Preceptors

Your Role as a Preceptor Benefits for Preceptor Professional Development

Clinical Educational Affairs contact & Regional Site locations

Your Role as a Preceptor

College Expectations of the Preceptor

To optimize the teaching/learning encounter with a KCOM medical student, preceptors are asked to carry-out the following functions:

ADMINISTRATIVE DUTIES:

Orient student to the rotation and training site. Clearly identify specific service and personal expectations.
Encourage office/ancillary care staff to be helpful and make student feel a part of the team.
Complete a formal written evaluation of the student's performance during the rotation and give formative feedback midway through rotation.
Contact the Regional Dean to discuss issues of concern and poor student performance.

TEACHING DUTIES:

Serve as a mentor (experienced and prudent advisor) who assists the student in applying knowledge and building skills to problem-solve patient care.
Provide a variety of patient cases and adequate patient volume.
Challenge the student with deliberate and thoughtful questions.
Allow the student to participate in patient management to a degree appropriate for the level of training.
Provide written and verbal feedback to the student in a constructive and timely manner.
Be available, on site, for assistance during all patient care activities.
Share learning resources (texts, computers and educational programs if available) sufficient to increase student knowledge and productivity.
Assign readings, literature searches, or medical information gathering pertinent to patient cases.
Integrate Osteopathic Manipulate Medicine into the rotation experience. As such, encourage the use of hands-on OMT as appropriate for the level of training.

If you are unclear about the scope of these duties, or would like additional materials to develop your teaching/mentoring skills, contact your Regional Assistant Dean.

NOTE: A number of helpful teaching aids are included on this website in the Preceptor Education Opportunities section.