Adolescent OT​/OTA RTC Fieldwork Internship

Opportunity Time Frame

• OT fieldwork rotation: 12‑week internship, 40 hours per week, starting in January, 12 consecutive weeks, start date flexible.
• OTA fieldwork rotation: 8‑week internship, 40 hours per week, starting in January, 8 consecutive weeks, start date flexible.

• Current student of an accredited occupational therapy institution.
• OT students at Master’s or Doctoral level; OTA students at Associate’s degree level.
• Student must be enrolled at an academic institution that has an existing contract with Sheppard Pratt.
• Applicants need a strong foundation in child/adolescent mental health theory and related OT theory and practice, clinical reasoning, foundations of evidence‑based practice, group theory and application, and teaching/learning concepts and applications related to staff, client, and caregiver education.

Supervision to student ratio is a group of students (6–10) to 3 clinical instructors (2 onsite, 1 off‑site faculty). The educational philosophy of the OT program at the Residential Treatment Centers is based on an adult learning/self‑reflective, group supervision model as a guide for these learning experiences. Personal and group supervision, both with on‑site staff and with university faculty members via video‑conferencing, help to ensure that each individual’s learning needs can be met fully and in an individual manner.

Self‑reflection, self‑evaluation, and peer critique help to keep these fieldwork experiences focused on learning, not on teaching.

Student expectations include self‑directed learning; independently seeking learning opportunities and feedback, flexible thinking and adaptability. Readiness to learn from all experiences. Patience and compassion when working with this challenging patient population.