Practices who wish to participate as a host
facility in the preceptorship program must complete and submit a Practice
Assessment Questionnaire, which is a form the Board uses to determine
if a practice meets the standards to be a preceptorship host facility. As
part of the Practice Assessment Questionnaire, the practice must
satisfactorily complete a Job Description form which is distributed
to prospective participants interested in performing a preceptorship with
the facility so that both parties understand in advance what will be
expected during the preceptorship.
Practices must submit a completed questionnaire and job
description at least two weeks prior to the start of a preceptorship by a
prospective participant to provide adequate time for approval of the
practice as a host facility. No firm commitment can be made between the
prospective preceptee and preceptor facility and no preceptorship should
be started before the practice is approved.
Approval of a facility includes:
- Practices providing small animal service must adhere
to high standards of surgical services including a separate prep room;
availability of gas anesthesia; and use of gowns, caps and masks for
orthopedic and other involved surgeries.
- Standards for large animal surgery must be consistent
with good modern surgical techniques and provide for the performance
of aseptic operative procedures.
Practices must be equipped or have the availability to
provide full radiographic services and comply with all state and federal
radiological standards. Clinical pathology diagnostic services must be
utilized. The caseload of the practice must be such as to provide a good
exposure while allowing for preceptor-preceptee interaction. A preceptor
must be willing to provide supervised, hands-on experience in all areas of
a private, clinical practice including administrative management as well
as medical.
Practices dealing in specialty areas, such as but not
limited to, referral clinics, research facilities, and humane societies,
may receive limited approval from the Board which will allow for no more
than one-half (1/2) of a required preceptorship to be performed by a
preceptee at the facility.
An approved preceptor is responsible for assuming the
roll of an instructor during the preceptorship period with the primary
objective of training the preceptee under direct supervision and to ensure
that the degree of delegated duties to the preceptee does not conflict
with the veterinary practice act of the state in which the facility is
located. The preceptor is to assure that the preceptee's assignments cover
all aspects of the practice including office management, bookkeeping, and
economics - unless the facility holds a limited approval. The Preceptor
must conduct oneself in a professional and ethical manner and extend the
same privileges to the preceptee as afforded other practice employees. The
preceptor should never consider the preceptee as a substitute employee or
to represent the preceptee as being a fully licensed veterinarian. The
preceptor will be required to evaluation the preceptee's performance at
the end of the preceptorship.
