Implementation and evaluation of a primary care preceptorship

As part of overall curricular reform, the University of Michigan Medical School developed and implemented a required primary care clerkship for third-year students in July 1993. The clerkship was intended to help students develop an understanding of the principles of comprehensive health care and of disease prevention and the knowledge and skills to manage common problems in primary care. The successful implementation of the program was based on agreement across primary care specialties on a common set of goals and objectives, which were developed with the involvement of community practitioners; frequent communication with preceptors to identify problems and students at risk; active feedback to preceptors; and thorough formal and informal evaluations of students and preceptors. Students and preceptors felt the program was beneficial to them; still, the medical school must in the future address concerns about more accurately grading students, retaining preceptors, and ensuring that students be exposed to the broadest possible range of primary care patients and services.