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BACKGROUND: This study investigates the perceptions of safety among entry-level doctoral occupational therapy (OT) students during their Level II fieldwork and capstone experiences. The significance of safety, defined as emotional comfort and the ability to express oneself authentically, is emphasized in fostering learning outcomes and mental health. The paper highlights that institutions providing safe spaces enhance acceptance and conversely, a lack of emotional safety, often due to microaggressions, adversely affects student retention and mental health. METHOD: An author-created survey was utilized at the conclusion of the program to 45 third-year OT students. The 10-item survey assessed perceived physical and emotional safety during fieldwork/clinical rotations and capstone, occurrences of microaggressions, and possible solutions to improve student's sense of safety. RESULTS: The majority of respondents reported feeling physically (95%) and emotionally (72%) safe overall. However, Level II fieldwork/clinicals was identified as the setting where students reported the most frequent lack of safety. Six main themes impacting safety perceptions were identified: expectations, reflection/advocacy, education/preparation, communication, coping strategy, and the acknowledgment that some students may not require interventions. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that allied health academic programs should take steps to ensure that the safe spaces created during didactic portions of the curriculum extend into clinical and experiential settings. This approach will not only improve learning outcomes but also support students' mental health and their ability to provide quality healthcare. Future research should focus on evidence-based practices to support student safety in clinical education. J Allied Health 2025; 54(4):e537-e542.
HEALTH SCIENCE student perceptions of safety have an impact not only on learning outcomes but also on students' mental health.[1] Safety-in the form of a "safe space"-can be characterized as possessing the qualities of emotional comfort and the security to express one's authentic self in a sincere and unadulterated manner.[2,3] Educational institutions that establish safe spaces conducive to student growth are able to foster accepting behavior and attitudes, particularly to students who experience marginalization, such as students of color, LGBTQIA+ students, students with disabilities, and feminine students.[1.4,5] Conversely, institutions in which students experience a deficit of emotional safety, often in the form of microaggressions, are likely to see decreases in student retention year over year.[6] For these reasons, it is clear that there are material repercussions impacting students, educators, and...