Community Faculty

The UNM Physician Assistant Program (PA) is looking for qualified clinical preceptors to invest in the next generation of PA students. Precepting is a significant commitment—and a rewarding experience.

Clinical preceptors are licensed and certified PAs, MDs, DOs and NPs who are integral to creating successful learning experiences for UNM students. By providing hands-on experience and real-world patient interactions, preceptors help our students develop the skills, knowledge, clinical judgment and professionalism necessary to become successful, practicing PAs.

Your partnership helps strengthen New Mexico healthcare systems and improves the health of our communities.

Teach and Mentor Future Health Leaders

Preceptors teach, mentor and model professional clinical behavior. As a preceptor, you will teach students about effective communication, physical exams, problem assessment and diagnosis and treatment plans. You will demonstrate and observe clinical skills, review documentation and serve as a valuable resource for clinical questions and feedback.

As a clinical preceptor, you will work with students at clinical sites, including major healthcare organizations, rural facilities and private practices. You can provide a clinical experience in one of two ways:

• Continuity Clinics: local, half-day per week experiences that reinforce knowledge and skills learned in the classroom.
• Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences: Full-time SCPEs throughout the state expose students to a wide range of patients and disciplines.

Why Become a Preceptor?

Preceptors benefit from teaching tomorrow's PA leaders. As a preceptor, you will:

• Engage with medical knowledge in new ways
• Earn free Category I and II CME
• Access quality student recruits for future positions
• Support and strengthen your profession
• Be eligible for special UNM School of Medicine perks

You choose your level of participation. Whether you work with one student annually or a different student every four to six weeks, we will help you create rotations that are considerate of your schedule.

Other Ways to Engage

Under your guidance, students will learn to apply didactic knowledge to become competent and compassionate healthcare providers. At UNM, there are many paths to share your expertise:

• Become a clinical reasoning facilitator
• Serve as a guest lecturer
• Submit an idea for a new position