Burden, responsibility, and reward: preceptor experiences with the continuity of teaching in a longitudinal integrated clerkship.

BACKGROUND

To address challenges to clinical education, clerkships should be designed to promote continuity of educational experiences including continuity in teaching. Yet, little is known about how continuity in teaching impacts clinical teachers. Experiences of clinical teachers who precept students during a longitudinal integrated clerkship (LIC) must be examined.

METHOD

The authors interviewed 27 preceptors who could compare their LIC with traditional clerkship teaching experiences.

RESULTS

Teaching during an LIC had a significant impact on preceptors' time, effort, and clinic responsibilities. Preceptors felt they bore sole responsibility for teaching a discipline and ensuring students' learning, and they experienced a deep sense of reward observing students' growth.

CONCLUSIONS

To support and sustain the reward of LIC teaching for faculty, LIC developers should focus on targeted faculty development and resource allocation to clinical teaching.