Cardiology Rotation Preceptor

Date: February 2025

Length of Activity: Month-long rotation precepting

Learners: Two fourth-year pharmacy students

Comfort Level: High

Teaching Goals Addressed:

STRETCH Goal: To become a preceptor that provides valuable learning experiences and serves as a mentor to students beyond rotations. 

SMART Goal 1: Teach pharmacy students how to critically assess a patient’s medication regimen and treatment plan and to make appropriate therapy recommendations. 

SMART Goal 2: Improve my small group discussion skills through leading five topic discussions over the residency year. 

SMART Goal 3: Learn how to provide quality feedback by providing constructive criticism to students        through a variety of student-led teaching opportunities.

SMART Goal 4: Provide ten to fifteen valuable patient counseling examples for pharmacy students to enhance their counseling skills over the residency year.

Teaching Materials: Throughout the month-long teaching experience, I utilized different materials to aid in teaching. During the month, I led two topic discussions in which I provided handouts to aid in the discussions. 

Method Used to Assess Learner Understanding: Over the month, I asked a lot of questions to both students to assess their baseline knowledge and to assess retention of material that we had already discussed. For example, after we had discussed enoxaparin dosing for both DVT prophylaxis and for treatment of DVT/Afib, I asked them each time we saw enoxaparin in order to ensure both students knew the correct dosing for indication and renal adjustment. I also created test questions for their end-of-rotation exam to assess understanding of the disease states I provided topic discussions over (heart failure and ACLS). Lastly, I utilized an evaluation at the end of the rotation to assess their perspective of their own personal growth in confidence, patient work-up, and clinical knowledge. 

Feedback: At the end of the month, I asked both students and my preceptor to fill out evaluations for me and their experience during the rotation. We also had a feedback session on the last day so that I could provide feedback to the students and also allow them to provide feedback to me. 

Student A feedback: In student A's evaluation, she reported personal growth in confidence, patient work-up skills, and clinical knowledge. She remarked that she enjoyed how much "knowledge and applicable information" she learned throughout the month. She said that the cardiology rotation helped her to solidify disease state specific medications and dosing. In evaluating me as a preceptor, she said that she appreciated me asking her a lot of medication-related questions on a daily basis, and she liked that I encouraged her to look up information on her own so that she could practice drug information research skills. 

Student B feedback: In student B's evaluation, she also reported personal growth in areas of clinical confidence, patient work-up, and drug and disease state knowledge. She said that her favorite learning activity during the month was discussing specific patients and their medication regimens to better understand disease states and appropriate management. In evaluating me as a preceptor, she stated that she enjoyed my kind and respectful mentorship. She said that I was always happy to answer questions but also encouraged her to search for answers on her own as well. 

Preceptor Feedback: In my preceptor's evaluation of me as a resident preceptor, she stated that I was very motivated to learn and that I inspire my learners by "displaying humility while growing in [my own] knowledge." She wrote that I possess the qualities of an excellent clinical pharmacist, and that I continue to implement feedback which results in growth each month. 

Reflection: Having the opportunity to precept two pharmacy students allowed me to gain a lot of confidence in many different areas. First of all, it made me realize just how much knowledge I have gained as a clinical pharmacist since beginning residency. I was able to educate the students in many different areas ranging from disease state management to drug monitoring and follow-up. I also gained confidence leading topic discussions and in-promptu discussions. Lastly, I gained a lot of confidence as a teacher. Over the last six months, I have become so much more comfortable teaching others and sharing my knowledge with them. It has become clear that teaching others is something that I really enjoy, and I love seeing growth in my student's skills and knowledge after a short time with them. Overall, precepting students allows me to grow in my own skills, knowledge, and confidence. I hope that I have many more opportunities in the future to precept and mentor pharmacy students and pharmacy residents.