Becoming a Clinical Preceptor | Arcadia University

At its June 2023 meeting, the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the Physician Assistant, Inc. (ARC-PA) placed the Arcadia University Physician Assistant Studies Program sponsored by Arcadia University on Accreditation-Probation status until its next review in June 2025. Please review this important information to learn more about how this may impact you as an applicant.

Precepting for the Arcadia PA Program

Thank you for your interest in becoming a Clinical Preceptor for the Physician Assistant Program! Preceptors are vital to the success of our students, and build upon medical knowledge taught during the didactic year. Practitioners must be licensed and board certified PAs, MDs, DOs, NPs and Nurse Midwives. Our students complete 4 week rotations with a minimum of 40 hours a week in the areas of: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, General Surgery, Behavioral Health, Women’s Health, Emergency Medicine, and Pediatrics. Students also complete 3 elective rotations that can be done in a wide variety of health care specialties and settings, such as Neonatology, Orthopedics, and even an International rotation in another country!

If you are interested in becoming a Clinical Preceptor, please contact Director of Clinical Education Liz Masten, PA-C at mastene@arcadia.edu for more information.

Grace Tomko and Paul Carter looking at files in a folder and talking. — Student Grace Tomko and preceptor Paul Carter,
PA-C (Preceptor of the Year, 2019)

Earning CME credit Precepting

PA students requires time and effort on the part of the clinician. In recognition of those efforts and dedication, Arcadia University has applied to the AAPA (American Academy of Physician Assistants) and has been granted the ability to increase the number of Category I CMEs awarded to our Physician Assistant Preceptors! Using AAPA’s formulation for awarding CMEs, a maximum of 20 Category I CME credits per calendar year can be applied. Per AAPA, Programs may award 2 AAPA Category 1 CME credits per week for each PA student they precept.

Please make note we must receive a completed evaluation form from the PA preceptor prior to awarding Category I CMEs. Category I CME certificates will be awarded once a year after the close of our clinical year in April. Please contact Clinical Coordinator Diana Hawthorne at hawthorned@arcadia.edu for further information on how to obtain your CME certificate.

Preceptor CME Evaluation and Reporting Form

Academic Appointment of Clinical Instructor

The following criteria are to be met for 2 consecutive years:

The preceptor needs to be in good standing with the PA program and licensing boards.
The preceptor must have mentored 6 or more Arcadia PA students each year.
The preceptor must have maintained a benchmark evaluation of 3.0 or higher in each area of the student evaluation each year, with the exception of question #2 which is more representative of clinical site rather than the preceptor.
Submission of an updated CV is required at the time of consideration.
Final determination of the appointment will be made at the discretion of the clinical team.
There is no compensation for this position and it will be renewed annually based on continued service as an outstanding preceptor by maintaining all criteria listed above. A reappointment letter will be issued by the Dean if the Department of Medical Science indicates that the preceptor has continued to meet the Clinical Instructor criteria.

There is no compensation for this position and it will be renewed annually based on continued service as an outstanding preceptor by maintaining all criteria listed above.