Role Models: The Value and Rewards of Med Student Preceptorship

Over 25 years ago, while in private practice in Illinois, Troy Doetch, MD, decided to volunteer as a medical student preceptor.

“In my clinic at the time, there wasn’t much opportunity to discuss cases and share what’s going on with patients,” he recalled.

A few decades later, Dr. Doetch is now a Department of Family Medicine (DFM) clinical assistant professor who practices at the UW Health Oregon Clinic—and he’s still teaching medical students.

He’s one of the DFM’s nearly 250 volunteer, community-based preceptors, and each year, he introduces first-, second-, and third-year medical students to the real-world practice of family medicine. 

Types of Preceptorships

Throughout all four years of medical school, the DFM coordinates community-based training through the following programs:

• The Generalist Partners Program (GPP), which pairs first- and second-year medical students with family physicians for six afternoons per year; 
• The Primary Care Clerkship (PCC), which pairs third-year medical students with family physicians for three to four days each week for eight weeks; 
• Family medicine electives, which pair fourth-year medical students with family physicians for two- to four-week specialty rotations.

Valuable Exposure to Family Practice

These programs all give medical students valuable opportunities to see family medicine as it’s actually practiced.

“The vast majority of medical student training takes place in an academic teaching hospital, but less than one percent of patients are in that setting,” explained David Deci, MD, who directs the DFM’s Office of Medical Student Education.

“This curriculum gets students out into the community, where they can experience the breadth and depth of the care family physicians provide to their patients.”

Leila Midelfort, MD, a former DFM resident who now has three third-year medical students in her practice at Wildwood Family Clinic in Cottage Grove, agrees.

“[Through these experiences] students can start to learn the role of family medicine—and primary care—and feel positive about it,” she said. “This is especially helpful in an institution focused on specialty care. Students can better understand ‘why did that family physician do that?’”

And better understanding can lead to greater professional interest. Family physicians are desperately needed throughout the state; according to the Wisconsin Office of Rural Health, there are currently 79 vacancies for family physicians alone in rural Wisconsin.

“Positive learning experiences in the community setting can be instrumental in meeting this ever-growing need,” said Dr. Deci.

Big Commitment, Bigger Rewards

Despite its important role in medical student education, there’s no question that being a preceptor takes a commitment of energy and time, sometimes up to an extra hour per day. 

But the rewards for preceptors are substantial. Preceptors learn new information from their students, stay more up to date on changes in clinical care, receive continuing medical education credits, and often become better teachers, communicators, and practitioners.

Patients are usually happy to participate, too. Many view their contribution as an important part of the educational process, and some develop close relationships with the students.

For example, Dr. Midelfort recalled a pregnant patient who asked whether the student recently involved in her care would be at her baby’s birth. (The student had since gone on to another rotation.) 

The experience can even be sublime. “Teaching renews me.... Things don’t seem as routine and I don’t get jaded,” said Dr. Doetch. “My day is more enjoyable when I get to share patient care with someone as excited and enthusiastic as I was when I was a student. It just makes everything more alive.”

Continuing the Legacy

Each year, the DFM seeks new preceptors to offer their time, talents, and passion to the next generation of physicians.

In fact, precepting is actually a true expression of the Hippocratic Oath, as seen in the following excerpt:

 “The wording is outdated, and the language is sexist, but the meaning is relevant,” Dr. Deci said. “As physicians, we are called to continue the legacy of healing by teaching those who follow in our footsteps. Now, more than ever, medical students need physicians who model the values of family medicine.”

For details on preceptor opportunities, time commitments, and application information, visit http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/med-student/teaching.