The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine has selected the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria as a Building Better Clinical Training Experiences” Pilot Site focusing on student preparation and faculty development. The goal is to increase the pool of community-based preceptors and the quality of training at ambulatory sites. A preceptor is a practicing physician who volunteers to give personal instruction, training, and supervision to a medical student.
UICOMP was one of 15 sites nationwide selected to participate in the pilot. Amy Zacharias, MD, UICOMP assistant professor of clinical family practice and director of academic programs, is the project lead. “This is an exciting opportunity for us to further develop our faculty and better prepare our students for their clinical experience through a structured, systematic onboarding process,” Zacharias says. “Those in the medical profession are committed to being life-long learners, and this will provide both experienced and novice preceptors the ability to hone the skills needed to be an effective educator in the clinical setting.”
A kick-off to this pilot program is planned for June 20, 2019. For more information, contact Angela O’Bryant at [email protected] or Amy Zacharias, MD, at [email protected].