Reasons to Make a Placement Offer
Become a Clinical Faculty Member
As a member of clinical faculty, you are affiliated with UBC and eligible for FW awards. Click here further details.
It’s rewarding and fun!
We can guarantee that you will learn as much from your student as you will be able to teach them.
Teach the next generation
As the Chinese proverb goes:
Tell me, I’ll forget.
Show me, I’ll remember.
Involve me, I’ll understand.
Give back to your profession with pride
You were once in their shoes! We’re sure you said: “When I graduate I will definitely be a fieldwork educator!”
Enhance critical thinking
Explaining the “why” part of your job prompts you to consider your role and enhance your patient care.
It’s the right thing to do!
Out of Province Placement Offers
We have a responsibility to ensure that all of our UBC MOT students are matched before we offer BC placements to OT schools nationwide. Once our students are matched, we work with sites to confirm which unmatched placements can be offered to students wanting to return to BC.
Placement Testimonies
Having the opportunity to be a fieldwork educator during a pandemic has stretched me in positive ways. Seeing the impact therapists can have via Telerehabilitation and empowering students who are keen to support clients and are tech savvy, has dialed up my skill sets as a practitioner. I’m truly grateful for the experience!
Hélène T, a recent OT Fieldwork Educator
I was excited to begin my final placement after a lot of unknowns, but along with that came a bit of additional stress and anxiety related to COVID-19 and being in a hospital. There was of course a lot of information thrown at me about safety and PPE, but once we were rolling, all was good. It felt great to get back in to the swing of OT practice.
Jessica H, MOT Class of 2020
Fieldwork Educator Training & Resources
Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education: Transitioning from Practitioner to Teacher & Fieldwork Educators’ Manual
We offer a curriculum of online workshop modules for clinicians, dedicated to discussing how to support students and help prepare preceptors for placements. You can choose some or all of the modules to complete at your leisure, and no registration is required.
Explore the modules and download the manual:
Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Education: Transitioning from Practitioner to Teacher
Preceptor Education Program for Health Professionals
The Preceptor Education Program is an online interprofessional program that consists of eight interactive learning modules. Each module takes 30-45 minutes to complete. The modules include downloadable resources, learning exercises, video case scenarios and references.
Please visit the Preceptor Education Program.
E-Tips for Practice Education
E-Tips is a series of eight web-based, on-line preceptor education modules for health care professionals who are interested in the development and education of learners in the real-world setting.
Please visit E-Tips for Practice Education
Podcasts
Book a Site Visit with the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator (In-Person/Virtual)
If you have questions about fieldwork education and would like to arrange a site visit (in-person or virtual), please contact us to register your interest, we will be in touch with you to finalize the arrangements.
Everything You’ll Need for a Placement
Fieldwork Site Manual – Policies and Procedures
A comprehensive manual to provide students and fieldwork educators with detailed information on fieldwork policies, expectations of roles and responsibilities, and fieldwork evaluation. Educators will find useful sections on communicating with students, preparing for the placement, and HR policies and procedures (e.g., dress code, sickness).
Competency-Based Fieldwork Evaluation
UBC MOT is expected to move to a new national fieldwork evaluation tool called Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Assessement in Canada (OTFAC) in Fall 2026. This tool will be used by OT programs across Canada.
Fieldwork Educators will be provided with the correct evaluation tool, instructions, and timelines before the placement begins. The new evaluation process is intended to be more straightforward and to support clear conversations between the student and Fieldwork Educator about the student’s progress, strengths, and areas for continued development.
Recommended Activities for Placements
A description of the five levels of placement that are part of the Master of Occupational Therapy program.
Private Practice Placement Package
Outlines private practice placements and includes suggested templates, UBC curriculum details, Worksafe BC policy, preceptor training and resources.
Role Emerging Placement Package
Outlines the role emerging placement and includes guidelines for sites with no occupational therapist on site, and suggested objectives provided by the student’s program.
LEAPP Fieldwork Initiative
LEAPP stands for Leadership, Emerging Role, Advocacy and Professional Practice. The LEAPP initiative looks to highlight the diverse employment opportunities available to Occupational Therapists outside of a clinical setting. The initiative aims to equip students with confidence, enhanced communication skills, performance management skills (efficiency, time management).
Does the placement offer process change for LEAPP?
No, the placement offer process does not change. If you are a HSPnet user, please continue to use HSPnet to offer your placements, if you don’t see the call for offer placement request on HSPnet, please get in touch with us via email (osot.fieldwork@ubc.ca).
If you are not a HSPnet user, please offer a placement using the online form above. Please provide as much information as you can about the placement this will help us to categorize the placement, and will be made available to the students when they are making their placement preferences.
Fieldwork Recognition
We are immeasurably grateful to have support from such a wonderful community in and around the province. The Master of Occupational Therapy program could not run without your placement offers and the invaluable learning opportunities for our students.
We celebrate our fieldwork community in the following ways:
Excellence Awards
We recognize preceptors each year with formal, student-nominated Excellences Awards:
- The Chris Courtney Award for Excellence in Fieldwork Education is presented annually every July.
- The CAOT Excellence in Fieldwork Award is announced yearly at the March CAOT AGM. The UBC recipient must be a CAOT member. The winner receives formal recognition in the OT Now journal and at the annual CAOT conference.
- The Regional Fieldwork Educator Awards are an annual award that recognizes OT preceptors from the 5 BC health regions.
Yearly Appreciation Certificates
Each preceptor will receive a recognition certificate for their contribution to student fieldwork, sent with utmost gratitude.
Clinical Faculty Appointment
As a fieldwork educator, you are eligible to apply to become a Clinical Instructor and Clinical Faculty Member. You will become a key part of our clinical community and the Faculty of Medicine.
Benefits include:
- UBC card and access to the UBC library
- UBC email address
- Travel discounts and more
Find out more about how to Become a Clinical Faculty Member, or if you are already appointed, check your contact details in our Clinical Faculty Directory.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you have a question, please email the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, and we will post the answer below to help other clinicians.
Current Fieldwork Educator FAQs
These questions are for preceptors who are preparing for, currently supervising, or wrapping up a UBC MOT placement.
Before Placement
What should I expect to receive before placement?
The placement site contact will be notified by email approximately 8–12 weeks before the placement start date confirming the placement match.
The student will be advised to send a letter of introduction to the placement site contact approximately 6 weeks before the placement start date which we ask you to respond to.
All Fieldwork Educators will also be invited to attend a pre-placement Zoom session in the two weeks leading up to the placement. These sessions usually take place over lunch, from 12:00–1:00pm, and are hosted by the UBC Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and Fieldwork Faculty team.
Approximately 1 week before the placement start date, Fieldwork Educators will be sent a pre-placement memo with resources to help prepare for the placement. This includes key reminders about placement expectations, schedules, absences, fieldwork resources, evaluation, and who to contact if questions or concerns arise.
What should the student send me?
The student sends a letter of introduction to the placement site contact before the placement begins.
This letter is intended to help you learn a little more about the student, including their background, learning goals, and interest in the placement area. Students are advised to send this approximately 6 weeks before the placement start date.
Students are also expected to complete any placement-specific pre-placement requirements before the placement starts. This may include site-specific readings, online modules, courses, onboarding documents, or other requirements requested by the placement site.
What if I haven’t heard from the student?
If you have not heard from the student, please contact the Fieldwork Team.
We will follow up with the student directly.
What onboarding/training has been completed?
Before going on their first placement, UBC MOT students complete the following onboarding requirements:
- Criminal Record Check
- Student Practice Education Core Orientation Certificate
- Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum Certificate
- Standard First Aid, including CPR Level C
- Health Immunization Review
- Towards a Respectful Workplace and Learning Environment Course
Students are also responsible for completing any placement-specific requirements requested by the site before the placement starts.
What should I do if a student’s site access or onboarding is delayed or incorrect?
For placements with Interior Health, Island Health, and Northern Health, UBC requests student accounts using the information provided in HSPnet.
To help ensure student access is set up correctly, please make sure the HSPnet placement offer includes the details of the site or sites the student will attend, or specific access required for the placement.
If a student’s access is incorrect or delayed, please contact the Fieldwork Team and we will follow up immediately.
For other placement sites, students are expected to complete any site-specific onboarding or access requirements as directed by the placement site.
What documents does UBC retain vs. what does the student retain?
UBC retains documentation related to the following:
- Criminal Record Check
- Student Practice Education Core Orientation Certificate
- Provincial Violence Prevention Curriculum Certificate
- Standard First Aid, including CPR Level C
- Health Immunization Review
- Towards a Respectful Workplace and Learning Environment Course
Students retain:
- Annual N95 respirator mask fit test
- Flu shot verification, if applicable
If you have questions about pre-placement procedures or documentation, please contact the Fieldwork Team.
During Placement
What schedule should the student follow?
UBC MOT placements are full-time. Students are expected to follow the same work schedule as their Fieldwork Educator. This may include a standard 7.5-hour workday, 4-on/4-off schedule, or another alternative schedule depending on the site. Students receive the same universal closure days and statutory holidays as their Fieldwork Educator, and are not expected to attend placement on statutory holidays.
Placement lengths are:
- Level 1 and Level 2A: 5 weeks / 187.5 hours
- Level 2B and Level 3A: 6 weeks / 225 hours
- Level 3B: 7 weeks / 262.5 hours
What happens if the student is sick or misses time?
Students are instructed to notify you if they are unable to attend placement due to sickness or an emergency. The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator should be notified for if the student misses 3 consecutive days.
For any planned absences the student should seek approval from the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator prior to missing placement.
If you are not sure if the student has approval please contact the MOT Fieldwork Team.
Any missed days, that are not made up by the end of placement, should be noted on the evaluation form.
What happens if the student is injured or has an incident on placement?
If a student is injured or experiences a workplace incident, it needs to be reported. Reporting of any event involving injury or near-miss to a person or damage to property, or with the potential to do so, must take place within 24 hours of occurrence. Multiple reports can be submitted for the same incident.
Incident Reporting: Supervisor/Preceptor Responsibility
Step 1: Follow Workplace Protocols
- Immediately follow standard incident protocols at your workplace.
- Ensure the student receives appropriate care and guidance.
Step 2: Report Online
- Within 24 hours, complete the “UBC Centralized Accident / Incident Reporting System (CAIRS) form on the UBC Risk Management Website.
Step 3: Inform the Department
Notify the Fieldwork Team about the incident.
When can a student see clients independently?
This depends on the student’s placement level, learning needs, demonstrated readiness, site policies, client complexity, and the Fieldwork Educator’s clinical judgement.
Before a student sees clients independently, the Fieldwork Educator should consider whether the student has demonstrated appropriate professionalism, communication, safety awareness, clinical reasoning, and understanding of the client population and setting.
If you are unsure whether a student is ready to see clients independently, please contact the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator. We are happy to talk this through with you.
What should I do if I have concerns?
Please contact the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator as early as possible if you have concerns about a student’s progress, professionalism, attendance, communication, safety, or ability to meet placement expectations.
You do not need to wait until midterm or final evaluation to reach out. The Academic Fieldwork Coordinator can help talk through the situation, clarify expectations, and support next steps.
Who do I contact if something comes up during placement?
Please contact the Fieldwork Team or Academic Fieldwork Coordinator if you have questions or concerns during placement.
You can contact us about student progress, absences, placement hours, evaluation questions, site concerns, communication issues, or anything else that comes up during the placement. The placement confirmation memo also lists the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and Fieldwork Education Manager as contacts for questions or concerns during placement
Learning Objectives and Student Preparation
How many learning objectives should students have?
There is no set number of learning objectives required for every placement. Students should focus on a manageable number of meaningful learning objectives that reflect their placement level, learning needs, and the opportunities available at the site.
Learning objectives should be specific enough to guide the placement experience, but flexible enough to adapt as the placement progresses.
Who writes them?
Students are expected to take an active role in developing their learning objectives.
Fieldwork Educators are encouraged to review the learning objectives with the student early in the placement and help ensure they are realistic, appropriate for the placement level, and relevant to the practice setting.
Learning objectives can be updated throughout the placement as the student’s learning develops.
Are there examples by placement level?
Examples of suggested activities by placement level are available on the Fieldwork Education website in the Description of Placement Levels and Suggested Activities resource. In addition, Module 4 of the Fieldwork Educator’s Manual explores Learning Objectives in more detail.
These examples can help students and Fieldwork Educators think about what may be appropriate for each placement level. Learning objectives should still be tailored to the specific placement setting, student learning needs, and available learning opportunities.
What should students review before placement?
Students are expected to review key program and practice education resources before placement begins, including:
- MOT Student Handbook
- Fieldwork Course Outlines — OSOT 528, OSOT 538, and OSOT 558
- Fieldwork Handout
- BC Student Practice Education — Practice Education Guidelines & Standards
- BC Student Practice Education — Orientation and Preparation
Students should also review any information provided by the placement site. This may include site orientation materials, readings, online modules, policies, onboarding requirements, or other placement-specific preparation.
Students are encouraged to take time to learn about the practice area, client population, and setting before they arrive. For example, this may include reviewing the role of OT in the setting, common assessments or interventions, relevant conditions, and any site-specific expectations shared by the Fieldwork Educator.
Students are expected to complete all placement-specific pre-placement requirements before the placement starts.
Evaluation
What evaluation tool do I use?
UBC MOT is expected to move to a new national fieldwork evaluation tool in Fall 2026. This tool will be used by OT programs across Canada.
Fieldwork Educators will be provided with the correct evaluation tool, instructions, and timelines before the placement begins. The new evaluation process is intended to be more straightforward and to support clear conversations between the student and Fieldwork Educator about the student’s progress, strengths, and areas for continued development.
When is the midterm/final evaluation completed?
Fieldwork Educators complete the student evaluation at midterm and final.
The midterm evaluation is an opportunity to review the student’s progress, discuss strengths and learning needs, and identify goals for the remainder of the placement.
The final evaluation should be completed and reviewed with the student before the end of placement.
Does the student complete a self-reflection or student evaluation?
Fieldwork Educators decide how they would like the evaluation process to proceed with their student.
Some Fieldwork Educators may ask the student to complete a self-evaluation before the midterm and/or final evaluation meeting. This is a useful way to support reflection and help guide discussion about the student’s strengths, learning needs, and goals.
Students are expected to participate actively in the evaluation process, but the Fieldwork Educator is responsible for completing the formal student evaluation.
Students also complete a Student Evaluation of Fieldwork Experience, which should be reviewed with the Fieldwork Educator as part of the evaluation process.
How do I return the completed evaluation?
Completed evaluation documents should be returned to the Fieldwork Team by email. Evaluation documents should be returned within 1 week of the placement end date.
Can I keep a copy?
Student fieldwork evaluations are part of the student record and are confidential.
If a placement site or Fieldwork Educator would like to keep a copy of the student’s evaluation, for example for future hiring purposes, they must obtain specific written authorization from the student.
What should I do if I am unsure how to complete the evaluation?
Please contact the Fieldwork Team or Academic Fieldwork Coordinator if you have questions about the evaluation process.
You do not need to wait until the evaluation is due to reach out. If you are unsure how to document feedback, how to discuss concerns, or how to interpret expectations for the student’s placement level, please contact us early so we can support you and the student.
T-Res
What is T-Res?
T-Res is the system students use to track their placement activities and complete placement-related reflections.
Students are responsible for completing their T-Res entries throughout placement. Fieldwork Educators are not expected to complete T-Res for the student.
Should students complete T-Res during placement hours?
Students are expected to complete T-Res outside of placement hours.
T-Res should not take time away from the placement day or from direct learning opportunities at the site. Students are encouraged to complete their entries regularly so that their activity tracking and reflections stay current.
Students may discuss their T-Res activities or reflections with their Fieldwork Educator as part of their learning, but T-Res completion itself should happen outside of placement hours.
Prospective Fieldwork Educator FAQs
MOT Program Overview
The Master of Occupational Therapy program is a two-year full time program for students studying to become Occupational Therapists. Students coming into the program have already completed a Bachelor’s degree and pre-requisite courses prior to starting the program.
As of September 2026 we have 97 students enrolled in year 2 (16 of which are based in Prince George and 16 in Surrey) and 94 students enrolled in year 1 (16 in Prince George and 16 in Surrey). We will also be welcoming our inagural Interior cohort, who will be based in Vancouver but will complete 3 out of 5 placements in the Interior.
With our increase in numbers the need for Fieldwork Educators has never been greater!
What does being a Fieldwork Educator involve?
During the two year’s of the MOT program, students complete a total of 29 weeks of fieldwork education in over five fieldwork placements (two in year one and three in year two) in varied practice settings such as acute, outpatient, rehab, community, school, home, private practice, long term care, transitional care, complex care, etc. As a fieldwork educator you will work in collaboration with the student, design a learning experience, and provide overall supervision and evaluation of their learning.
Prior to your first placement you will be invited to a Zoom session with the Fieldwork Team where you will be able to ask any questions that you may have.
How do I become accredited to educate students for a fieldwork placement?
To become a Fieldwork Educator, you must be registered Occupational Therapist with a minimum of 1 year experience, as established by the CUFE Committee of ACOTUP. You do not need to have a Master’s degree to supervise a student. Site approval involves meeting with the Fieldwork team, completing a site agreement, student placement agreement. For further details, contact the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator.
What are some of the benefits of becoming a Fieldwork Educator?
There are many benefits!
- Personal satisfaction
- Opportunity for Professional Development
- Exposure to new ideas and evidence-based practice
- The potential to become a Clinical Faculty Member and develop increased linkage with the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy and the UBC community
- Increased recognition and student nominated award streams
- Giving back to the profession
How long are the placements?
The length of placements vary throughout the program, as follows:
MOT Year 1
- Term 1:
- Aug-Dec (14 weeks) Academic courses
- Jan-Feb (5 weeks) Level 1 fieldwork
- Term 2:
- Feb-April (11 weeks) Academic courses
- May-June (5 weeks) Level 2 fieldwork
- Term 3:
- June-July (5 weeks) Academic courses
MOT Year 2
- Term 4:
- Aug-Oct (8 weeks) Academic courses
- Nov-Dec (6 weeks) Level 2 fieldwork
- Term 5:
- Jan-Feb (6 weeks) Academic courses
- Feb-May (6 & 7 weeks) Level 3 fieldwork
- Term 6:
- May-Aug (6 weeks, 8 weeks) Academic courses / research project
Can I share a student with another therapist?
Yes, it is possible for students to have more than one supervisor. Students can complete a combination of experience in different fieldwork areas or with more than one supervisor.
How much work is involved in educating a student in the practice setting?
This will depend on many factors, but generally, Fieldwork Educators are expected to give students adequate orientation to the site and practice setting, set regular (usually weekly) meetings to check-in with the student and discuss casework, and provide adequate opportunities for learning and evaluation.
Although this may seem like a lot of additional work, becoming a Fieldwork Educator is meant to be an enriching experience, both for the student and for the Educator. For more information on the roles and responsibilities of the Educator, see the Fieldwork Site Manual, and/or contact the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator.
Can I supervise a student from another Canadian university or an international student?
In short: Yes!
Students from other countries wishing to come to BC for a fieldwork placement should have their university’s fieldwork coordinator connect directly with clinicians to set up their placements. UBC is not involved in placing international students.
Out-of-province students, however, cannot directly arrange their own fieldwork placements. UBC offers unmatched placements to other OT schools in the country.
I’d like to take a student but I work irregular hours. Can students complete their placements on weekends and evenings?
Yes. However, it is important that the student is aware of the alternate hours prior to starting their placement. Please indicate the working hours on the placement offer.
Can we offer alternative placements that may suit our practice better?
Of course! We encourage our students to have opportunities in every facet of occupational therapy practice including research, administration, community development and cooperative placements.
If you would like to discuss any of these options, please email the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator.
Icons made by Icon Pond from flaticon.com. Fieldwork Recognition photo by Ambreen Hasan, FAQ photo by Jud Mackrill on Unsplash