According to a 2015 survey from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP), of fourth-year medical students who were AAFP members revealed that 93% of respondents who matched into family medicine residency programs said strong family medicine mentors influenced their specialty choice. Conversely, of those who didn’t match in family medicine, only 60% said they had a strong mentor in the specialty.
Mentors and preceptors are key to securing the next generation of family physicians. Medical students need positive family medicine preceptors early in their medical school career to engage with them in their journey and provide them with insight into the family medicine specialty they may not otherwise receive.
However, we understand that making the choice to become an engaged preceptor may seem daunting and come with many questions like: What information should I share? What procedures should I share? How will I make time in the day to see my patients and train a medical student? How will this disrupt the practice and other team members? The list can go on. With all of these questions in mind, the OAFP Foundation has created a dedicated section of its website to provide preceptors with helpful information to be a successful preceptor—check it out here!
This list of resources on the page will continue to grow, so please return often for updated links and information!
If you’re ready to jump in and train the next generation of family physicians, the Foundation is currently recruiting preceptors to participate in its hallmark program, the Leroy A. Rodgers, MD, Preceptorship Program. Preceptors will share four weeks during the summer months with a medical student that has just completed his or her first year of medical school. If interested in hosting a student, please complete the Volunteer Preceptor Form and return it to Kaitlin McGuffie.
If you have any questions about precepting or Foundation programs in general, please email Kaitlin or call her directly at 614.914.5629.