Definition: When 2 or more practitioners share responsibilities of precepting and evaluating the student
Synonyms: Team Precepting
Model description: Preceptors work together as a 'team' with often 2 or more preceptors involved with the student.
- A Primary Preceptor is the individual responsible for facilitating and overseeing the placement as well as evaluating the student(s).
- Co-Preceptor is the term applied when 2 or more practitioners share responsibilities of the Primary Preceptor.
- A Supporting Preceptor is an individual who is involved with the student(s) at discrete times during the placement (supervising the student(s) for certain days, supervising or facilitating a specific activity, or providing input into assessments).
Advantages: Shared responsibility, division of workload, peer to peer preceptor support, and respect for diverse approaches to clinical practice and leadership. Students benefit from the opportunity to experience different precepting styles and approaches to practice.
The Co-Precepting Guiding Principles document provides direction and specific checklists to support co-precepting teams utilizing this model.
For preceptors and students, these tip sheets are helpful summaries of tips and strategies:
- Preceptors: 7 Tips to Help you Co-Precept Successfully
- Students: Co-Precepting Model: What you should know as a student
With the collaborative efforts of the Pharmacy Faculties at the University of British Columbia and the University of Alberta, the Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada and preceptors from across Canada, the Co-Precepting in Pharmacy Experiential Education: A Guidebook for Preceptors (UBC/UofA - released January 2019) has been developed. This guidebook is the second in a series to provide preceptors and experiential education coordinators with guidance to support best practices in non-traditional learner-preceptor models. Some of the topics included are:
- The Co-Precepting Model (CoP): what it is, and what learners and preceptors say?
- Strategies for Success: communication and optimizing the co-precepting experience
- Myth vs. Truth: common questions and situations answered
Feedback about this guidebook is welcome and can be directed to:
Director, Office of Experiential Education
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of British Columbia
Assistant Dean, Experiential Education
Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Alberta