PA Clinical Precepting

You have the opportunity to invest in the next generation of highly skilled, dedicated, and caring medical practitioners, guiding, teaching, and inspiring PA (Physician Assistant) students as you share the lessons you have learned that have helped you grow in your clinical expertise.

Additional Benefits:

In addition, you have the opportunity to:

• Seek out and organize new knowledge
• Earn Category I CME through the AAPA (PAs only)
• Earn Category II CME or equivalent credits toward certification
• Acquire access to quality student recruits for future positions
• Access University Library Medical Resources
• Achieve Clinical Affiliate and Adjunct faculty status

As a Preceptor, What Would I Do?

The PA student’s education is incomplete without engagement with preceptors and patients in real world clinical settings. Preceptors will take students for a four-week clinical rotation in their medical specialty as your schedule allows. As a preceptor, your role will include supervision, teaching, mentoring, and assessment of PA students as their clinical judgement and skills progress.

Some of the student skills you would assess include: history taking, physical examination, evaluation and diagnoses of common medical problems, treatment planning, patient education and interaction, and effective & efficient communication (written & verbal).

What Are a Preceptor's Responsibilities?

1. Familiarize each student with the protocols, rules, and regulations of the facility, including safety and security measures.
2. Ensure that the student is not used as a substitute for clinical or administrative staff.
3. Maintain full responsibility for the patient’s medical care and treatment.
4. Maintain supervision (administrative and professional) of the student while they are on the premises.
5. Provide direct supervision while the student is performing clinical procedures (may be overseen by qualified staff).
6. Allow the student to participate in and attend education offerings by the facility.
7. Take the lead in the care of the patient. Per CMS, the preceptor must be present and actively involved in any student contributions to portions of the billable service. However, preceptors need only review and verify student documentation rather than re-document the encounter entirely.
8. Delegate to student increasing levels of responsibility for clinical care appropriate to their experience and competence. You can expect the student to perform similar to a third- or fourth-year medical student.
9. Provide complete and timely evaluations on PA Program forms related to the student’s development and demonstration of medical knowledge and clinical skills according to the objectives and goals set by the program.
10. Notify the Director of Clinical Education in a timely manner of any unsatisfactory conduct or performance or any circumstances that might interfere with the rotation goals or experience.

What Are a PA Student’s Responsibilities?

In addition to guidelines of professional conduct outlined in the Clinical Preceptor Handbook, students are expected to perform the following during their clinical rotations:

• Obtain detailed histories and conduct physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, formulate an assessment and plan with preceptor input, document findings and give oral presentations.
• Perform and/or interpret common lab results, diagnostics, and clinical interventions.
  
• Educate and counsel patients across the lifespan regarding their health issues.
• Attend clinical rotations as scheduled along with grand rounds, lectures, and conferences, if available to them.
• Demonstrate emotional resiliency, stability, and flexibility during the clinical year.
• Log patient encounters and progress toward required clinical experiences minimums.
  
• Provide preceptor with the necessary paperwork.
• Maintain a professional presence in the clinic or hospital.

Review the PA Student's Clinical Year Details as you consider becoming a preceptor, which will provide context for planning a comprehensive clinical experience for our PA students.

What are the PA Program's Responsibilities?

• Onboard and train the preceptor on the Program’s expectations and outcomes.
• Educate and promote qualified students who have satisfactorily completed the didactic year components.
• Oversee the clinical year schedule and student placements.
• Facilitate the evaluation process for preceptors.
• Provide academic and professional remediation to students in need.
• Address promptly any concerns raised by students or preceptors.
• Conduct a summative evaluation of student skills for graduation.

How to Become a Preceptor

1 Let us know that you are interested

Complete the Preceptor Interest form.

If you prefer to talk directly with someone, contact us.

Our Clinical Year Team will then reach out to you and help with the following steps:

2 Onboarding

• Establish an Affiliation Agreement: Cedarville University requires a fully executed affiliation agreement with each practice and hospital involved in supervised clinical practice experiences. 
• Complete a Preceptor Site Profile form to tell us about your eligibility to precept, practice characteristics, and your estimated number of annual clinical rotation slots for our students.
  

3 Preceptor Orientation and Training

Complete orientation and training with the Director of Clinical Education on the program expectations, rotation objectives, ways to incorporate students into your everyday workflow and forms necessary for evaluating student performance.