The influence of fieldwork on the preferred future practice areas of final year occupational therapy students

The student fieldwork experience has been recognised as an important influence on the areas of occupational therapy practice pursued by clinicians after graduation. The recruitment patterns of graduate occupational therapists is a key issue, especially in clinical areas such as rural practice and mental health. This study aimed to investigate the future practice preferences of 50 final year occupational therapy students from two occupational therapy schools in New South Wales, in relationship to their fieldwork experience, using a focus group and a survey. General physical dysfunction was the most popular area of future practice for this group. Results suggested that fieldwork influenced students through the programme content, the timing of placements, supervision, and students' personal responses to their experiences. The study also demonstrated that students use the fieldwork experience to guide their decision to enter an area of practice.