A Review of Pharmacy Student and Resident Preceptor Development Initiatives

Objective. To review published literature describing and evaluating student and resident preceptor development. Findings. Database searches yielded 32 total published articles on pharmacy preceptor development: 22 for experiential preceptors, eight for resident preceptors, and two encompassing both experiential and resident preceptors. The identified articles encompassed a variety of preceptor development strategies, including live, web-based, and multifaceted approaches which were disseminated via analytical studies, needs assessment surveys, and descriptive reports. In analytical studies, the evaluation methods most commonly used were preceptor pre- and post-perception surveys. Summary. Preceptor development strategies vary amongst pharmacy schools and residency programs. The evaluation methods used also varied, and there is a lack of evidence-based practices related to preceptor development. Preceptor development should be tailored based on preceptor type and program needs. An opportunity exists to further evaluate which strategies may be most effective for improving precepting techniques, with an ultimate goal of delineating best practices for pharmacy preceptor development.