by Nicole Hackett, Student Public Relations Writer
Dr. David Peters, Cedarville University’s assistant professor of pharmacy practice, has been named the first-ever Preceptor of the Year at Miami Valley Hospital, in Dayton, Ohio.
“It is a great pleasure to watch a learner start to develop key skills of a clinical pharmacist early in his or her career,” Peters said. “Precepting residents is optional, but it's really one of the things that I enjoy most about what I do as a professor of pharmacy.”
As a preceptor, Peters teaches pharmacy outside the classroom in a neurocritical care unit, which serves patients who have had severe strokes and seizures. He also helps his students to manage research projects while teaching them about statistics and research design.
— David Peters
“Not only is David knowledgeable in his field, but also has an innate gift to disseminate that information to residents and students in a way that is natural, complete and at the level of each learner's understanding,” explained Dr. Hannah Chittenden, a 2020 Cedarville graduate and current Miami Valley Hospital resident working with Peters.
“I value his commitment to patient care because that is always his top priority, and it is obvious that David continues to push himself to learn more and pursue excellence in everything he does. I aim to be just a fraction of the preceptor David has been to me.”
Peters has worked at Miami Valley Hospital since he started at Cedarville three years ago. Throughout the school year, Peters is the preceptor for about six Cedarville students.
Peters was recognized as the Preceptor of the Year for his work with Miami Valley Hospital’s two postgraduate pharmacy residents who signed a one-year contract to learn more about clinical pharmacy within a hospital.
“I did a residency myself, and the preceptors that I had were absolutely vital in my own training,” said Peters. “I would not be where I am today without the mentors and preceptors I had. Now I give a small part back to the residents that we have on-site to have an impact on their practice.”
Located in southwest Ohio, Cedarville University is an accredited, Christ-centered, Baptist institution with an enrollment of 4,380 undergraduate, graduate and online students in more than 150 areas of study. Founded in 1887, Cedarville is recognized nationally for its authentic Christian community, rigorous academic programs, including its Doctor of Pharmacy program, strong graduation and retention rates, accredited professional and health science offerings and high student engagement ranking. For more information about Cedarville University, visit www.cedarville.edu.