Exploring the complexity of the academic fieldwork coordinator role.

Area of Science:

• Occupational Therapy
• Health Professions Education

Background:

• Academic Fieldwork Coordinators (AFWCs) are crucial for training future occupational therapy (OT) and occupational therapy assistant (OTA) professionals.
• Understanding the demands and characteristics of the AFWC role is essential for effective program management and workforce development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the demographic characteristics and role tasks of occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant academic fieldwork coordinators nationwide.
• To identify clusters of tasks associated with the AFWC role.
• To explore challenges and career perceptions within the AFWC position.

Main Methods:

• A nationwide survey was distributed to occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant academic fieldwork coordinators.
• Data analysis involved identifying demographic characteristics and categorizing role tasks into clusters.

Main Results:

• Ten distinct clusters of AFWC role tasks were identified.
• The AFWC role is often viewed as a career endpoint, yet most respondents have limited experience (≤5 years).
• Higher administrative support and fieldwork hours are reported for OT AFWCs compared to OTA AFWCs.
• AFWCs report significant difficulties completing tasks within a 40-hour work week, with limited time for research and scholarship.

Conclusions:

• The AFWC role presents significant workload challenges, impacting time for professional development and research.
• Systematic training programs and a national research agenda are recommended for AFWC recruitment and retention.
• Addressing workload and providing structured support are key to sustaining the AFWC workforce.