CHCS Student Handbook 2019-2020

Dr. Pallavi Patel College of Health Care Sciences—Department of Occupational Therapy 2019–2020 181 requirements. A change from an incomplete to an earned grade must occur prior to the first day of the next academic year, or the student’s grade will be converted to an F . The taking of incompletes is strongly discouraged and requires written approval of the course instructor. Fieldwork Experiences The NSU M.O.T. program offers four Level I fieldwork experiences and two three-month, full-time- equivalent Level II fieldwork experiences. These experiences provide students with opportunities to further develop and utilize critical thinking and problem solving skills in a wide variety of real practice settings. All policies and procedures related to both Level I and Level II fieldwork experiences are outlined in the M.O.T. Fieldwork Manual . Students are required to read the manual and sign a document acknowledging their understanding of these policies and procedures. Level I fieldwork experiences Level I fieldwork experiences are associated with didactic coursework and are completed during the second year of the curriculum. Such experiences allow students to apply concepts and skills learned in the classroom to individuals and populations in the community. OCT 6206, OCT 6207, and OCT 6208 are separate clinical practicum courses with separate pass/fail course grades that offer Level I experiences, whereas in OCT 6350, fieldwork experiences and practicum grades are incorporated within the overall course. During these Level I experiences, student performance is rated by onsite supervisors. Due to the interactive nature of fieldwork experience, there is no mechanism to take a comprehensive examination following a failed experience. The course faculty, along with the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, are ultimately responsible for determining the final grade for the practicum courses. A student who fails a Level I fieldwork experience will be referred to the Committee on Student Progress (CSP). Based on the recommendations of the CSP and department chair, the student may be given the opportunity to repeat the Level I experience. Upon the final decision of the department chair, students who fail a Level I fieldwork course and are subsequently approved for continuing in the program will be required to repeat the fieldwork once a placement is arranged. This must be successfully completed prior to beginning their Level II fieldwork course. Should the student fail a second Level I fieldwork experience, the student will be automatically dismissed from the program. Level II fieldwork experiences Level II fieldwork experiences are offered in the third year of the program. It is recommended that students choose placements with different settings and populations representing two different practice areas in the occupational therapy profession. Students will only be permitted to participate in Level II fieldwork experiences after successful completion of all required academic coursework. Students who fail a Level II fieldwork experience will be required to meet with CSP to determine a course of action prior to scheduling a repeated fieldwork experience. Due to the interactive nature of fieldwork experience, there is no mechanism to take a comprehensive examination following a failed experience. As with other course failures, students who fail a Level II fieldwork experience will be required to meet with CSP for recommendations for a course of action. The occupational therapy chair will have the final decision whether to accept the recommendations of the CSP or to provide an alternate, based on his or her discretion. Students who desire a leave of absence due to personal circumstances are required to follow the college policy regarding the Leave of Absence in the college section of this handbook. All students must successfully complete Level II fieldwork within 24 months of completion of didactic