Remote Supervised Fieldwork: Let’s Get Behind This

In my six years as a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA) supervisor I have repeatedly come across individuals completing their Master’s level coursework without any supervised fieldwork hours collected. It’s a really easy situation to get in. Everyone starting in the field of Applied Behavior Analysis, or ABA, loves the science behind helping people. The students that I’ve met have loved working with children and wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. It’s truly a field we are called to join. It doesn’t hurt that on average, BCBAs are highly satisfied with their jobs (Payscale, 2024). And that $82,816- the median annual salary of a BCBA- is well above the national average (Gibson, 2022). We want to be BCBAs. So much so, that we’re ready to dive into an entire Master’s degree course sequence headfirst, sometimes without a supervisor willing to complete our fieldwork.

I’ve been there. I remember starting my journey to become a BCBA. I left the military one month, and stepped into graduate school the next. I figured I could start accruing hours later. Fast forward six months, I’m a third of the way through my Master’s with not one fieldwork hour accrued.

Why?

Because graduate schools have recruitment teams. They have academic advisors. They help you navigate coursework and sign up dates. Simply put, it’s easier to enroll in school than it is to start supervised fieldwork for our credentialing board- the Behavior Analyst Certification Board (or BACB).  What isn’t easy? Breaking into a new field to sift through the BACB fieldwork requirements. Finding a BCBA supervisor you jive with. Scheduling supervision meetings….while being a successful graduate student, you should also have a social life, work out, drink water, and have a job so you can survive.

Yet, we don’t make it easier for students in their BCBA coursework. According to the BACB, the annual demand for BCBAs has grown from 6,203 when I started in 2016 to 65,366 in 2023. However, I am still finding BCBA-hopefuls with an advanced degree and no supervision hours. I have seen individuals fighting to get as many hours as they can before the Behavior Analyst Certification Board changes their requirements with updated task lists.

I see a problem. Luckily, I’ve also recently been introduced to a solution.

Remote supervised fieldwork.

I’ve been really reflecting on remote supervision technology for a few weeks now, and I think that the application of this technology could change the whole field. We have remote BCBA course sequences, remote BCBA jobs, remote parent trainings, conferences, and workshops. Why aren’t we embracing remote supervised fieldwork more? Imagine how much more a graduate student will get out of their BCBA coursework if they have an actively engaged BCBA supervisor to bounce research ideas and concepts off of during their fieldwork. How much quicker can we get BCBAs ready to practice, and on a larger scale, get clients who need services off of waitlists? Isn’t it more ethical for our trainees to glean experience from multiple supervisors around the world than from one or two BCBAs at the same practice?

In the upcoming weeks, I want to share more of my thoughts on remote supervised fieldwork. We have the BCBA trainees jumping into their BCBA coursework and ready to learn. We have qualified supervisors ready to share their passion and experience. And now? We have the technology to make this entry to the field better, faster, and more well-rounded.

If leveraging remote supervision can help one graduate student get the most out of their BCBA coursework, enter the field ready to practice, and help others… then I think it’s technology the field of ABA should get behind. 

References

Behavior Analyst Certification Board. (2024, January 29). US Employment Demand for Behavior Analysts: 2010–2023. bacb.com. https://www.bacb.com/

Gibson, K. (2022, November 1). Board Certified Behavior Analyst: Definition and responsibilities. Graduate Blog. https://graduate.northeastern.edu/resources/what-is-a-board-certified-behavior-analyst/

Payscale. (2024). Average Board Certified Behavior Analyst Salary.Retrieved March 31, 2024, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Board_Certified_Behavior_Analyst/Salary