[The preceptor in medical residencies in Pediatrics: main attributes]

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the profile of the preceptors and the attributes they consider important for the exercise of that activity, in two medical residency programs in Pediatrics in Rio de Janeiro METHODS: Through a questionnaire answered by each of the preceptors in two medical residency programs in Pediatrics in Rio de Janeiro, one of them connected to a university and the other one not, information was obtained on gender, age, time since graduation, how long they have been acting as preceptors, graduation titles, specific teaching training, and the listing of up to five attributes believed to be necessary to a good preceptor. The results were consolidated and discussed in the text. RESULTS: Of the 90 participants, 70% were woman, 74% were between 30 and 49 years old, 87% graduated between 10 and 29 years ago. Half of them said they did not have any specific teaching training and the other half had attended courses on Medical Pedagogy and Special Didactics during their respective graduate studies. The attribute categories most frequently mentioned were the exercise of tutorship, Ethics and Humanism, mastery of the subject area, capacity of permanent education, and didactic abilities. CONCLUSION: The preceptors pointed to the challenge of exercising preceptorship based on a medical practice where professional responsibilities, human relationship, organizational skills, evaluation techniques, and mastery of the subject area make the main guiding axes of the practice itself. To these axes they added the ethical and humanistic aspects and their permanent education capacities. They feel, however, the need for a didactic qualification in order to accomplish their duties.