Thanks for the replies! I hate to hear stories of other people having gone through the same things that I went through, but at least it is a bit comforting to know that those of us who have been dismissed from OT programs are all sort of in the same boat. Did those of you who were dismissed try to appeal the decision? I was wondering if appealing a dismissal ever really works when it comes to failed fieldwork situations.
FutureOT: I would like to complete a masters degree eventually, but I am currently looking for a job to pay off the loans from this failed OT school attempt. That will take a while since the program I attended was very costly. I am looking for any kind of job right now. It doesn't matter whether it is completely unrelated to OT as long as it comes with a paycheck that I can use to help reduce my current student debt.
OTtoBe: I would consider reapplying to the program I attended, but realistically I don't think that will ever happen. For one thing, I could not afford to go through even two semesters of the program again. It was costly, and the financial risk of possibly failing out again after a couple of semesters would be too high. Also, I seriously doubt that I would be accepted in the same program if I reapplied. They are highly selective and they take pride in having a high student completion rate. Their interests do not lie in giving students second chances but in selecting students who will be able to complete the program the first time around and make the program look good. If you don't mind my asking, which program did you attend that possibly believed in giving students second chances? The director of my program told me that they have never once accepted a transfer student since the program was founded, so my hopes of getting in again would be slim to none.
Hafsarah: Wow, that is terrible that they would not even meet with you about the failed fieldwork. At least my program directors met with me before and after making the decision to kick me out of the program. Hopefully you will be given a second chance to do level II fieldwork since you were so close to the end.
My failed rotation was the first level I(lasted for four days), and I honestly don't know what I could have done differently to have gotten a better grade. It was a pediatrics rotation, and I helped out as much as I could with the kids, designed what I thought were decent interventions, wrote what everyone but my CI said was a good evaluation, and according to everyone but my CI, I did a good job at giving standardized evaluations. It was almost like my CI had made up her mind to fail me before I ever set foot into the clinic, and she was going to do it no matter how well I performed or how hard I worked to please her. If all CIs are like this one was, I have no idea how anyone passes level I rotations, much less level II.
