Do all physicians end up being preceptors?

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IlyaR

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Wondering if this is a "volunteer" type of thing, or just part of the process

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Only those in teaching hospitals (so usually as residents but varies depending on career choice as an attending), and even then there is variation between institutions. Some require teaching, some encourage it, and others are purely voluntary.
 
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As a resident in your upper years, you teach others and give your two cents of wisdom as far as I know. If you are to go into private practice, I believe you aren't obligated to be a preceptor.
 
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Wondering if this is a "volunteer" type of thing, or just part of the process

Only those in teaching hospitals (so usually as residents but varies depending on career choice as an attending), and even then there is variation between institutions. Some require teaching, some encourage it, and others are purely voluntary.

As a resident in your upper years, you teach others and give your two cents of wisdom as far as I know. If you are to go into private practice, I believe you aren't obligated to be a preceptor.

Not quite right. Close, but let me summarize.

Preceptors are physicians that have agreed to take on medical students and/or residents. They do not have to be at teaching hospitals or even be in academia. Yes, the majority are, but there are a fair few that have private practices and simply agree with a school or residency to have people rotate with them. There are academic jobs (attending jobs) that have teaching and/or research requirements. But, outside of those explicit contract obligations, you would not have to work with students or residents. The vast majority of contracts do not have those explicit requirements.

Not all upper residents work with students or junior residents. It depends on the residency and how things are setup. Smaller, community based residencies are not going to have a lot of students around and if you are the only resident on a particular service, your 'teaching' of others in your program will be very limited.
 
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