Tips for Telepreceptors

Virtual precepting (the remote precepting of resident-trainees) during the COVID-19 pandemic helped address clinical and training disruptions for institutions that employed resident-physicians in their ambulatory practices as both in-person and telemedicine providers. While much of the virtual precepting environment can be built to mimic the traditional “in-clinic” experience for trainees and preceptors, virtual precepting offers unique challenges and opportunities to engage with, educate, and assess the competencies and needs of learners. Developing an approach to virtual precepting can help optimize clinical care, maximize learning, and maximize the trainee-preceptor relationship. This document provides guidelines, tips, and recommendations for the remote preceptor working with residents who are providing telemedicine ambulatory care. It was developed in conjunction with ambulatory care physicians and trainees a large, urban, academic hospital-affiliated outpatient clinic.