Administrative relationships between medical schools and community preceptors

Purpose. To determine the current administrative relationships between medi cal schools and community preceptors, with special emphasis on arrangements for academic appointment, review, and promotion. Method. In 1999, administrative contacts at all 126 U.S. allopathic medical schools were mailed a ten-item questionnaire to elicit information concern ing the current practices of the schools regarding community preceptors, wh o were defined as volunteer or part-time physician faculty, primarily pract icing at non-university-owned facilities, who contribute to medical student s' and/or residents' education in various specified ways. Results. Responses were received from 71 (56%) of the schools; they were in general a representative sample of U.S. medical schools. The numbers of pr eceptors per school ranged from 40 to 3,500. Sixty-seven percent of reporti ng schools identified clinical departments as the main administrative inter face with preceptors. Only three schools used a central office; none exclus ively used a regionalized system. Forty-four schools (63.8%) reported using formal written criteria for all preceptor appointments. Sixty-six schools (93%) used consistent academic titling systems, with 83.3% using titles inc luding the word "clinical." Thirty-three schools (47.8%) reported that thei r departments conducted regular preceptor reviews; an additional 28 reporte d reviews by some departments. Preceptors were eligible for promotion at 94 .4% of the responding schools. At 46.8%, specific promotion criteria exist; four schools were developing such criteria. Preceptors' interest in academ ic promotion was perceived to be moderate or low. Conclusion. A substantial proportion of U.S. medical schools have taken act ion to recognize preceptors as a unique faculty group. The comments receive d indicate that this is an active area of development in faculty affairs po licy.