Clinical Rotations and Expectations
The Clinical phase of PA education involves a certain degree of variability; students should expect to be flexible. However, students, preceptors, and the PA program faculty and staff have clearly defined responsibilities as outlined below.
Student Responsibilities:
• Report to the clinical site on time ready to learn and work with the preceptor
• Act professionally in the clinical setting, including wearing a nametag and dressing appropriately
• Accrue at least the minimum number of clinical hours (≥ 32 hours/week) required by the Program and participate in the particular schedule of the clinical site
• Be sensitive to the comfort of the patients and their willingness to be seen and evaluated by a student
• Follow the rules and regulations of each individual clinical site
• Successfully complete the requirements of the rotation as outlined in the course syllabus
•Actively pursue opportunities for enhanced, engaged learning
• Review expectations and objectives of the rotation with the preceptor soon after arriving
• Use data related to personal performance (exam scores, review material performance, feedback from preceptors, faculty, and staff) to develop goals and action plans for self-improvement
Preceptor Responsibilities:
• Create an environment for learning committed to inclusivity and attentive to concerns related to personal well-being and safety
• Po provide an appropriate clinical environment with access to a variety of patient encounters necessary for a productive learning experience
• Provide a minimum number of clinical hours (≥ 32 hours/week) for the student to actively participate in direct patient-care activities at the rotation site. During this time the preceptor must be available for supervision, consultation, and teaching, or designate an alternate preceptor.
• Acquaint new students with the practice/site policies and procedures and review the expectations and objectives for the rotation soon after they arrive
• Supervise, demonstrate, teach, and observe clinical activities in order to aid the student in the development of their clinical skills and to ensure proper patient care; delegate increasing levels of responsibility for clinical assessment and management to the student as their skills develop
• Provide ongoing feedback regarding their clinical performance to the student and PA program through mid-rotation feedback; confirm skills acquisition (longitudinal skills assessment sign off) and complete the final preceptor evaluation in a timely manner
• Promptly notify the PA Program of any circumstances or situations that might interfere with the accomplishment of the above goals or diminish the overall training experience for the student
• Ensure that students are not used as a substitute for clinical or administrative staff during their supervised clinical practice experience
• Serve as a role model for the student by demonstrating an ethical approach to the care of patients
• Demonstrate cultural humility in all interactions with patients, families, health care teams and systems
Program Responsibilities:
• Recruit and retain clinical sites for students
• Generate placements for students in sites that agree to host students
• Ensure onboarding requirements are communicated to students
• Orient preceptors and students to the policies and procedures of the clinical education phase
• Prepare students academically and clinically for the clinical phase of their education
• Forward student information and necessary documentation to the preceptor in a timely manner
• Inform the preceptor of rotation learning objectives and supply student evaluation materials
• Serve as a resource in developing quality rotation sites and facilitate the introduction of the PA role to the community, in general, and the medical community, specifically
• Respond to questions and concerns from the preceptor or student in a timely manner
• Maintain close contact with the preceptor in an attempt to anticipate any problems before they arise