Welcome to the Preceptor Education Program for health professionals and
students, the orientation module. First impressions are lasting and this is
certainly true for both the preceptor and student at the beginning of a
clinical preceptorship.
There are a number of things that both the preceptor
and the student need to do to 2 to 6 weeks prior to beginning the placement in
preparation for the first day to ensure the placement goes smoothly.
The student and the preceptor are encouraged to share information
regarding their preferences in the areas of: communication strategies,
teaching and learning styles, methods and frequency of feedback, learning objectives or goals
Roles and expectations of both students and preceptors, key timelines.
Sharing basic information about the clinical environment in patient population with
the student ahead of time will help reduce student anxiety during the
initial week of the preceptorship.
As the preceptor, you need to plan an orientation that will kick-start the
educational experience, and will set the stage for a successful placement.
Creating a positive learning environment will excite and motivate the student for
the placement they are just beginning.
Prior to the first client encounter an initial sit-down meeting provides the
preceptor and student with an opportunity to identify areas where
possible problems may arise (often related to communication, teaching and
learning styles and expectations) and negotiate a solution at the beginning of
the placement.
In this module, you will also learn about the roles of both the clinical preceptor
and the student during a preceptorship. The preceptor will:
provide instruction and supervision, inspire and motivate, provide corrective feedback, manage risk,
open doors or provide clinical experience opportunities
The student will learn quickly, come prepared,
show initiative, take responsibility for actions, receive feedback non-defensively.
