Faculty development of community-based preceptors through a collegial site-visit program

Background: Interest in community-based teaching has been coupled with reco mmendations for faculty development of preceptors. Description: Within the Maine Practice Network, we conducted a year-long pi lot program where 6 community-based preceptors each completed 2 collegial v isits to another site. A framework for the site visit was developed, with a rt emphasis on discussing teaching practices. Follow-up interviews of prece ptors who had been visited were completed. Evaluation: Qualitative analysis of the interviews revealed 4 themes: Promo ting reflection, approaches to teaching, collegiality, and quality assuranc e. Participants thought the site visitor benefitted the most. Several prece ptors indicated that they would attempt alternative teaching methods. The v isits also appeared to assess the quality of the educational experience. Conclusions: A collegial site visit program may be an innovative faculty de velopment approach for community-based preceptors. Such visits could promot e context-specific reflection and provide an opportunity to build collegial ity and to affirm one's teaching practices.