Occupational Therapy Student Performance in Level II Fieldwork Before and During a Global Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted academic curricula and clinical settings, creating uncertainty about its impact on occupational therapy (OT) student learning, fieldwork performance, and competence. This study examined OT student performance during Level II fieldwork and the support required from the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator (AFWC) across prepandemic (2019), emerging (2020), and postemergence (2021–2022) periods in an accredited entry-level OT doctorate (OTD) program. The study used a retrospective observational study and employe secondary data analysis using the American Occupational Therapy Association Fieldwork Performance Evaluation (AOTA FWPE) from 2019–2022. Two-hundred and two OTD students from four cohorts at one institution participated. Student performance was assessed using AOTA FWPE (2002, 2020). AFWC support was defined as assistance beyond routine administrative duties. FWPE scores were analyzed with two-way mixed ANOVA, using pandemic phase as the between-subjects factor and fieldwork rotation as the within-subjects factor. AFWC support events were analyzed using Chi-Square tests and planned contrasts. Student performance remained stable across all phases. However, AFWC support events increased significantly during and after the pandemic’s emergence. The need for AFWC support remains elevated, emphasizing its essential role. Institutions should consider allocating additional resources for AFWCs to maintain support for students in Level II fieldwork.