C. Overview of Student Progression and Preceptor Responsibilities

Student Responsibilities

Preceptor Responsibilities

Application Process

The student interviews with the preceptor. Before they are officially admitted into the school an applicant must have an interview with a potential preceptor who agrees to accept them as a student. Either the student themselves or a faculty member from the school will contact you and ask to set up an interview. In some cases, when the original clinical site is no longer available to the student, this interview may take place after the student has begun the program. 

Preceptor receives a manual from FSMFN. Within two weeks a representative from the school will contact you to review the packet and answer any potential questions. In this packet is an interview form, which you will use to interview the potential student. The primary preceptor completes the Summary and Recommendation form and Faxes it to the FSMFN.

Acceptance to FSMFN

Frontier Bound

Attends Frontier Bound a six day on-campus intensive to orient the student to the school and build a community by interaction with classmates faculty and staff.

Level I

The student begins Level I. 

During this first six-nine months for full time and 12 months for part time students, the student completes level I didactic courses. 

It is a good time for preceptors to complete the other forms in the preceptor manual. One of these is the contract between the preceptor's site and the FSMFN. Many times this contract may take several months for approval between attorneys and Medical Education departments. Another form is the Site Self-Evaluation Report.

There is minimal contact between the student and preceptor during this time except to inquire about the contract process. If the student lives close to your site, they may ask for an occasional observation experience to accompany an assignment.

Level II

The student starts Level II. During this next six-nine months for full time and 12 months for part time students, the student completes Level II didactic courses.

If this is your first Frontier student, a faculty member, usually the Regional Clinical Coordinator will make arrangements to come to the site to do a "pre-clinical site visit". This is a good time to review and start to become familiar with the checklist for preceptors. Students may ask to interview you about your site for one or more of their papers.

Preparation for Level III

The student is completing Level II and making plans to attend Level III (a two week hands-on intensive on campus in Hyden)

The student will set up a pre-clinical meeting with you to be oriented to your site and to discuss the expectations of your clinical site (See Part 2.A-2: -Pre-clinical Meeting.) In some cases, this will need to be done after level III if the student is relocating to the clinical site for their experience.

You will complete the credentialing process by submitting a current license, certification, updated CV, official transcripts and evidence of preceptor training.

Level III

Student attends two week intensive on campus at the FSMFN to learn psychomotor skills and prepare for clinical.

It is now about 16 months for full time and 24 months for part-time students since you first met the student and she/he is starting their clinical rotation with you.

It is the student’s responsibility to keep up with course work that is required during the clinical rotation. At times, it may be necessary for the student to be taken out of clinical for a short time to complete some of the course work.

The student must follow the site guidelines and practice agreement. However, the student needs to be able to suggest alternative management ideas for discussion with preceptors even if they cannot be followed. 

During clinical you will need to:

• Complete DAT & MAT paperwork. See Appendix D.
• Use the critical thinking process in your daily teaching. Assist the student to write or dictate a thorough, concise SOAP note. See Part 2.C-4: SOAP Documentation.
• Make time to pre and post conference with students on a daily basis in a quiet, confidential area. See Part 2.C-3: The Daily Post Clinical Conference.
• As the student becomes more independent,  the preceptor must still be present for deliveries and all complicated management decisions. See Part 2.B-2: Clinical Supervision Requirements.
• Set up a regular time for contact with the Regional Clinical Coordinator for updates on the students progress
• Contact the RCC with any problems unfolding that you need to share

Clinical Site Visit

Mid Clinical (about 3 months after beginning clinical) student should be progressing to Stage 2 on their Monthly developmental Assessment Tool (MDAT)

Meet with the student to discuss progression on the timeline, check visit numbers and clinical hours to that half of each are completed and make adjustments as needed.

-Sometime around this point, the RCC will do a site visit to observe the student and her interactions with the preceptor. See Part 2.C-1: RCC Contact and Site Visiting.

Finishing

The student is functioning at the level of a safe beginning practitioner and has completed the required clinical hours and visits.

You will send her Declaration of Safety to the FSMFN See Part 3.A: Declaration of Safety (DOS).

The RCC will contact you for a final update. You will receive the paper work for your honorarium and an evaluation. Please complete and return both of these items to the FSMFN Quality Assurance Officer.