UMKC’s preceptors are instrumental in enhancing our PA students’ clinical acumen, as well as their interprofessional development. Preceptors help ensure the next generation of health care providers are capable, well-trained, and compassionate team members.

Benefits available to our preceptors include (some benefits are dependent on level of service):

• Category 1 CME (for certified PAs only)
• Category 2 CME
• UMKC School of Medicine Courtesy Faculty Appointment (available for preceptors who who train four or more PA students in a year)
• EMR documentation by PA students may be cosigned by preceptor for medical charting/billing/coding
• Opportunity for mentoring and professional stewardship by training future PA colleagues

What our current preceptors are saying

Below are a few quotes from preceptors about the most significant benefit of being a UMKC PA program preceptor:

“(It provides) renewed energy and passion for my job.”

“Ability to share knowledge and pay it forward.”

“Discussing cases and reasoning behind management decisions. It helps me stay current.”

“Joy of learning more and getting to know the next generation of providers.”

Interested in becoming a preceptor?

Please contact Erin Aubrey, Director of Clinical Education, for more information.
816-235-1628 (phone)

Responsibilities

• Provide adequate clinical space for the student to care for patients.
• Ensure that students are not used as a substitute for clinical or administrative staff.
• Review and sign all of the student’s patient records within 24 hours.
• Familiarize each student with the protocols, rules, and regulations of the facility.
• Maintain administrative and professional supervision of the student while on duty.
• Provide direct supervision by qualified staff while the student is performing procedures.
• Provide students with dressing and eating facilities similar to those of employees.
• Allow students to participate in and attend education offerings by and at the facility.
• Notify the program in a timely manner of any unsatisfactory conduct or performance.
• Provide evaluations for each student on forms required by the UMKC PA program.
• Allow and provide students with opportunities to meet objectives.
• Provide PA program faculty access to the student, preceptor, and facility, as requested.
• In the event of an accident or sudden illness, the student will be allowed to seek medical attention at the facility or an emergency room where the provider on duty will determine the course of treatment. Cost of the injury of illness is the sole responsibility of the student. In regard to the management of minor or chronic illness, PA students are advised that preceptors are not required or encouraged to provide care for students, pro bono or otherwise.
• Maintain full responsibility for the patient’s medical care and treatment.
• Orient student to the safety and security measures of the clinical site.
• Take the lead in the care of the patient; the preceptor must be present and actively involved in any student contributions to portions of the billable service.

Guidelines

• If the student shows any serious deficiency or is in danger of not achieving the learning objectives or failing the rotation, please promptly notify the program’s Director of Clinical Education.
• Contact the program’s Director of Clinical Education for clarification on matters relating to the rotation. Notify your hospital, clinic, and/or nursing home that you will be a preceptor. Inquire about policies and regulations governing PA students in all facilities.
• Ensure that only medical tasks delegated by you are performed by the student and that services rendered by the student are regularly evaluated.
• Judge the student’s performance according to the objectives and goals set by the program for the clinical rotation.
• Involve the student in all aspects of the practice, including hospital and nursing home services, so that the student receives a well-rounded education.

Before the Student Arrives

The student should reach out 1-2 weeks before the start date with information about themselves including past rotations and goals for the upcoming rotations. Once communication is made with the student, it is vital that the student is provided with a proper introduction and orientation to your practice.

Time To Teach

The “One-Minute Preceptor” teaching method is a brief teaching tool that fosters assessment of student knowledge, as well as provision of timely feedback.

SNAPPS is a learner-centered teaching approach to clinical education consisting of six steps.

It is encouraged that our students are integrated into charting in the medical record. This helps prepare them for the ever demanding increases in EMR usage as well as decreasing the burden placed on preceptors.

On average, patients who receive care from a student and a provider receive 12.8 more minutes per visit. With the students charting, it brings down the extra time required from the provider from 3.8 minutes to 0.5 minutes (Usatine RP, Tremoulet PT, Irby D. Time-efficient Preceptors in Ambulatory Care Settings. Academic Medicine. 2000;75(6):639-642. doi:10.1097/00001888-200006000-00016.)

“The teaching physician must personally perform (or re-perform) the physical exam and medical decision making activities of the E/M service being billed, but may verify any student documentation of them in the medical record, rather than re-documenting this work.” CMS: Medical Claims Processing Manual.

Providing Feedback

The preceptor should consistency provide feedback on the student’s performance  throughout the rotation. Articles regarding providing feedback to clinical students are provided below.

Article published in the Journal of Palliative Medicine that reviews literature regarding feedback and provides an algorithm for general feedback.

Thomas JD, Arnold RM. Giving Feedback. Journal of Palliative Medicine. 2011;14(2):233-239. doi:10.1089/jpm.2010.0093.

Article from the Hospital of Pharmacy providing an excellent checklist to providing feedback.

Wilkinson ST, Couldry R, Phillips H, Buck B. Preceptor Development: Providing Effective Feedback. Hospital Pharmacy. 2013;48(1):26-32. doi:10.1310/hpj4801-26.

Evaluations

• Mid-Rotation Clinical Evaluation
• End of Rotation Preceptor Evaluation Evaluation of Student (Generic example)

Forms

• Preceptor Profile Form

Documents

• UMKC Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant Preceptor Handbook

All students who have promoted to the clinical phase of the program have completed 15 months of didactic classes in preparation of their clinical year and should exhibit a baseline of medical knowledge and clinical skills. A course syllabus will be provided to the preceptor outlining the course learning objectives the student must meet.

Clinical experiences should be educational for the PA student, thus students should not be called upon or used to substitute for regular staff. The following are some guidelines regarding what a PA student may be permitted to do under the preceptor’s supervision. The judgment of the preceptor regarding how much responsibility a student is ready to assume should be the determining factor of which tasks are assigned and how much supervision is needed.

Typical tasks assigned to PA students include:

• Taking histories and performing physical examinations
• Assessing common medical problems and recommending appropriate management
• Performing and assisting in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures
• Assisting the preceptor in hospital/nursing home rounds, recording progress notes, transcribing specific orders of the preceptor as allowed by the facility
• Following protocols (verbal or standing orders) of the preceptor
• Presenting patient cases orally and in a written problem-oriented format
• Discussing the basic pathophysiologic mechanisms that have produced the signs, symptoms, and disease processes under investigation
• Discussing/recommending treatment approach, medication, and follow-up care
• Completing assigned readings and preparing presentations as requested by clinical preceptor and/or program faculty
• Attending all teaching rounds and conferences
• Following the assigned on-call schedule

UMKC PA students are on-boarded/credentialed with the facility/hospital similarly to medical providers in order to participate in clinical rotations. This includes, but is not limited to, providing verification of annual HIPAA, OSHA, and compliance training, in addition to any required site-specific trainings and health screenings.

Each year the PA class submits preceptors who stands out in their commitment to educate and train the students as they learn on rotations.

The nominations are based on the preceptors having an active involvement in education, providing timely and meaningful feedback, facilitating teamwork in their patient care, fostering an innovative and effective learning environment as well as opportunities for new learning experiences and growth.

Congratulations to Dr. Armilio, internal medicine physician at Connect Care Hospitalists for being awarded this year’s Preceptor of the Year. Dr. Armilio remains committed to and teaching PA students month after month. “Not only is he fun to work with, he is very patient with us and broke down complicated acute care concepts into patterns we could understand.”- Courtney Simcoe, 2018 graduate class

“Dr. Armilio ensures the student is integrated into a compassionate and innovative team of providers. He provides clear expectations and goals for the rotation and ensures that the student progresses through the rotation with the freedom, yet support needed.”- Luke Mathes, 2018 graduate class

The mission of the UMKC’s PA program is to educate competent, compassionate, and culturally-aware Physician Assistants who are prepared to meet the healthcare needs of our community.

This cannot be accomplished without the expertise and devotion that our preceptors impart on our students throughout their clinical year.

Important information about becoming a preceptor and training the next generation of PAs is linked on this page. We are thankful for your time and commitment to the training of UMKC’s PA students.

Preceptor Benefits

Learn the benefits of precepting at UMKC, from CME credits and courtesy faculty appointment, to impacting the future generation of PAs.

Preceptor Responsibilities and Guidelines

Learn the responsibilities and guidelines of our preceptors.

Clinical Role of the Student

Learn what you can expect of our UMKC PA students.

Preceptor Resources

Validated resources to improve your precepting abilities. Clinical teaching strategies and practical tips can help preceptors maintain clinical productivity while integrating a student into the clinical setting.

Forms and Documents

Find required program forms and documents.

Eligibility for the Master of Medical Science Physician Assistant (PA) program requires completion of the program’s pre-requisite courses, found by clicking here. In an effort to assist prospective students in evaluating their previous coursework for equivalency to the required pre-requisites, the School of Medicine Office of Admissions has provided information below for courses that have previously been evaluated for equivalency.

PLEASE NOTE: Due to the high volume of courses offered that may meet the pre-requisite requirements, only courses that have been officially reviewed in the application process are posted below. If you have taken coursework that is not listed below, you may email a syllabus of the course to medicine@umkc.edu for official equivalency approval (and it will be posted below thereafter). This list is continually updated as courses are reviewed for approval.