Preceptors/Instructional Faculty
The ARC-PA acknowledges and values the dedication of clinicians who serve as preceptors and educators for PA students!
The ARC-PA publishes the Accreditation Standards used to evaluate PA programs, with many of these standards also applied in the evaluation of preceptors and clinical sites. The Standards document includes a glossary at its conclusion, defining terms in italics used within the Standards. For example, the term “instructional faculty” encompasses preceptors, defined in the glossary as “Individuals providing instruction or supervision during the didactic and/or clinical phases of the program, regardless of length of time of instruction, faculty status or rank who are not already classified in ARC-PA terms as principal faculty, program director, or medical director.” Therefore, any standard that mentions “instructional faculty” will apply to preceptors.
The ARC-PA also publishes the Compliance Manual to accompany the Standards to include suggested evidence of compliance, performance indicators, and clarifying comments to help guide programs in their self-assessment of compliance with the Standards.
The standards most relevant to the clinical year may be found in section B3. This section outlines the individuals from whom students should learn, the designated learning environment and the content that should be covered.
B3 SUPERVISED CLINICAL PRACTICE EXPERIENCE INSTRUCTION
B3.01
The program must secure clinical sites and preceptors in sufficient numbers to allow all clinical students to meet the program’s learning outcomes for supervised clinical practice experiences.
B3.02
Clinical sites and preceptors located outside of the United States must only be used for elective rotations.
B3.03
Supervised clinical practice experiences must enable all students to meet the program’s learning outcomes:
a) for preventive, emergent, acute, and chronic patient encounters,
b) across the life span, to include infants, children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly,
c) for women’s health (to include prenatal and gynecologic care),
d) for conditions requiring surgical management, including pre-operative, intra-operative, postoperative care, and
e) for behavioral and mental health conditions.
B3.04
Supervised clinical practice experiences must occur in the following settings:
a) emergency department,
b) inpatient,
c) outpatient, and
d) operating room.
B3.05
Instructional faculty for the supervised clinical practice portion of the educational program must consist primarily of practicing physicians and PAs.
B3.06
Supervised clinical practice experiences should occur with:
a) physicians who are specialty board certified in their area of instruction,
b) NCCPA certified PAs, or
c) other licensed health care providers qualified in their area of instruction.
B3.07
Supervised clinical practice experiences must occur with preceptors who enable students to meet program defined learning outcomes for:
a) family medicine,
b) emergency medicine,
c) internal medicine,
d) surgery,
e) pediatrics,
f) women’s health including prenatal and gynecologic care, and
g) behavioral and mental health care.
The learning outcomes and instructional objectives should be the focus of instruction during the clinical rotation, also known as a supervised clinical practice experience or SCPE (pronounced “skippy”). PA programs may provide preceptors with a course syllabus outlining the learning outcomes and instructional objectives, often accompanied by a clinical handbook detailing the program’s policies and expectations for the clinical curriculum. Typically, 1-2 clinicians at a clinical site are assigned as the “preceptor” of record. This individual usually serves as the primary point of communication with the program, receives program documents, and submits the student’s evaluation at the conclusion of the clinical rotation/SCPE.
Additionally, the program will monitor clinical site to remain in compliance with the C2 standards.
C2 CLINICAL SITE EVALUATION
C2.01
The accredited Postgraduate programs are listed on the ARC-PA web site, alphabetically by state, along with information on their accreditation status, accreditation actions history, the date the program was first accredited and the next scheduled accreditation review.
The program must define and maintain effective processes and document the initial and ongoing evaluation of all sites and preceptors used for supervised clinical practice experiences, to ensure students are able to fulfill program learning outcomes with access to:
- a) physical facilities,
- b) patient populations,
- c) supervision.
Below, preceptors may reference common questions regarding the ARC-PA and the accreditation process.
Preceptors/Instructional Faculty FAQs
Can preceptors still serve as healthcare providers for students in the program?
The Standards do not address preceptors as providers for students.
The Standards do prohibit principal faculty, the program director and the medical director from participating as health care providers for students in the program, except in an emergency situation.
Is there a formal process for preceptors to report concerns about a program’s compliance with the accreditation standards?
The ARC-PA only investigates concerns about a program when submitted in writing, signed, and related to the program’s compliance with the Standards. Concerns may be sent by email to Complaints@arc-pa.org.
What roles do the four (4) major national PA organizations play in the support of PAs?
The following presentation is available to offer further insight into the distinct roles of the four major national PA organizations and their support of PAs.
What is the relationship between the AAPA, PAEA, NCCPA, and the ARC-PA?
The American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA), Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) and the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) are the collaborating organizations of the ARC-PA. The AAPA and PAEA nominate individuals from its membership to serve as commissioners on the ARC-PA. Each commissioner serves a three-year term, which is renewable once upon recommendation by the ARC-PA.
How does the ARC-PA stay informed about advancements and/or changes in healthcare and how are these considerations incorporated into accreditation standards?
As part of its philosophy, the ARC-PA derives its identity from its history, its involvement with other accreditation organizations, its collaborating organizations, and the PA profession.
The American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of PAs (AAPA), the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Physicians, the American Medical Association, the PA Education Association (PAEA), the Society of Emergency Medicine PAs, the Association of PAs in Psychiatry, the American Association of Surgical PAs, the Society of Critical Care Medicine PAs, the Society of PAs in Family Medicine, the Society of PAs in Pediatrics, and the Association of PAs in Obstetrics & Gynecology all cooperate with the ARC-PA as collaborating organizations to establish, maintain, and promote appropriate standards of quality for entry-level education of PAs and to provide recognition for educational programs that meet the minimum requirements outlined in the Standards.
How does the ARC-PA ensure that students are being appropriately evaluated during their clinical rotations?
The Standards charge the programs to conduct timely evaluations of students that are objective, transparent, and comprehensive during supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPEs). Preceptor assessment and feedback play a vital role in the program’s ongoing self-assessment process to support the identification of strengths and areas in need of improvement related to institutional support, the effectiveness of the program’s curriculum, sufficiency and effectiveness of faculty, student achievement of the program competencies, PANCE performance, and other relevant factors.
Do preceptors have the option to provide constructive feedback to programs for continuous improvement?
Continuous feedback and assessment contribute to the ongoing enhancement of the respective PA program and the overall quality of PA education. Programs may employ various methods to solicit constructive feedback, such as a preceptor’s evaluation of its students and curriculum, preceptors joining program advisory committee (PAC) meetings, focus groups, and more. For inquiries about providing program feedback, please reach out to the respective program.
When does the ARC-PA update its website with the actions taken at Commission meetings?
The accreditation status for programs will be updated on the ARC-PA website when all business from the commission meeting is finalized, usually within 5-6 weeks following the meeting. If PA trainees have questions regarding a program’s accreditation status, contact the program itself.
As a preceptor, I have agreed to participate in an accreditation interview for my program which will involve speaking with the site visit team. How can I best prepare for this interview?
Before confirming your participation, please ensure your availability during the designated day and time.
The purpose of the site visit is to verify, clarify, and validate what the program wrote in its application regarding the program’s adherence to the Standards. The site visit team will report their findings to the commission based on evidence presented at the time of the site visit. The team will seek clarification on information provided by the program to the ARC-PA; thus, it’s important to respond honestly to any questions you are asked. You can anticipate questions related to the standards.
Where can I locate the accreditation status of the program I’m involved with? Additionally, is the program obligated to notify me if this status changes?
The ARC-PA accredited PA Programs are listed on the ARC-PA website, alphabetically by state, along with information on their accreditation status, accreditation actions history, the date the program was first accredited, and the next scheduled accreditation review.
When referring to the Standards, please reference Standard A3.12a for information on the program’s responsibilities regarding changes in the program’s ARC-PA accreditation status. While programs do have to publish their accreditation status, they are not required to contact each instructional faculty member directly.
What criteria does ARC-PA use to determine if a PA program meets accreditation standards?
The ARC-PA performs a comprehensive review of the program relative to the Standards. The PA program and the sponsoring institution are responsible for demonstrating compliance. Accreditation decisions are based on the ARC-PA Commission’s evaluation of information contained in the accreditation application, the report submitted by the site visit team, any additional requested reports or documents submitted to the ARC-PA by the program, and the program’s accreditation history.
For more information, access the ARC-PA presentation addressing the Overview of the Accreditation Process.
Will a PA educational program allow clinicians to precept students when they live and/or practice outside of the U.S.?
When referring to the Standards, reference Standard A1.10b. Questions regarding program participation with non-required rotations, experiences, and/or program policies should be directed to the specific program.
Regarding the contact information for a PA program if it’s not easily accessible on their website, contact the sponsoring institution or PAEA.
What are the qualifications for becoming a preceptor?
When referring to the Standards, the following is outlined:
Standard A2.13 specifies instructional faculty qualifications, experience, knowledge, and effectiveness. Determinations regarding specific academic preparation and/or experience are established at the individual PA program level.
Standard A2.16 requires a valid license to practice at the clinical site.
Standard B3.06 supports physician preceptors who are specialty board-certified in their area of instruction, PA preceptors who are NCCPA certified, and other licensed health care providers that are qualified in their area of instruction.
Inquiries concerning program participation, preceptor qualifications, and program policies should be directed to the respective program.
Regarding the contact information for a PA program if it’s not easily accessible on their website, contact the sponsoring institution or PAEA.
I am interested in becoming a preceptor, does the ARC-PA have a list of accredited programs in my area?
The ARC-PA accredited PA Programs are listed on the ARC-PA website, alphabetically by state, along with information on their accreditation status, accreditation actions history, the date the program was first accredited, and the next scheduled accreditation review. Regarding the contact information for a PA program if it’s not easily accessible on their website, contact the sponsoring institution or PAEA.