Clinical Preceptors

Thank you for your affiliation with the South College, School of Physician Assistant Studies located in Asheville, North Carolina.

Your participation in the educational process is a vital component to clinical learning experience and essential in determining future outcomes of health care professionals. Our success is measured by your dedication to teaching and mentoring. Preceptors provide practical experience and training in a variety of medical specialties.

An Adjunct Clinical Preceptor is a licensed health professional who provides clinical education to students in their area of expertise. Clinical preceptors assist students in strengthening their foundations in physical exams, problem assessment, diagnosis, procedural skills, treatment, recording and reporting, and consulting. Preceptors are mentors and role models who instruct the student academic and clinical environment.

Preceptors receive guidance from academic and clinical objectives provided by the South College, School of Physician Assistant Studies.

SOME OF THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF A PRECEPTOR INCLUDE AND ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

1. Allowing for clinical space and a variety of clinical patient encounters necessary for experience within the rotation.
2. Ensuring the student receives a wide clinical experience by reviewing the necessary clinical objectives for the specific rotation. Preceptors supplement the student with information to build upon and strengthen the student’s current foundation of knowledge.
3. Preceptors must be on site to teach, consult and supervise the student. This commitment may be shared by two or more approved Clinical Preceptors. Students are expected to work an average of 45 hours per week.
4. Preceptors assist in developing the student’s skills through observation, demonstration and advising during the clinical phase of the rotation.
5. As preceptors get to know the student, he or she may increase the level of responsibility to the student in clinical assessment and management.
6. Preceptors provide the student an opportunity to utilize and become proficient in electronic or manual medical record skills.
7. Preceptors re-evaluate each patient a student presents ensuring accuracy in history and physical examine techniques.
8. The preceptors supervision ensures students do not practice outside of their known competencies and within the state’s legislation.
9. Preceptors ensure all patients seen by a student are presented and an accurate diagnosis and medical management plan is transcribed. All documentation by a student must be reviewed for accuracy and counter-signed by the preceptor.
10. Preceptors evaluate the student’s didactic and clinical knowledge through feedback with the student, faculty, by completing the student’s clinical evaluation form and via telephone should he or she have concerns or questions regarding students or the clinical phase of the program. Any concerns or questions regarding mentoring, clinical syllabi, clinical rotations, and student concerns should be directed to the Director of Clinical Education or Clinical Coordinator via phone or e-mail.

Clinical Rotations will begin in April and are approximately 5 weeks in duration. Each Preceptor will receive a clinical preceptor manual upon mentoring their first student.

Clinical learning rotation sites and preceptors are selected and evaluated by the PA Program’s Clinical Faculty.  Students are not required or permitted to supply their own clinical sites or preceptors.  However, students may suggest a clinical site/preceptor to the Director of Clinical Education a minimum of four months prior to the start of the suggested clinical rotation.  The Director of Clinical Education will approve or disapprove of the prospective site/preceptor following evaluation of the site and preceptor by the Clinical Faculty.  Students are not permitted to make formal arrangements for clinical learning rotations with clinical sites or preceptors without prior approval from the Director of Clinical Education.  Students are responsible for their own travel, meals, and lodging during the clinical year.

Once again, on behalf of the college and faculty, thank you for your affiliation with the South College, School of Physician Assistant Studies.

If you or someone you know are a licensed health care provider in Behavioral Health, Women’s Health, Surgery, Emergency Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, Family/Geriatric Medicine, Cardiology, Pulmonology, Gastroenterology, Urology, Orthopedics, Infectious Disease or other specialty, and are interested in mentoring a physician assistant student, please make inquiries to [email protected] or complete the form below.

CLINICAL PRECEPTORS RESOURCES

Preceptor Flyer
Mastering the Preceptor Role: Challenges of Clinical Teaching
One Minute Preceptor Model for Clinical Teaching
Clinical Preceptors: Tips for Effective Precepting
Evidence- Based Strategies That Help Office-based Teachers Give Effective Feedback
Getting beyond “Good Job”; How to Give Effective Feedback

 

Fill Out This Form to Learn More About Becoming a Preceptor for South College Asheville