Eshelman School of Pharmacy: Office of Experiential Programs: Policies and Procedures for Preceptors

This document outlines the policies and procedures governing preceptors in the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy's experiential education program, covering the criteria for selection, performance expectations, and onboarding process. It also details the benefits the School provides to preceptors in return for their service, including continuing education, recognition, promotion opportunities, and access to resources, and describes how the School monitors and maintains preceptor quality over time.

Unit Policy and Procedure

Title

Eshelman School of Pharmacy: Office of Experiential Programs: Policies and Procedures for Preceptors

Introduction

Purpose

The curriculum at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy emphasizes early, continual, and immersive exposure of our students to pharmacy practice. The success of our curriculum is dependent on the dedication of preceptors, and their commitment to improving patient care through the education of student pharmacists. Preceptors serve as the educators whose instruction, modeling, coaching, and facilitation guides student pharmacists as they apply knowledge learned in the classroom to practice.

Scope

This policy applies to all individuals serving as preceptors for the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy experiential education program, including primary preceptors of record, team preceptors, pharmacist preceptors, non-pharmacist preceptors, and pharmacy residents who meet the program’s preceptor eligibility requirements.

Definitions

1. A preceptor is defined as a pharmacist (or non-pharmacist) contributing to a student pharmacist's education and development in the experiential setting. Preceptors may also have Adjunct Faculty titles.
2. A primary preceptor of record is defined as the preceptor directly responsible for the development, supervision, and evaluation of a student pharmacist's experience at the site.
3. A preceptor team is defined as a group of preceptors working closely together to be responsible for the development, supervision, and evaluation of a student pharmacist's experience at the site. This team will work closely with the primary preceptor of record.

Policy

Preceptors

Preceptor Recruitment and Selection

The School, through the Office of Experiential Programs, will identify pharmacy practitioners and professionals to serve as preceptors through the provision of immersive educational experiences to student pharmacists. Select preceptors that have been recognized by the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy qualify to participate in the experiential education program by meeting and adhering to the following preceptor criteria:

Preceptor Criteria

1. The preceptor must have obtained appropriate professional education, experience, and credentials commensurate with the proposed engagement with the experiential education program.
2. The preceptor must be licensed and in good standing with an appropriate licensing board as required by the governing practice laws, if applicable.
3. The preceptor must work at a site for at least six months before becoming a primary preceptor of record for that site. In rare circumstances, individuals with considerable practice and/or precepting experience may be approved to serve as a primary preceptor record prior to six months at the discretion of the Assistant Dean of Experiential Programs.
4. The preceptor should demonstrate a desire and aptitude for teaching. This should include a willingness to engage in practices which improve problem-solving skills in learners, such as instructing, modeling, coaching/mentoring, and facilitating.
5. The preceptor should demonstrate a desire to serve as a positive role model for students by demonstrating qualities reflective of the highest professional and ethical standards within their area of practice and/or expertise.

Pharmacy Residents as Preceptors

1. Pharmacy residents must meet all the preceptor criteria defined for the experiential program prior to affiliating as an official preceptor for the School.
2. Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY-1) or (PGY-2) pharmacy residents may serve as a team preceptor under the direct supervision of a program director and/or designee serving as the primary preceptor of record after practicing for at least 6 months as a licensed pharmacist at the site within which they will precept.

Preceptor Performance Expectations

To contribute to the mission and vision of the School to prepare the next generation of pharmacists, preceptors will fulfill the following responsibilities:

1. The primary preceptor of record must complete the required onboarding process prior to precepting student pharmacists. This expectation also applies to all team preceptors for team taught experiences.
2. The primary preceptor of record must develop and discuss his/her plan with the School for adequately meeting the required objectives and learning outcomes for the experiential course being provided. This plan at a minimum will include:
   • Creation of an assessment plan for evaluating each of the required experiential learning outcomes at the level of expected performance as dictated by the type of experience(s) being offered. This plan should include providing consistent and quality feedback to the student pharmacist and communicating expectations clearly.
   • Characterization of key learning activities to achieve each of the required experiential learning outcomes. These activities should engage the student in learning through participation (e.g. active and self-directed learning) versus observation (e.g. shadowing).
   • Construction of an implementation plan for the experience. This plan should include provisions for supervision of the student pharmacist and one-on-one time between the student pharmacist and the primary preceptor of record at orientation and throughout the experience. For team taught experiences, this plan should also identify the team of preceptors who will assist in the precepting of the student pharmacist, as well as the responsibilities of the student in the absence of the primary preceptor of record, if applicable. This plan should also address how the preceptor will ensure the student pharmacist will receive the required experiential hours as dictated by the type of experience(s) precepted.
3. The primary preceptor of record must work with the student pharmacist to complete the Student/Preceptor Expectations Agreement by the 7th day of each experience. This expectations agreement will ask the preceptor to attest that the following has occurred:
   • Site orientation including but not limited to communicating an experience schedule
   • Discussion of the student pharmacist's short- and long-term career goals, prior work experience, and perceived strengths and areas for improvement
   • Review of the required experiential learning outcomes and evaluation form in CoreELMS (RxPreceptor)
   • Discussion of the preceptor's expectations for the student to achieve the expected level of performance as indicated on the experience evaluation in CoreELMS (RxPreceptor)
   • Discussion of the preferred communication strategy with the primary preceptor of record and team members, as applicable
4. The primary preceptor of record will provide formal, face-to-face, formative (e.g. midpoint) and summative (e.g. final) evaluation(s) as dictated by the type of experience precepted. At a minimum these evaluations will include both verbal and written feedback and will incorporate deliberative review of the evaluation form in CoreELMS (RxPreceptor) in tandem with the student pharmacist.
5. The primary preceptor of record will ensure compliance with all relevant policies and procedures outlined in the experiential course syllabi and the preceptor manual.
6. The primary preceptor of record will collaborate with the School on student academic, well-being, and professionalism issues through submission of the Eshelman Care Team Referral.

Preceptor Benefits

The UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy appreciates preceptors for making practice experiences available, relevant, meaningful, and challenging for our students. Through the provision of professional development, recognition, promotion and provided access to resources, we strive to retain high quality preceptors. In appreciation of your service for precepting pharmacy students from the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy the School provides the following benefits:

1. Continuing Professional Development
   • The School will promote the initial and continual professional development of its preceptors corresponding with their educational responsibilities of the program in order to enhance the quality of teaching provided by preceptors. Following completion of the initial Preceptor Training Program, preceptors will have the opportunity to receive continuing professional development through the following mechanisms:
     • Continuing Education (CE) Programming
       • CE Programming content is developed based on needs assessments provided by preceptors and curricular needs.
       • Programs are accredited through ACPE and are offered to all preceptors of the program as follows:
         • Live or streamed programming is offered at least twice annually.
         • Home study or webinar-based programming is offered at least twice annually.
       • Additional regional based CE programs are also available when offered in collaboration with regional experiential faculty.
     • Educational Renaissance Symposia
       • The School provides opportunities to share important updates and seek input and feedback from preceptor and partner representatives related to the experiential curricula.
2. Preceptor Recognition
   • The School will recognize outstanding and exemplary preceptors through the following mechanisms:
     • Preceptor Awards
       • All preceptors are eligible to be nominated by student pharmacists for annually provided preceptor awards.
3. Opportunities for Promotion
   • Clinical education title adjunct appointments (e.g. Assistant, Associate or Professor of Clinical Education) are available for practice-based preceptors who also have an interest in advancing their academic careers and are committed to all three academic pillars - teaching, service, and scholarship. In collaboration with the Division of Practice Advancement and Clinical Education, preceptors may apply for adjunct faculty status with options for reapplication at 3 years for continued appointment or consideration for promotion through the faculty ranks.
4. Resources
   • AHEC Digital Library (ADL)
     • The School arranges for North Carolina-based preceptors to receive complimentary access to the ADL as a portal to electronic resources from your student pharmacist's home institution, namely UNC Chapel Hill. The access provided includes online materials from the following:
       • UNC Health Science Library including but not limited to drug and disease information, full electronic access to a large collection of health science journals, and a Pharmacy Special Collection
   • Pharmacist's Letter
     • The School arranges for complimentary access to Pharmacist's Letter as a key drug information source for preceptors.
   • CORE ELMS (RxPreceptor)
     • The online experiential learning management system is replete with helpful materials, such as: syllabi, required learning objectives and outcomes, expected activities based on experience type, formative and summative evaluations and a Preceptor Manual with key policies and procedures for the experiential education program.
5. Intangible Benefits
   • The School is available to work with preceptors to identify valuable contributions to advancing organizational goals of our sites and the professional desires of our preceptors. Examples of intangible benefits described by our current preceptors of the program have included but are not limited to:
     • Opportunities to give back to the profession through the provision of real world experiences
     • Contributions to the practice site through expansion of services
     • Ability to teach students but engage in mutual learning
     • Intrinsic satisfaction to achieve personal goals
     • Boosts in morale from enthusiastic student pharmacists
     • Opportunities for future staff/residency recruitment

Procedure

Preceptor Onboarding Process

The selection of qualified preceptors to serve as educators is essential to effectively deliver and evaluate students in the experiential component of the curriculum. The following are steps that a preceptor must complete prior to becoming an official preceptor of our program:

1. Phase 1
   • Review preceptor/site criteria and complete online preceptor application
   • Complete Preceptor Training Program. This on-demand training program will provide 2.0 hours of continuing education credit through delivery of relevant information to prepare preceptors for teaching in the experiential curriculum at the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy and will cover:
     • The School's mission, value and goals
     • The School's curriculum and teaching methods as it relates to experiential education
     • The specific objectives for pharmacy practice experiences and assessing students' prior knowledge and experience relative to these objectives
     • The School's assessment and grading processes
     • A review of systems and policies to assist preceptors in dealing with student problems, unprofessional behaviors, and misconduct
2. Phase 2
   • Meet with the Office of Experiential Programs (Domestic) or Office of Global Engagement (International) for an orientation to precepting for the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy
   • Work with the School to formalize an affiliation agreement if one does not already exist. Please note: this step may take 3-6 months to complete.
3. Phase 3
   • Submit availability to precept in CORE ELMS (RxPreceptor)
   • Begin offering a practice experience at your site

Quality Assurance and Monitoring of Preceptor Excellence

Preceptors are evaluated by assigned student pharmacists on their abilities to:

• Facilitate learning,
• Communicate effectively,
• Serve as professional role models and mentors, and
• Positively represent and advance the profession.

The Office of Strategic Planning and Assessment provides programmatic assessment of evaluations submitted by student pharmacists. This data is reviewed annually for Advanced Immersion Experiences (APPEs) and each semester (e.g. summer, fall, spring) for Immersion Experiences (IPPEs) with leadership from the Office of Experiential Programs and the curriculum.

Experiential Programs faculty also review these evaluations at the conclusion of each experience. If correctable issues or deficiencies are identified requiring immediate attention, the Directors of Practice Experiences will provide the feedback to the preceptor and work with them to develop a plan within the next calendar month.

The School also provides a platform for sharing feedback with preceptors. De-identified student evaluation of experience data will be shared annually in June with preceptors if they have precepted three or more students. If preceptors have had fewer than three students during the academic year, evaluations will not be shared to maintain confidentiality. In these circumstances, preceptors may contact the Office of Experiential Programs to request relevant global feedback provided by students.

Contact Information

Name: Elizabeth Locklear, PhD

Title: Interim Assistant Dean for Experiential Curriculum

School: UNC-Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy

Email: elockle@unc.edu

Phone: 919-445-4932