Longitudinal Preceptor Program (LPP)

As a member of the MassAHEC, Rural and Urban Health Scholars are assigned to one primary care preceptor to complete their Longitudinal Preceptor Program. This allows you to build a longitudinal relationship with your preceptor and their patients. Developing holistic, person-centered relationships with patients is not just caring; it provides for higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness. Patient trust is assured for accurate history-taking. Knowing a patient’s background, family history, and even how a patient physically presents provides key data to formulate clinical risks, diagnoses, and triage acuity. Importantly, you will get experience seeing a broad range of patients and applying relief for social determinants of health in the clinic.

• Understand that in a family medicine practice you will see all types of patients. This includes a broad age range, all levels of patient acuity from acute to chronic illness care, and diverse patients in the broadest sense of the term. You need to get to know your patients and their unique histories.

• As a member of the MassAHEC Rural and Urban Health Scholars elective you will have a unique, long-term relationship with your longitudinal preceptor and more importantly, their patients. You will schedule six, half-day sessions during FOM1 and FOM2 with your preceptor.

• Continuity is the foundation of primary care. Developing holistic, person-centered relationships with patients is not just “nice”, it provides for higher levels of efficiency and effectiveness. Knowing a patient’s background, family history and personal goals provides key data to formulate clinical risks, diagnoses, and your care plan. Due to trust, there are times when a primary care provider can convince some to make a good decision when no one else can.

• You may see that your LPP has developed a special focus i.e., geriatrics, LGBTQ, school-based health, sports medicine, care of people with HIV, and so on. Ask about why they chose their focus and what are its pros and cons.

• In addition to working with your LPP, you will become part of a medical team longitudinally as well. Observe the collaboration with nursing, care management, behavioral health, lab, pharmacy, optometry, dental, dieticians, and more. Ask if you can follow the orders for a patient or the patient themselves through these services. 

• Your LP wants to teach you; we encourage you to enhance your learning with these tips:

  • • Ask to shadow your LP on hospital rounds, a delivery, a home visit, etc. 

    • Seize opportunities to try to have follow-up with patients. Ask to go to the front desk to have them scheduled when you will be at the practice.

    • Make time to talk with your LP about their career decisions and trajectory. Why did they elect to practice what and where they are practicing? How has their career evolved?

    • In addition to working with your LP, you will become part of a medical team longitudinally as well. Observe the collaboration with nursing, care management, behavioral health, lab, pharmacy, optometry, dental, dieticians, and more. Consider working for an hour with a team member. Ask if you can look up the results for a patient you see (or follow the patient themselves) through these services.   

    • Notice what is offered at your clinic and ask your LP how to participate.  Can you attend a group visit?  Attend a cooking or exercise class? Make a visit to a school-based health center? Shadow a medical assistant or community health worker? What specialty services or clinics (behavioral health, vision, podiatry, PT/OT, nutrition, etc.) are offered and how can you participate?

    • Take a drive and/or walk around the community where the practice is located. What do you notice about the neighborhood, especially related to social determinants of health? Go into a bodega or eat food at a local ethnic restaurant.

  • Most important, ask your LP for continual feedback. Your LP volunteered. They are interested in your skills development, passions and interests, and career goals. You may develop a life-long relationship.