Due to the need for students to have their knowledge and clinical skills fresh when entering a clinical environment for preceptorships, students are required to enter their preceptorship in the semester following completion of their last medical assisting/phlebotomy course. Preceptorships are only offered once per year.
This policy supports the following stakeholders:
- The student: a student arriving to clinical and not having their skills and knowledge fresh will show the site that their skills and knowledge are not strong. It can give a negative first impression which can set a tone for the whole preceptorship
- The clinical site: Clinical sites agree to take students for preceptorships with the assumption that students have passed critical Medical Assisting and Phlebotomy courses and competencies. They rely on their preceptors being guides and mentors, not instructors. Preceptors must perform all of their regular duties in addition to their preceptor role, therefore, the agreement to take on a student is made with the assumption that a certain amount of time and effort will be spent in the preceptor role. If students need more than that, it can disrupt the clinical site’s schedule and workforce needs
- The patients: Most importantly, patients are trusting their providers to have personnel who are skilled, knowledgeable, and able to provide optimal care. Having a student who is not ready for a clinical experience can undermine the patient’s trust in the care they are receiving, and can put the patient at risk.