Advice for Precepting.....I get my first student Monday.

[Guest Paula]

I start precepting my first student Monday, August 19th. The student will be with me for 6 weeks and it is a shared rotation with the rural access hospital we use. The student will be at my clinic 3-4 days a week. I plan on giving her assignments to do depending on what we encounter during the day. She will be getting a lot of experience with diabetes management. She will be getting lots of experience with human interactions that would not be possible at a normal health system.....meaning that I get lots of time to spend with patients....no time barriers.

 

I expect I will learn as much as she does.

 

Other experiences planned are for her to spend some time with our Healthy Start project nurse who goes into homes of parents with children up to age two. It will be an eye opener I believe. I am rolling public health issues into her experience.

 

Questions: How often should I give assignments? One for each day she is with me or one a week? This weekend I am planning out my strategy as I finally have time to put together my thoughts. The university she is coming from has given me some basic guidelines (2 sheets of paper) with tips on precepting.

 

I appreciate any advice! Thanks.

 

Paula

[DogLovingPA]

As a recent graduate, I appreciated daily assignments from the (very) few preceptors that assigned them. Short topics that are easily read up on were the best, it forced me to go home and at least read something. Most of the time it was a casual assignment such as "tomorrow let's talk about topic X". I would go home and read about the topic and spend ~15 minutes at some point the next day talking to my preceptor about the causes, s/s/, diagnosis and treatment of that topic.

 

Small things I learned most from were when my preceptors forced me to think - asked me for my ddx and my plan for diagnosis and treatment. I know that sounds obvious but in so many rotations I was simply gathering history and performing a PE. Don't get me wrong, I understand that is by far the most important part of a visit, but I was never challenged to apply what I learned during the H&P... I was rarely challenged to think about my diagnosis or my management of the patient!

 

I am sure your student will love the rotation.

[Guest Paula]

Thanks, i will keep that all in mind. I remember a preceptor I had who challenged me too and it was the best rotation.

[PM2PA]

I hope I get a preceptor like you!

[ajnelson]

I've not had the opportunity to precept PA students yet, but have been an FTO in my prior jobs. My best advice is to make them use their skills and their brain. Help them through initially, but then make them work for the answers. Have them apply the information so it sticks. As far as the assignments, make them small things, something you came across that day that the student (or even you) didn't know much about. Have them come back the next day ready to teach you about it. Have a few important topics ready in case nothing good comes up that day.

The fact that you are preparing and prepping to teach your students is amazing! Wish more preceptors were like you!

[Guest Paula]

I've not had the opportunity to precept PA students yet, but have been an FTO in my prior jobs. My best advice is to make them use their skills and their brain. Help them through initially, but then make them work for the answers. Have them apply the information so it sticks. As far as the assignments, make them small things, something you came across that day that the student (or even you) didn't know much about. Have them come back the next day ready to teach you about it. Have a few important topics ready in case nothing good comes up that day.

The fact that you are preparing and prepping to teach your students is amazing! Wish more preceptors were like you!

 

I must be naive. I thought all preceptors prepared!??!! I am preparing because I want to make sure I don't teach the wrong thing or concept or technique. It is an opportunity for me to hone my skills, too. I will post about the experiences as time allows and put up on the student section. Thanks for everyone's thoughts.

[myironlung]

this is obvious but try and keep in mind that the student will most likely have to go home and study for the rest of the night every night to prepare for the rotational exam, and also complete assignments already assigned from their own program.

[Acebecker]

I like to establish the goals with the student on day 1. Sit down and say, "What are you hoping to get out of this rotation?" Make a list, if need be. Often the program will have a set outline of goals. But personalize it for your student. Don't treat them with kid gloves; don't brutally pimp them in front of patients, but remember that in a few months they'll be out on their own making decisions about peoples' well being and they need to be prepared to do that to a certain extent by what you teach them. If you're on the kinder side, be ready to make them a little uncomfortable (and to be uncomfortable yourself in doing so). I often start by saying, "I'm gonna' put you on the spot here..." so they know they're about to be asked a challenging question in front of the patient. If they struggle, I help them out and it's collegial but I want them to have those moments when I'm by their side and can pick them up... I also want them to learn how to pick themselves up. Hope that helps.

[Just Steve]

My program had the students provide the patients and staff with paper evaluations (360 degree evals) that I found to be very helpful, especially the staff feedback from everyone from the front desk to the MAs. My preceptor was quick to give her insight on things, but half the time you don't know what the other team members are thinking. I found the feedback from them very re assuring as well as from the patients.

 

For the patients, it was pretty straightforward. They would get the one page (one sided, brief scale 1-5 on different areas of evaluation) when they were roomed and asked to drop it off at the front desk on their way out at the end of the visit. I had about a 90% return rate. The information gleaned from these can be focus points for future improvements or provide reassurance that they are doing really well in some areas and prompt the student to branch out into things they are not so comfortable with.

 

I just left a stack of blank ones in the staff break room with an envelope for them to go into once filled out.

[Guest Paula]

Thanks ironlung, Acebecker and Just Steve. Will keep all of that in mind. My first task will be to go over an orientation checklist and set goals and guidelines early. Communication will be the key, I think, for a good rotation.

[taotaox1]

I would love small daily assignments from my preceptor!!! Sounds like a good plan.

[whoRyou]

I hope I get a preceptor like you!

 

The fact that you are preparing and prepping to teach your students is amazing! Wish more preceptors were like you!

 

 

... "I'm gonna' put you on the spot here..." so they know they're about to be asked a challenging question in front of the patient. If they struggle, I help them out and it's collegial but I want them to have those moments when I'm by their side and can pick them up... I also want them to learn how to pick themselves up. Hope that helps.

I want a preceptor like you two. Asking advice shows a lot about your character, it shows you are human like the rest of us. Thank you for caring :=D: May I ask what state you are in? :wink:

[whoRyou]

Oops Mistake

[Guest Paula]

I'm in Michigan in the Upper Peninsula. My clinic is on a reservation and is also an FQHC. My student is a NHSC awardee. First day: Went great. She was able to do one small procedure, evaluated a rash and correctly identified it, wrote prescriptions that I signed, did some urgent care, saw a few ADD/ADHD patients and one psych. Saw another rash/insect bite and her assignment was to read up on chiggers. She did one sports physical and did a fabulous job (her neuro exam is better than mine!). We are off to a good start.

 

Thanks for everyone's advice.

[eliyoussefi]

Watch house. ;)