Preceptor Handbook
Veterinary Technology
Distance Learning Program
Introduction to the Handbook
If you are a new preceptor let me take the opportunity to thank you for your willingness to serve in this capacity and if you are a continuing preceptor, thank you for your continued participation in our program. We realize that all
preceptors are busy and it is a significant responsibility that you are undertaking. Let me assure you that you are helping our students further their education, and the rewards that they receive from this program will come back to you as well. Your clinic or hospital will benefit from their educational experience and training.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) Requirements
Students in the Veterinary Technology Program are not required to sign a FERPA release allowing academically based communication between preceptors and the course instructors, or the program staff. A FERPA release is not necessary since preceptors are an extension of the program, and thus of the College, with an inherent educational “need to know” as allowed under the FERPA
rules. Communication between instructors, or other program staff in the
Veterinary Technology program concerning students’ academic performance, is in accordance with the preceptor serving as a required extension of the faculty of the program. Because of that, preceptors are therefore required to maintain mandated FERPA confidentiality standards concerning students’ academic performance and personal information, the same as any other college employee or course instructor.
For more information on FERPA standards and requirements, please go to
http://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/fpco/ferpa/index.html
If you have any questions about FERPA requirements or regulations, please contact the program at 505-566-3838.
Required Course Task Completion Criteria
To receive and maintain AVMA accreditation each veterinary technology program is required to provide documentation of standard criteria for evaluating the
completion of all AVMA/CVTEA essential tasks by students. These criteria must be consistent with standards that reflect contemporary veterinary practice. That means that when students submit their final course video assignments, there must be very specific and defined criteria by which they will be graded. To meet this requirement, the course task checklist has been expanded to include the specific step-by-step details on exactly how the program believes that each task should be performed. These criteria are based on the procedures demonstrated in the cited and referenced textbooks and a scale of quantitative performance has been included as well. In other words, students will be graded on how well
they complete the steps in each task, not just as a pass or fail. The list of steps for each task is intended to assist you and your student in insuring that all the essential steps in a required or recommended task are accomplished and that nothing “falls through the proverbial cracks” in any given task.
At the end of the course or when all the required tasks have been successfully completed, the Course Task Checklist should be signed by you and your student and then submitted to the course instructor. If performance of a task is in violation of local statutes or laws, the student must contact their instructor for an alternative task or assignment.
San Juan College – Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC)
The purpose of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) is to insure that San Juan College courses help provide the proper care and use animals in ways judged to be scientifically, professionally, and humanely appropriate. The committee provides clinical instructional oversight and
evaluation of the veterinary technology programs’ hands on clinical procedures by ensuring compliance with federal regulations related to the proper care, use, and humane treatment of animals used in research, testing and education. The IACUC also provides assistance to instructors in fulfilling their obligation to plan and deliver instructional methodologies in accordance with the highest scientific, professional, and ethical principles.
An IACUC is mandated by the Public Health Service Policy on Humane Care and Use of Laboratory Animals; United States Department of Agriculture-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service; U.S. Government Principles for the
Utilization and Care of Vertebrate Animals Used in Testing, Research and Training; Code of Federal Regulations, 1989, Title 9, Parts 1, 2, and 3 (Animal Welfare Final Rules); and in accordance with the Guide for the Care and Use of
Laboratory Animals, and the Committee on Veterinary Technician Education and
Activities of the American Veterinary Medical Association.
The responsibilities of the SJC IACUC committee include:
1) Review of the veterinary technology programs’ clinical procedures at least once every six (6) months.
2) Review of the criteria for OCCI clinical facilities and criteria at least once every six (6) months.
3) Preparation of reports on the IACUC evaluations for the Institutional Official
(IO).
4) Review of all concerns involving the use of animals in clinical facilities. 5) Make recommendations to the IO regarding any aspect of the veterinary technology program clinical requirements.
6) Review, approve, and require any modifications to the clinical criteria or hands on tasks required of students in classes with clinical requirements.
Procedure for Reporting the Misuse, Mistreatment, or Non-Compliance of the Use and Care Animals in Off Campus Clinical Instruction (OCCI) sites.
San Juan College is committed to the ethical and humane care and use of animals in teaching situations. If a student, precpetor, or faculty member is aware of any potential violations to the stated animal use and care criteria, or observes the mistreatment of animals, they are most strongly encouraged to report their concerns. Faculty members are also encouraged to report any concerns that they are aware of through normal lines of communication to any member of the SJC IACUC. Students, preceptors, staff, and members of the
public are encouraged to report their concerns directly to the Chair of the IACUC (325-660-9841) or through the Chair’s email at wrightd@sanjuancollege.edu. San Juan College will not tolerate the harassment, or any retaliation, directed at employees or students who report actual or possible violations. The SJC IACUC will undertake diligent efforts to protect the positions and reputations of those
persons who, in good faith, make allegations of animal welfare violations. Investigations will be conducted carefully and as discreetly as possible. All reasonable precautions, consistent with the need for a complete and
comprehensive review of the case will be undertaken. Every effort will be made
to maintain confidentiality to the greatest extent possible under federal and state laws, and to protect the rights and legitimate interests of both the person making the disclosure of violation and the subject of the investigation.
Frequency and Intervals of Clinical Procedures to be Performed on Animals for Course Instruction:
Clinical procedures should not be performed on animals more often than once ever three days and no animal may be used for more than three total
procedures, unless the attending veterinarian determines that there is a medical reason to perform the procedure.
Preceptor Responsibilities for VTDLP Courses
1. Preceptors are required to monitor all required hands-on clinical assignments. This responsibility may not be delegated or assigned to other individuals except with the specific pre-approval of the instructor. Preceptors are encouraged to obtain feedback from all practice personnel as to the student's progress and performance during the course, but only preceptors may directly evaluate students performing clinical assignments. In most clinical assignments, both the preceptor and the student must sign on the assignment form to indicate that the preceptor has monitored the assignment and that the student and the preceptor have shared in the evaluation of the assignment.
2. Preceptors are encouraged to monitor the students’ progress to insure that the student is on schedule and completing assignments at the required time intervals.
3. Assignments will start as soon as the course begins and students are strongly encouraged to stay on schedule to receive credit for their submissions and the course.
4. Preceptors should familiarize themselves with the course materials and assignments as rapidly as possible to prevent any delay in the progress of the student through the course assignments. A course guide will always be posted on the course site with contact numbers, e-mail addresses and web site
information. Preceptors may obtain course materials and assignments by emailing the course instructor of the courses that the student is enrolled in. 5. Many assignments are based on website or text reading assignments. Preceptors should feel free to assist students in these activities if necessary. Preceptors can help clarify the material, answer specific questions, or offer personal insights into the functions of a veterinary practice.
6. Preceptors should take their clinical supervision responsibilities very seriously. In most courses the clinical assignments are the heart and substance of the course. It is through these assignments, with the help and supervision of the preceptor that the student learns and improves in their abilities. The level of supervision required by individual students will vary. Because of this, preceptors are expected to exercise sound judgment on the level of supervision required for a given student after consulting the course schedule for the required level of supervision.
7. If conflicts arise between the student and preceptor(s), the parties involved should first try to resolve the situation in a positive and constructive manner. If the problem persists or cannot be resolved the instructor should be contacted to assist in the matter and bring about a successful resolution.
8. During the course the program staff may contact the preceptor to monitor the
progress of the student and the course.
9. The preceptor may also be contacted at the end of the course, in addition to the course evaluation, to determine the student's success in the class.
10. By “clinical time” for program work, we usually mean that students can work many clinical assignments, such as restraint, nursing duties, and so on into the daily routine of the practice. Some practices do set time aside for students to do written work, take exams, etc. The degree to which you allow your students to
do school work, on or off the clock, is purely a matter of practice policy and is
most certainly not something that we can dictate. Every practice, every preceptor, and every student are different, and it sometimes takes a while to
work out what the best system will be for you all. Different students, with the
same preceptor in the same practice, may often have very different rules and
policies.
Student Handbook for the Term
Students also have a handbook for each term outlining their assignments, the class requirements and their responsibilities in their classes. The Student
Handbook is posted on the course website and you can obtain a copy from your student, or we can email you the Student Handbook. The handbook can be a valuable and informative resource for new preceptors and you are encouraged to print it and read it when you have a chance.
The Time Required to Perform Preceptor Responsibilities
We are frequently asked, “How much time does it take to be a preceptor in the program?” That is always a difficult question to answer. As a very general rule,
the average student will require about one to two hours of specifically dedicated class time, per course, per week. Beyond that the average student will require two to three hours of general supervision and instruction that can be a part of the regular practice routine per class, per week. Some classes are highly didactic with few clinical tasks such as Pharmacology and Medical
Therapeutics, and others like Veterinary Nursing Care require more hands on supervision, but much of that can be woven into regular practice cases and routines. There are no specific class days per se. Students can complete assignments anytime during the week based on how busy the practice is, the ongoing clinical caseload, and the students and preceptor’s schedules.
Students need to do the work each week, but we do not mandate when during the week that they have to do it. And of course other factors that may influence the amount of time required will include the student’s innate ability and
intelligence, the students experience in veterinary medicine, the specific class or classes that the student is taking, and the number of classes that the student is enrolled in. Since each practice, student, and other factors are different, we can
only give general guideless to the amount of time required.
Things You Can Do To Be a Successful Preceptor
1. Review each week’s assignments and requirements for the courses that your student or students are enrolled in and be familiar with what they are expected to accomplish that week. These assignments are in each student’s course weekly course assignments.
2. Schedule a specific time each week to review the student’s assignments and make sure that both you and the student are clear about what is expected that week.
3. Find ways to involve other staff members in the student or student’s classes.
They can give presentations on what they have learned at staff meetings or others can give feedback on the student’s assignments and learning activities. The VTDLP classes should be fun and enjoyable, not just for the student, but for the other staff members and the preceptor.
4. It takes some time and practice to become a knowledgeable and successful preceptor. Distance education is a very different way of not only learning, but also of teaching, instruction, and clinical supervision. Expect to be somewhat confused at first, and then after a few weeks, you and your student will start to get the logistics and routine down and the classes will become fun and
productive. And if you have problems or questions, please do not hesitate to call us at 1-888-313-3838.
Mandatory Program Advising
To comply with San Juan College advising policies, and to assure accreditation standards are maintained, a student phone advisement is required of all
students at least twice a year. Registration for the available advising time slots is highly competitive for both returning and new students. Students should
schedule an appointment as early as possible to insure course availability. The online scheduling system can be accessed on the program website at
https://booknow.appointment-plus.com/43veelgq/
The appointment system is not connected to the student’s school login and students will need to create a personal log in. Passwords are not kept on file and passwords will need to be reset if misplaced or forgotten.
Academic Honesty at San Juan College
San Juan College expects all students to adhere to the Academic Honesty Rules as posted at:
http://www.sanjuancollege.edu/documents/student-services/student-policies/Academic_Honesty_Rules_2015.pdf
Students are expected to familiarize themselves with the college rules for academic honesty. All students will be held to the rules on cheating and plagiarism, and infractions will be dealt with accordingly.
What We Do If There is a Problem
Periodically there may be problems with your student’s academic performance, their submission of assignments, OCCI status, or other situations. To make preceptors aware of these situations we will email information to the student’s primary preceptor with specifics on situations that indicate that the student may not successfully complete the class with a passing grade. Please make sure that your email address is included on the Student/Preceptor Information Form that is submitted each term.
