How to Find OT Shadowing: Organize Outreach and Follow-Ups

Finding OT shadowing often requires more coordination than sending one email. Different facilities have different points of contact, onboarding procedures and available times. An outreach log helps you keep that process moving without repeatedly contacting the wrong person or losing a promising lead.

Begin with your schools' requirements. If a program needs a particular kind of observation, knowing that before you arrange a placement can save time for both you and the facility.

Build a focused list of possible settings

Look for occupational therapy services within a realistic travel area. Depending on what is available, your research may include hospitals, outpatient clinics, rehabilitation facilities, schools and community services. Confirm that the provider is an occupational therapist when that is what your target program requires.

Ask your pre-health advisor or campus career office about existing observation arrangements. UNLV's pre-OT advising resources illustrate the kind of institutional preparation guidance worth checking. A connection is useful, but access still depends on the host's rules.

Track outreach as a sequence

Use columns for facility, setting, public contact route, first-contact date, response, next action and follow-up date. Separate “no response” from “not accepting observers.” The next step is different in each case.

A simple sequence is: identify the appropriate contact, make a concise inquiry, follow the facility's instructions, and close the record when you receive a clear answer. Follow up courteously and honor a refusal. Repeated messages do not create an obligation to host you.

Make your request easy to assess

Your inquiry should explain that you are preparing for OT school, what type of observation you are seeking, your availability and your willingness to complete the required onboarding. Avoid sending a long personal history or asking for a recommendation before anyone knows your work.

You can use this structure for your own message:

Hello [name or department], I am preparing to apply to occupational therapy programs and would like to learn whether your team accepts student observers. I am available [specific days/times] during [date range]. If observation is possible, could you direct me to the appropriate application or onboarding process? Thank you for your time.

This is an outreach template, not a promise that a facility offers observation. Adapt it to the contact instructions on its website.

Clarify logistics before the first visit

Ask about scheduling, dress, arrival location, confidentiality expectations, required paperwork and any costs or checks. If your school needs a verification form, ask when and how the host prefers to handle it. Do not assume the person arranging the visit is also the person authorized to sign.

Build travel and onboarding time into your plan. A two-hour observation appointment may consume much more than two hours of your day. That matters if you are balancing work or coursework.

Use a fallback plan responsibly

If available placements do not match your requirements, contact the admissions office about its accepted alternatives. Do not assume that observing another profession will count as OT observation. Save the answer before changing your plan.

At the end of each week, review open leads and choose the next useful action. Once a placement is arranged, move it into your calendar and keep completed sessions in a separate observation log. Review school-specific hour requirements whenever your shortlist changes.