Becoming an occupational therapist: perceived influence of international fieldwork placements on clinical practice

Many occupational therapy programs have augmented curricula to provide students with opportunities to engage in international fieldwork placements (IFPs). However, limited research exists exploring the perceived influence that IFPs may have on future occupational therapy roles and characteristics.

The purpose of this study is to explore how Canadian occupational therapists who participated in IFPs as students perceive the influence of their IFP experience on their subsequent practice.

Semistructured interviews were conducted with 20 occupational therapists who participated in IFPs as occupational therapy students. The interview guide was developed based on the Profile of Occupational Therapy Practice in Canada and relevant literature. A directed content analysis was used in conjunction with the DEPICT model of data analysis to guide the analysis process and summarize the results.

Participants described how IFPs nurtured the development of six skills, or active ingredients, which supported the development of competence in occupational therapy roles. IFPs were also perceived as providing a competitive edge.

This study suggests that IFPs shape the development of competence in key practice skills and occupational therapy roles.