Is an educational philosophy missing from the fieldwork solution?

C oncerns about occurational therapy fieldwmk are compounding, and although new fieldwork strategies are emerging, they fail to resolve some of the fundamental difficulties that academicians, clinicians. and students are experiencing. Some occupational therapists perceive fieldwork as an opportunity to practice their rerertoire of technical skills. Most hore that fieldwork will provide an 0rr0rtunity to exercise and refine clinical reasoning. Still others seem to approach fieIc1work as a rroving wound fur the novice therapist. The essential ingreJienl missing in the fieldwork solution is a well 3l"ticulateJ educational philosoph)' that could link the tenets of occupational therapy with a viable. ideationall)' compatible Fieldwork model. Only this careful examination will yield Fieldwork strategies that are likely to achieve the desired outcome-comretent therapists faithful to the occupational therapy philosophy. To aprreciate the effect of fieldwork on the acculturation and rractice of occurational therapy, it is necessary to review the history, trends. and pmbJems associated with the fieldwork component of occupational thecapy education. If we remember that the challenge of fielJwock is to promote clinical reasoning despite the constant changes in the complexion of health care, we are likely to remain faithful to the core beliefs of the profession in thai rursuit.