Occupational therapy hand therapy fellowship program | veterans affairs

* WHY SHOULD I DO A FELLOWSHIP RATHER THAN JUST FIND A JOB I’M INTERESTED IN? A fellowship will provide post-professional training in a specialized area of practice. Participation in a

fellowship will give the fellow specific experience and allow him/her to gain confidence delivering specialized OT services. It will combine didactic curriculum, mentorship, and clinical

practice in the specialty area in order to progress the fellow towards becoming an advanced-level clinician. This can increase professional marketability in the future. * WHAT EXPERIENCE IS

NEEDED TO APPLY FOR A FELLOWSHIP? No experience is needed. Experience will be gained through participation in the fellowship program. Applicants should have strong interest in the program’s

specialty area and plan on applying for board or specialty certification after completion of the program. * CAN I APPLY FOR MORE THAN ONE OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM AT THE JAMES

A. HALEY VETERANS’ HOSPITAL? No, applicants are only allowed to apply to one program per year. We encourage applicants to reflect on which program aligns most closely with his/her

professional interests and goals and apply to that program. Applicants can re-apply for the same program or apply to a different program the following year, if they were not selected when

they previously applied. * DO I HAVE TO BE A NEW GRAD TO APPLY FOR A FELLOWSHIP? No. Any licensed occupational therapist can apply for a fellowship experience.  While some applicants are

newly licensed OTs, others have some basic experience, or are wanting to change practice areas. Most fellows typically have 0-5 years of experience. * WHAT IF MY LICENSE IS IN ANOTHER STATE?

  The specific state you are licensed in does not matter as long as you meet criteria to apply. * WHAT HAPPENS AFTER THE YEAR-LONG FELLOWSHIP? The fellow will be considered an experienced

clinician in that specialty practice area. This will help when applying for jobs in a specialized practice area that requires experience. The fellow will also be eligible to apply for AOTA

Board Certification after 2 years of practice rather than the 3 years that is required for non-fellowship participants.  * CAN I APPLY IF I AM NOT YET LICENSED OR HAVE NOT GRADUATED OT

SCHOOL? If you are not already licensed, you will need to have a license before you are able to begin the fellowship experience. You do not need to have a license to apply for the fellowship

experience, however,  you must have proof of confirmed/scheduled NBCOT testing date that will allow for the test results to be received prior to June 30th. If selected, acceptance will be

contingent upon obtaining a license (temporary license not accepted). * WILL THE FELLOW GET PAID AND HAVE ANY BENEFITS DURING THE FELLOWSHIP EXPERIENCE? Yes, the fellow will receive a

stipend and health benefits, as well as, accrue paid time off and have paid federal holidays. The fellow’s total pay per annum is $47,654. The fellow’s pay is not negotiable. * WILL THE

DIDACTIC WORK REQUIRED FOR THE FELLOWSHIP BE COMPLETED WHILE AT WORK OR IN THE EVENINGS/WEEKENDS AFTER THE WORK DAY? There is time built into the fellows weekly schedule to complete didactic

work. However,  there may be work that must be completed outside of regular working hours. * IS HOUSING PROVIDED? No, housing is not provided. We will gladly provide information about the

surrounding areas, if requested, however, fellows are responsible for finding their own housing. * WHAT POPULATION WILL THE FELLOW BE WORKING WITH? The fellow will be working with veterans

with a diverse range UE condition/diagnosis. They will provide care in the outpatient setting and in the Hand/Orthopedic Walk-In Clinic.  Ages of the population span across adulthood. The

fellow will see clients with a variety of upper-limb conditions including but, not limited to orthopedic, post-surgical, nerve injuries, cumulative-trauma injuries, amputations, lymphedema,

and oncology. * WHAT WILL THE FELLOW BE DOING WITH THE CLIENTS? The fellow will be completing occupational therapy evaluations daily and developing individual treatment plans to improve

upper-limb function.  Common treatments may include, modalities, therapeutic activities/exercise, orthotic fabrication, ADL retraining, adaptive equipment ordering and training.  Treatment

may be delivered in person and via telehealth.