Workplace integrated learning under the guidance of a preceptor is well established in pharmacy in the USA, and preceptors have a significant influence on their students’ professional and personal development.
Pharmacist preceptors provide students with responsibilities that correspond to their capabilities and the objectives of their school’s experiential learning programme, while students have the opportunity to apply concepts and techniques in practice.
A preceptor doesn’t have to be a registered tutor with the South African Pharmacy Council; any of our registered pharmacists can participate and have the opportunity to add value to our profession. Life Healthcare has partnered with the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) preceptor programme.
- The students are required to complete a consecutive three-week work-integrated learning programme at the hospital pharmacy where the pharmacist preceptor is employed.
- Students are expected to be at the site for a minimum of 40 contact hours per week (eight hours per day, five days per week), for a total of 120 hours.
- The student is required to undertake the tasks (stipulated in the preceptor manual) under the direct supervision of the preceptor.
Feedback on this collaboration from both the students and our pharmacists has been extremely positive.