Externships & Fieldwork; opportunities across the country. 

We love working with children in schools and invite aspiring clinicians to love it too!  Progressus Therapy clinicians are helping thousands of children in hundreds of school districts throughout the country.  This provides a perfect platform to help Masters-level students complete a one-week observation, a Level I or Level II OT fieldwork experience, or a full semester SLP Externship.

In the Progressus OT Fieldwork or SLP Externship, students who meet their university’s academic and clinic requirements are matched with experienced school-based therapists to learn about current service delivery models as well as assessment and treatment practices.  The program includes mentoring and supervision by licensed and certified clinicians working with you in a formal, school-based program developed through an affiliation agreement with your university.  Resources, materials, and information regarding the supervision of students are available.

Students interested in a Progressus Externship/Fieldwork experience, should inform their faculty advisor of their interest and complete the Student Externship Request.  Progressus will provide faculty and administration with information about an affiliation agreement upon request.

Extending Your Academic & Clinical Training Beyond the University
The purpose of the Externship/Fieldwork experience is to provide students with an opportunity to extend their academic and clinical training beyond the university setting while under the supervision of an experienced Progressus Therapy Speech-Language Pathologist, Occupational Therapist, or Physical Therapist.  Since Progressus Therapy specializes in school-based services, we offer excellent opportunities for students to experience a wide variety of service delivery models, assessment and treatment practices, and exciting partnerships with school districts.

Goals of the Experience 
The Progressus Externship/Field Experience is designed to: 

• Expose students to children with disabilities, service delivery models appropriate for school settings, and case management procedures;

• Enable students to experience and better understand the demands and responsibilities unique to the school setting;

• Provide students with experiences valued by future employers and helpful in the workplace;

• Allow students to explore specific client populations and areas of interest;

• Enable students to gain the clinical hours needed to meet the requirements for the certification and licensure;  and

• Promote communication and interaction between the university and Progressus Therapy.

Qualifications for Placement
Before beginning the Externship/Fieldwork program, students must have completed pre-requisite coursework required by their university and department.  Students also must have gained the theoretical knowledge necessary to understand the disabilities they will encounter.  They must have observed and worked directly with clients of various ages, presenting a wide range of disorder types and levels of severity.  Students must have had practical experiences selecting and implementing numerous diagnostic, intervention, data collection, and report writing procedures.  Finally, students must be aware of the resources available for clinical decision-making and problem solving.

Establishing a University Affiliation Agreement 
Faculty or administrators can establish a Progressus/University Affiliation Agreement consistent with the university’s course description, course objectives, procedures, and expectations.  Based on the student’s application, Progressus University Partner Liaison Jessica Watson, will assess the availability of locations and complete the placement process.

Contact University Partners by email or telephone at (800) 892-0640 Ext. 239 to determine if a Progressus Fieldwork or Externship opportunity can be created near you.