Information on Canadian Fieldwork Placement Sharing System (CFPSS)

Committee on University Fieldwork Education (CUFE)

 

MEMO to Canadian Occupational Therapists regarding the

Canadian Fieldwork Placement Sharing System (CFPSS)

May 2016

Dear Canadian Fieldwork Partner,

We are pleased to inform you that the Committee on University Fieldwork Education (CUFE) has developed a new system for eligible student occupational therapists to participate in fieldwork outside of their home university catchment area; the Canadian Fieldwork Placement Sharing System (CFPSS).

The CFPSS is based primarily on placement ‘supply’ rather than student ‘demand’.  Canadian university fieldwork coordinators are committed to the development of placement ‘supply’ within their catchment areas in order to offer mobility to select student occupational therapists throughout Canada.  Going forward, each university program will ascertain which facilities will accept students from other Canadian OT programs as part of their call for fieldwork offers.  For Ontario and Quebec, where there are multiple occupational therapy programs within the province, students studying within the province will be given priority for placements within their province over students from other provinces.

Canadian students wishing to participate in fieldwork outside of their program’s catchment area will submit applications to their university fieldwork coordinator.   The university fieldwork coordinators will work collaboratively to match occupational therapy students to available fieldwork offers.

International student OTs who are interested in a fieldwork placement in Canada must arrange to have their home university fieldwork coordinator contact the Canadian university fieldwork coordinator for the catchment area in which they would like to have a placement to discuss the feasibility of a placement.  Some Canadian university programs have exchange agreements with international universities and thus will deal directly with that university regarding OT placements within Canada for those students.

 

As always, no students, whether Canadian or international, are allowed to directly contact any Canadian fieldwork facilities to solicit placements.

Please do not hesitate to contact your local university fieldwork coordinator if you have any questions or concerns about the CFPSS. Thank-you for your ongoing partnership in fieldwork education. Your contributions to the education of our students are vital and greatly appreciated by the Canadian OT education programs and by the students that you teach!

Sincerely,

Members of CUFE (Your Canadian university fieldwork coordinators)

University Fieldwork Coordinator contact information: http://www.acotup-acpue.ca/English/members