Department of Occupational Therapy

Fieldwork courses provide the major “insitu” experiential component of the MOT program. Under the supervision of a registered occupational therapist, fieldwork provides students with opportunities to apply knowledge and skills learned in the classroom environment to work with individuals across the lifespan in a variety of settings. 

Overall, the purpose of fieldwork is to provide students with the opportunity to:

1. Develop professional knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours.
2. Develop professional reasoning and problem-solving abilities in a workplace environment.
3. Apply knowledge acquired in the academic components of the program.
4. Acquire practical knowledge, which will provide a context for the academic components of the program.
5. Engage in professional activities and learn about the realities of professional practice.
6. Integrate and apply knowledge, skills and attitudes developed in academic and practice environments.

The fieldwork curriculum includes  four full time “block” fieldwork placements: one 4-week, two 8-week, and one 6-week experience which are named according to experiential levels (Basic Fieldwork, Intermediate Fieldwork 1, Intermediate Fieldwork 2, Advanced Fieldwork) as depicted in the MOT program structure. Fieldwork includes other designated fieldwork hours throughout the program for a minimum of 1000 hours of fieldwork experience.

Over the course of the four fieldwork placements (Basic Fieldwork, Intermediate Fieldwork 1, Intermediate Fieldwork 2, and Advanced Fieldwork) students are supported to develop their professional competence from entry level student to entry level clinician. Please refer to the MOT program guide (pp 29-31) for a description of student professional development throughout the  four fieldwork placements. To request a copy of the MOT program guide, please email otfieldwork@umanitoba.ca.

Most fieldwork placements occur in fieldwork sites/programs in Manitoba and Saskatchewan. Placement opportunities are recruited by the OT department fieldwork team. Students are assigned to sites based on the CAOT accreditation standards and the University of Manitoba Department of Occupational Therapy guidelines for fieldwork placements.

The University of Manitoba fieldwork guidelines state that within the fieldwork components of the MOT program, each of the following is attempted for each student:

• exposure to a variety of OT roles
• experiences in a wide variety of settings, in different areas of practice, with a wide variety of client age groups
• experience with different barriers to occupational participation
• A minimum of one placement:
  • with a predominantly psychosocial focus
  • in a hospital setting
  • in a non-hospital setting
  • outside of Winnipeg

If you have questions about fieldwork within the MOT program, or would like to set up a meeting, please contact Teresa Allison, academic fieldwork coordinator, teresa.allison@umanitoba.ca.

Canadian Guidelines for Fieldwork Education in Occupational Therapy (CGFEOT v 2024)

The Canadian Guidelines for Fieldwork Education in Occupational Therapy serve as a guiding resource for the delivery of fieldwork education within the Master of Occupational Therapy program. The CGFEOT v2024 outlines guiding principles; responsibilities of fieldwork education partners (students, university fieldwork coordinator/faculty); and suggested tools and processes to support quality fieldwork education.

Basic Ffieldwork (4 weeks)

Dates: November 17 – December 12, 2025

Student level: First-year students

Eligibility:

• Completed first academic term
• Hold a previous undergraduate degree
• Completed prerequisite courses

Evaluation: Basic level (Level 1)

Intermediate fieldwork 2 (8 weeks)

Dates: January 5 – February 27, 2026 OR January 12 – March 6, 2026

Student level: Second-year students

Eligibility:

• Completed 1.5 years of academic study
• Completed one 4-week and one 8-week fieldwork placement

Evaluation: Intermediate 2 level (Level 2B)

Intermediate fieldwork 1 (8 weeks)

Dates: May 4 – June 26, 2026

Student level: First-year students

Eligibility:

• Completed one year of academic study
• Completed one 4-week fieldwork placement

Evaluation: Intermediate 1 level (Level 2A)

Advanced fieldwork (6 weeks)

Dates: June 29 – September 18, 2026
*Flexible start date; placement must end by September 18, 2026*

Student level: Second-year students

Eligibility:

• Completed all academic requirements
• Completed one 4-week and two 8-week fieldwork placements
• Transitioning to practice after this placement

Evaluation: Advanced level (Level 3)

Fieldwork educators are registered occupational therapists with a minimum of one year of practice experience who are responsible for instruction, supervision and evaluation of an occupational therapy student(s) for an assigned fieldwork placement. Completion of a fieldwork educator Introductory workshop is preferred but not required.

Competency Based Fieldwork Evaluation (CBFE) educator version

Learner performance in fieldwork courses is evaluated at mid-term and final by the fieldwork educator(s) using the Competency-Based Fieldwork Evaluation (CBFE). Due to copyright, we are unable to post the CBFE; however, an electronic version is emailed to fieldwork educators prior to the start of each placement.

Competency Based Fieldwork Evaluation (CBFE) student version and learning log

At mid-term and final, learners are expected to self-evaluate their performance using the CBFE Student Version and Learning Log. The CBFE Student Version is the same as the CBFE Educator version except for the additional of the Student Learning Log at the end which enables learners to keep track of and reflect upon their fieldwork experiences throughout the program.

Student fieldwork experience evaluation form

The student fieldwork experience evaluation form is intended to facilitate a conversation between the learner and fieldwork educator(s) related to the placement orientation, communication/feedback, and supervision. Learners are expected to complete this form at midterm and final and share with their educator(s).

Introductory fieldwork educator workshops 

Every fall and spring we host an introductory workshop tailored to new fieldwork educators or educators who are looking for a refresher. For more information, please contact otfieldwork@umanitoba.ca.

Competency Based Fieldwork Evaluation (CBFE) orientation sessions

For fieldwork educators who are new to the CBFE or would like a refresher, we have one hour recorded sessions available for each fieldwork level. For more information, please contact otfieldwork@umanitoba.ca.

Fieldwork educators tips blog

Our fieldwork educators tips blog is a place where we post quick and easy tips based on common questions/advice from fieldwork educators, including topics related to feedback, clinical reasoning and facilitating safe learning environments.

The preceptor education program

The preceptor education program is an online interprofessional program designed to prepare and support students and fieldwork educators for fieldwork placements. There are eight interactive modules which take about 30-45 minutes each to complete. A certificate of completion can be generated for each module. As part of fieldwork preparation, students are required to complete all eight modules.

E-Tips for Practice Education

E-Tips for Practice Education is a series of eight short ( approx 10-20 minutes each on line modules offered thorough University of British Columbia.

Book a site Vvisit  with the academic fieldwork coordinator

If you have questions about fieldwork education and would like to arrange a meeting (in-person or virtual) please contact teresa.allison@umanitoba.ca.

Other workshops available on request  

If you are interested in customized workshop topics for your practice setting, such as  feedback/evaluation or different models of offering fieldwork, please contact teresa.allison@umanitoba.ca.

The Department of Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Policies serve as a guide for students, faculty, fieldwork educators, and fieldwork site contacts about fieldwork placements. Information related to contact with fieldwork sites, liability and insurance coverage, fieldwork requirements, fieldwork hours, evaluation/grading in fieldwork, professional behaviors and more.

View MOT fieldwork policies

Rady Faculty of Health Sciences policies 

When students enter fieldwork, we view each fieldwork site as an extension of our university learning environment, in which the following policies apply related to creating culturally safer and inclusive learning environments:

• Respectful Work and Learning Environment (RWLE) Policy
• Prevention of Learner Mistreatment Guidelines
• Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Policy
• Disruption of all Forms of Racism Policy
• Accessibility Policy and Procedures

Teresa Allison
Academic fieldwork coordinator 
Department of Occupational Therapy
teresa.allison@umanitoba.ca

Nicole Chan
Administrative coordinator fieldwork placements 
otfieldwork@umanitoba.ca

Julie Braga
Fieldwork outreach developer
julie.braga@umanitoba.ca

Daniel Doerksen
Fieldwork outreach developer
danieljacob.doerksen@umanitoba.ca

Jodene Neufeld
Fieldwork outreach developer
jodene.neufeld@umanitoba.ca

How you can help: Write a case study or contribute ideas for case studies to help students learn about the complexities of practice based on real-life situations.

Contact: leanne.leclair@umanitoba.ca

How you can help: Collaborate on a critical inquiry student project.

Contact: Lisa.Engel@umanitoba.ca

How you can help: Assist with marking student assignments throughout the academic year.

Contact: leanne.leclair@umanitoba.ca

How you can help: Contribute to the education of our students as a guest lecturer, lab demonstrator, seminar leader, or problem-based learning tutorial leader.

Contact: leanne.leclair@umanitoba.ca