Preceptor not a pharmacist yet?

[lemonalover]

I am a 4th year student on hospital rotation. There is a grad intern that I follow. I thought preceptors who teach students needed to have the preceptor document or the certificate to be able to teach students. Let me know if I am mistaken! Thank you.

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[beautifulrobot]

I am a 4th year student on hospital rotation. There is a grad intern that I follow. I thought preceptors who teach students needed to have the preceptor document or the certificate to be able to teach students. Let me know if I am mistaken! Thank you.

Is this grad intern your formal preceptor? In other words, are they recognized by your school as the preceptor for this rotation, and are they responsible for evaluating your rotation performance and assigning your grade? For all intents and purposes, you may be "following" and learning from other pharmacy students, pharmacy residents who are not licensed yet, and even non-pharmacists (physicians, nurses, etc.) on your hospital rotations, but the person who actually evaluates your performance and signs off on your intern hours, i.e. your formal preceptor, typically has to be a pharmacist who has been licensed for a certain amount of time (the specific pharmacy preceptor eligibility criteria vary by state board of pharmacy).

 

[beautifulrobot]

Huh, I didn't realize this until just now, but Colorado actually changed their law back in 2012, and preceptors no longer have to be licensed... According to your school, they prefer preceptors that have at least one year of experience as a practicing pharmacist:

Preceptor Licensure
Beginning on July 1, 2012, the State of Colorado no longer requires preceptors to be licensed. SSPPS asks that preceptors be practicing for at least 1 year before becoming a preceptor.

From: Preceptors | Academics | University of Colorado Denver

 

[CYP-0]

I am a 4th year student on hospital rotation. There is a grad intern that I follow. I thought preceptors who teach students needed to have the preceptor document or the certificate to be able to teach students. Let me know if I am mistaken! Thank you.

If s/he is indeed the actual preceptor, I would focus on his/her ability to fulfill the duties of an effective preceptor. As there are pharmacists with years of experience, whom I would not employ as preceptors, if I ran my own pharmacy school program.

Huh, I didn't realize this until just now, but Colorado actually changed their law back in 2012, and preceptors no longer have to be licensed...

Could this be tied to part of the adverse effects of the excessive pharmacy school influx: shortage of (licensed) preceptors? Or is there any other reason for lessening the requirement?

My alma mater required a minimum of 2 years (or thereabout) of pharmacy practice as an RPh.

 

[beautifulrobot]

Could this be tied to part of the adverse effects of the excessive pharmacy school influx: shortage of (licensed) preceptors? Or is there any other reason for lessening the requirement?

That would be my guess. Also perhaps they wanted to make it easier for students to do non-clinical rotations, like policy/regulatory/industry or other non-traditional stuff where the potential preceptor might be a pharmacist by trade but is no longer practicing/licensed as such.

 

[Abby Atwood]

It allows rotations with nonpharmacist medical professionals (e.g. MDs, NPs, PAs). It is apparently used to allow rotations in medical offices without pharmacy staff during the P3 year.
Experiential Program | Academics | University of Colorado Denver
Here is some additional information about the requirements for preceptors. Colorado law doesn't require a year of practice to act as a preceptor, but University of Colorado requires a year of practice prior to serving as a preceptor.
Preceptors | Academics | University of Colorado Denver

 

[lemonalover]

The reason I am inquiring is because the site I was at prior to was super anal about that requirement. They always made sure that I was following a certified preceptor. They didn't even allow me to shadow a PGY1!!! Thank you for letting me know, everyone.