A Descriptive Profile of the Volunteer Preceptors in a Doctor of Pharmacy Program

Volunteer preceptors are essential to the experiential component of pharmacy education. As the need for experiential training increases, the need for clinical faculty and preceptors can also be expected to grow. The USC School of Pharmacy depends on more than 500 volunteer preceptors at over 200 sites for experiential teaching. The magnitude of their contribution to the teaching program has stimulated the School of Pharmacy to become involved in preceptor development. A survey was designed to explore the teaching practices, attitudes, and factors motivating these preceptors to participate in the program. The survey was distributed by mail to all volunteer preceptors. Significant findings include: (i) preceptors are motivated by personal satisfaction and a desire to contribute to the school and the profession; (ii) verbal communication skills, common sense, problem-solving abilities and profession attitude are perceived by preceptors as important predictors of student performance; and (iii) student motivation (or lack of motivation) is a critical factor influencing student performance and preceptor morale.