How to Honor Your Family Medicine Rotation: Advice From a Former Preceptor

Your Family Medicine rotation is a fantastic opportunity to develop a broad set of clinical competencies that will benefit you in any field of medicine. In fact, honoring your Family Medicine rotation can prepare you for future rotations and board exams like Step 2 CK and Step 3 (as well as COMLEX Level 2 and Level 3).

As a former assistant clinical professor and Family Medicine clerkship preceptor, I have worked with medical students across all years, from M1 to M4. I know what it takes to gain the high marking of honors for your family medicine rotation. Here is the best part – anyone can do this. It just takes a mix of thorough preparation, professionalism and active participation. Below, I’ll share some insider tips from my experience as a preceptor to help you achieve this goal. For additional help, consider enlisting the help of a Family Medicine tutor to help you shine!

Come Prepared to Your Family Medicine Rotation

Preceptors are just like everyone else — first impressions matter. Having a student show up on time (or even early), dressed professionally, and eager to get to work is a great way to start. Make sure you have your basics, like a white coat, stethoscope, pens, and a notebook. These essentials help you stay organized and professional.

If you are working with a preceptor that former students at your institution have worked with, reach out to those students for helpful information and advice about your first day. Knowing clinic hours, clinic flow, preceptor preferences, and even the names of staff in the clinic can be incredibly helpful. If you don’t have a fellow student to reach out to, consider making a quick call to the clinic office manager or the preceptor’s nurse to ask for guidance.

Most preceptors have worked with several students throughout their career so showing them that you did your due diligence to prepare for the rotation will shine through immediately.

Be Proactive

Another way to impress your preceptor and lock in honors is to show genuine interest and enthusiasm for learning and patient care. Start your studies early and be consistent so you can showcase your fund of knowledge. Have a study calendar ready to go with trusted resources like UWorld and Case Files that you can work on throughout the rotation. This shows your preceptor that you are putting in the time to learn the material needed to excel in this rotation. We’re also working on a Family Medicine Study Planner—stay tuned for this helpful resource which will be available here!

Be prepared to ask thoughtful and meaningful questions. Beforehand, you might want to ask your preceptor if they prefer questions as they arise during clinic hours or if they’d rather you collect a list to discuss during downtime. Different preceptors have different preferences, so it’s helpful to clarify early on.

Preceptors also appreciate students who take initiative—not only by seeing patients but also by taking the extra step to thoroughly learn the patient’s past medical history. Family medicine providers often know their patient panel very well. Showing that same dedication by reviewing a patient’s background is sure to catch your preceptor’s attention. Since this can be time-intensive, develop a method that fits your schedule.

If you have the opportunity to read about your patients in advance, such as the day before clinic, ask your preceptor about this option.

Lend a Hand

When you are on your family medicine rotation do your best to become part of the medical team. Work not only with your preceptor but also with the nurses or other staff to help provide the best patient care. Once you have a lay of the land offer to help out whenever you can.

If a nurse is setting up for a procedure ask what you can do to assist. When a patient checks in with abnormal vital signs, offer to recheck them. If your preceptor is running a few minutes late, let the patient know that the doctor will be with them shortly.

Adapting to the team dynamic and showing respect for everyone you encounter at the clinic will help demonstrate your dedication to the rotation.  Let your preceptor see that you are a valuable member of the team and it is sure to pay off in your evaluation.

Sharpen Your Clinical Skills to Honor Your Family Medicine Rotation

While it may help to start off your rotation with a strong foundation of clinical skills, what will really impress your preceptor is showing consistent improvement. A key way to do this is to ask for constructive feedback from your preceptor and then implement that feedback. This shows your preceptor that you genuinely want to excel in this rotation.

Take opportunities to practice and refine your history taking, physical exam, oral presenting and clinical procedures. If you need to improve your ECG interpretation skills then mention this goal to your preceptor. Work on these skills both during clinic hours and in your downtime. Revisit ECG interpretation with your preceptor to show them that you are working hard at your goal to improve your ECG interpretations.

Your preceptor wants you to succeed and will be watching for evidence that you are seeking out opportunities to grow and improve your clinical skills.

Perfect Time Management and Efficiency to Honor Your Family Medicine Rotation

Time management and efficiency are incredibly important during your Family Medicine rotation. Your preceptor is busy and, while they are there to teach you, they are also responsible for providing medical care in a timely manner. One of the best pieces of advice I can offer as a former Family Medicine preceptor is to work on improving your oral presentation skills. You want your reporting to be clear, organized, and concise.

Practice using the SOAP note method to stay structured. Report only relevant information and leave out unnecessary details. To build confidence, try practicing your presentations out loud with a fellow student or even in front of a mirror to improve your eye contact and delivery.

While it’s important to know your patients well and be prepared for questions from your preceptor, there’s no need to recite the entire medical chart during your report. This skill takes practice, so make it a priority to refine your approach.

Your preceptor will notice your efficiency and that you are keeping up with the busy flow of the clinic which is sure to help you with your evaluation.  

Always Look it Up

When your preceptor asks you a question, do your best to answer it. If you don’t know the answer, it’s okay to admit it, but make sure to follow up by looking it up. This shows your preceptor that you are active in your learning, not just passively going through the motions. Failing to follow through can come across as lazy, so take initiative.

When you share your findings, cite your resources so your preceptor can guide you if needed. Preceptors often have significant experience with clinical resources, so ask how they might approach answering the same question.

After looking up the answer, add something meaningful to the conversation. For instance, if a preceptor asks about pediatric vaccines, you could mention strategies for catching up patients who are behind on vaccines. This extra effort demonstrates that you value the time spent together and take responsibility for your own learning.

Keep a Positive and Professional Attitude

Some days may be harder than others, and that’s okay. In fact, there may be times when you need to take a deep breath to help you refocus. Stay open-minded to the idea that even challenging moments are valuable learning opportunities. Do your best to maintain an upbeat attitude, even when the going gets tough. Always interact with patients and staff respectfully and empathetically. These strong interpersonal skills are crucial in Family Medicine and will be an important part of your evaluation.

By following these strategies, you’ll not only improve your chances of scoring honors, but you’ll also leave a lasting positive impression on your preceptor and patients.

If you are looking for even more helpful advice to honor your rotation, reach out to us to connect with a skilled family medicine tutor and advisor who can provide individualized guidance to you on your Family Medicine rotation. Purchase your trial session or schedule a free consultation to learn more!

Good luck!