GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 I did a forum search and failed to find this topic mentioned. Do programs allow for volunteer mentoring of students from current/retired PA’s while on their program affiliated clinical roations, i.e.-EM, IM, etc.? The mentor would not be responsible for direct clinical care but could shadow the student in certain rotational settings to answer questions and provide additional insight. I had a former EM director who volunteered at UTSW/Parkland a day every couple of weeks and I would be willing to do the same just to get out of the house and to validate maintaining my license past next August. I recognize that it would require authorization/background checks as well as a program title such as adjunct professor even though it would be a voluntary (no pay) position. Seems it could be a win/win for both the student and the geezer, ahem, retired PA who still has some clinical acumen to share. Comments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator EMEDPA Posted November 19, 2020 Moderator Share Posted November 19, 2020 I know AAPA has a mentor program. I don't know how it works. I like your concept. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediMike Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 The Washington Academy of PAs has started a mentor program. Think you'd be hard pressed to find a program who'd want you hovering around on clinicals etc. Maybe reach out to your state organization and let them know you'd be interested in providing guidance for new grads and/or answer questions? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 Since I’m retired it would require an affiliation with a program or a large practice network. My former SP’s from my last position are interested but are in a hiring freeze. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ohiovolffemtp Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 How would that work vs the role of the preceptor? When I took PA students, I felt it was my job to provide that level of teaching. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted November 20, 2020 Moderator Share Posted November 20, 2020 I have to say, if I was precepting a student and you were hanging around, I would find it a little weird. It might even become awkward or contentious if conflicting advice was being given. Who is giving the evaluation? Isn't the purpose of different preceptors to have different perspectives? Not saying it can't work, I would just have a lot of questions on it's implementation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 (edited) I’m talking about clinical rotations and not elective rotations. There were no preceptors on my clinical rotations, only attendings and residents. My education on each rotation was what I made of it. My program faculty who were assigned to each rotation specialty were very rarely ever seen in those settings. Maybe this isn’t reality today. If someone were precepting a student then there wouldn’t be a need for a third wheel. In my world we were on university hospital rotations with the exception of off-site FM options for half the rotation. With all the dime a dozen programs out there now not associated with medical schools maybe the rotations have to be done elsewhere with a preceptor. I’ll go back to my rocking chair on the porch, sip my morning Geritol, and leave the educating to you young ones who are more aware of the current day to day activities. Edited November 20, 2020 by GetMeOuttaThisMess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DizzyJ Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 I think this would be an odd set-up as well. The preceptor should be providing all the insight and answering questions. Maybe you could become a general mentor for a PA program, but shouldn't PA program faculty already be doing that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 (edited) As noted above, mine didn’t. Maybe things are different present day. If they are then something isn’t working based upon all the threads detailing “I don’t feel competent” or “My SP isn’t teaching me anything”. That’s why my former SP’s saw a need for this before I left my final practice (they were contracted and we were not part of their group network) and were interested in my filling such a role. Then COVID struck... They’re still interested, at least as of yesterday. I’m not talking about being available each and every day of ones’ rotation. I’m talking about dropping in maybe a day a week to spend a couple of hours answering questions about specific situations encountered and maybe tagging along with them during those few hours. Still seems like a waste of insight and experience for those wishing to get up to speed as soon as possible. Is it the program’s responsibility? Sure it is. For whatever the reason though it wasn’t done that way in my era and apparently isn’t happening present day with 100 member classes (Mine was only 24). I recognize that the cost for such insight may be unreasonable. Free doesn’t comprehend well. BTW, if this idea isn’t reasonable then why do hospitals/med schools have adjunct faculty come in and cover clinics and EDs’? Edited November 20, 2020 by GetMeOuttaThisMess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediMike Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, GetMeOuttaThisMess said: As noted above, mine didn’t. Maybe things are different present day. If they are then something isn’t working based upon all the threads detailing “I don’t feel competent” or “My SP isn’t teaching me anything”. That’s why my former SP’s saw a need for this before I left my final practice (they were contracted and we were not part of their group network) and were interested in my filling such a role. Then COVID struck... They’re still interested, at least as of yesterday. I’m not talking about being available each and every day of ones’ rotation. I’m talking about dropping in maybe a day a week to spend a couple of hours answering questions about specific situations encountered and maybe tagging along with them during those few hours. Still seems like a waste of insight and experience for those wishing to get up to speed as soon as possible. Is it the program’s responsibility? Sure it is. For whatever the reason though it wasn’t done that way in my era and apparently isn’t happening present day with 100 member classes (Mine was only 24). I recognize that the cost for such insight may be unreasonable. Free doesn’t comprehend well. BTW, if this idea isn’t reasonable then why do hospitals/med schools have adjunct faculty come in and cover clinics and EDs’? I think the issue is the quality of instruction and the increased desire for new grads to hit the ground running. It seems like your clinicals were similar to many in an academic setting, if you didn't have someone to staff with or talk with then it sounds like it was a crap rotation, likely more location dependent than reflective of medical education in general. The items you mention are without a doubt the preceptor's responsibilities. If you're looking for a collaboration agreement to maintain your license I think you'll be hard pressed to work this into that. Not sure what you mean by having adjunct faculty come in and cover? Are you seeing faculty members come in and float around without patient care responsibilities? Edit: if your prior clinic is interested in this are you pursuing it? Sounds much more reasonable that a clinic would hire you to provide mentorship than a program Edited November 20, 2020 by MediMike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 (edited) Don’t know about the rest of the world but it is common place for adjunct physicians to come in and cover clinic/department hours as a supervisory resource for residents/students. It happened in my era (early 80’s) and continues to happen today (mom’s gerontologist covers UTSW clinic during the week for a couple of hours). During my 2nd year clinical rotations there was no one there to hold our hand. We were assigned patients and had the same responsibilities as the MS3/4 students and answered to the residents/attendings. The only time we saw the rotation PA faculty rep was on Friday during lunch rotation discussions. I’m not interested in maintaining my license per se (don’t need it if I’m not going to use it any longer) but was rather interested in helping out those who might need some more senior insight or just someone to bounce something off of. As already mentioned, my SP’s are in a large network organization who have frozen all hires (even though I wouldn’t be a hire per se I would still need authorization to see patients/med records). Things have been frozen since COVID appeared and I had just retired a couple months before and wanted to be a slug over the holidays last year. Bottom line, it was just an idea. Finished mowing the lawn, had lunch, and I’ll sit on my arse for the afternoon. Edited November 20, 2020 by GetMeOuttaThisMess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MediMike Posted November 20, 2020 Share Posted November 20, 2020 I hear ya. In my mind those residents/fellows/attendings were my mentors/preceptors and I expected to be treated just like a med student, if not an intern. No that's interesting that your institution has folks come in expressly for the purpose of fielding questions, I'm assuming that this is in exception to any other clinical activities as opposed to a "normal" attending-trainee set-up? What a cake job. Good luck finding something to scratch the purpose itch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderator LT_Oneal_PAC Posted November 20, 2020 Moderator Share Posted November 20, 2020 1 hour ago, MediMike said: I hear ya. In my mind those residents/fellows/attendings were my mentors/preceptors and I expected to be treated just like a med student, if not an intern. No that's interesting that your institution has folks come in expressly for the purpose of fielding questions, I'm assuming that this is in exception to any other clinical activities as opposed to a "normal" attending-trainee set-up? What a cake job. Good luck finding something to scratch the purpose itch! Agree. I’ve never seen such, but it isn’t a bad idea. While teaching was supposed to be done by the preceptor, often it isn’t because they are busy, so having a dedicated person would be good. Lots of other questions, such as would you work overnights and things like that. But overall could be a good idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GetMeOuttaThisMess Posted November 20, 2020 Author Share Posted November 20, 2020 (edited) Heck NO! I'm in my onesie, diaper changed, and a bottle in my mouth by 9p. LOL. It'd be strictly weekday hours in whichever type of setting. The large FM clinic would be the better likelihood I would think. This network controls from north of Dallas down Interstate 35 to Temple area. Thinking back 38 years, it would've been nice to have someone to bounce ideas off of that wouldn't have impacted your rotation grade. The residents and interns were too busy watching out for themselves to teach a student outside the classroom. We had PGY3s (before there was a PGY3 label) who taught our clinical medicine classes, one of whom I did a cardiology preceptorship with which was the biggest waste of time ever. Sat in office reading journals each and every day for 8 weeks and commuted from Dallas to FW and back each weekday as he was trying to build a <1 year old practice. Learned nothing. Edited November 20, 2020 by GetMeOuttaThisMess Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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