UMSV 326 Clinical Site Visits and Evaluations

Policy Name: Clinical Site Visit and Evaluations

A University of Mount Saint Vincent Master of Science Physician Assistant Program principal faculty member will make arrangements with the associated site clinical preceptor on an annual basis to discuss the overall performance of students assigned to the clinical site. The principal faculty member will also initiate a review of the clinical curriculum for suggestions or changes that will lead to an enhancement of the clinical educational environment and improvement of the overall performance of the clerkship site. The principal faculty member assigned to the site visit will also initiate a review of the program policy/procedure, student evaluations of site (including its strengths), and areas of where improvement may be necessary.

As a part of the annual site visit, the program will conduct an evaluation to ensure that each site used during supervised clinical practice meet program prescribed expectations for learning outcomes and performance evaluation measures. Any site that is found to be of concern by program faculty or adjunct faculty, or any site that falls beneath the program benchmark of 3.5 by student evaluation, will be site visited by faculty on a continuous basis until improvements have been met and deficiencies corrected.

All preceptors must hold a valid license that will be verified by program (See UMSV 325b). Physicians should be specialty board certified in their area of instruction. Physician assistants will be teamed with physicians’ board certified in their area of instruction. Other licensed healthcare providers should be experienced in their area of instruction.

Physicians who are not board certified, or other licensed healthcare providers serving as preceptors, shall be evaluated and determined by the medical director and program director to be appropriate for the specified area of instruction.

Evaluation of Clinical Site | Student
Each student is required to complete a student critique of the clerkship site, which is handed in at the end of each clerkship. Student evaluations of sites provide feedback to assist in identifying site strengths and weaknesses. A compilation of the student critique will be reviewed with preceptors during the annual faculty evaluation of the site.