Turning down a preceptor

[littlepeopleRNICU]

I found my first preceptor! 🙌🏻 I have to turn down another, whose office administrator I've been in close contact with. The reason I hadn't told them no from the get go was that both physicians contacted me back the same day, but the differences between their interactions with me were very vast. I won't go into details, but it greatly made me want to work with one over the other. I've been playing phone tag with the coordinator with the physician I wanted to be with, and finally JUST a few minutes ago got the official green light. The other, earlier this day, I was contacted by his administrator, who said they "practically begged him to take me and have tons and tons of applicants". How do I turn him down? I had told her today I was waiting to see if my school was okay with his preceptor experience. This was long before I spoke with the other office. I feel bad, like that makes it seem like I was definitely going to say yes. And truthfully, I would've because I'm so nervous about people not finding preceptors, and I hadn't had anything set in stone at that point.

This is getting rambly. Hope it isn't confusing. I do have a backbone, I swear! Haha. I just feel like the timing is so awkward now, and I really do want to maintain professional bridges for the sake of networking.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

My two cents: have a backup plan in place.

My first clinical preceptor fell through the week before I was to round. All over paperwork that was in place but the organization went through a change and the paperwork didn't reflect the current parent company.

But I had a second one lined up because I was going to share the hours. Instead I ended up with my backup only.

Since we can only use one place and not split hours, how do I address this now? I have to get the paperwork started for the one place. How do I politely say, I would like to have you as a backup, but I am going with someone else? Lol. Do I turn him down now but just ask if I can keep him in mind for the future?

[littlepeopleRNICU]

I still haven't heard from my school if they are okay with his experience, so he may not even be "able" to, anyway. I just want a plan for what to say in case, without burning bridges because I also have a fear of what you've experienced.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

Well, I just got an email back from him. He hasn't been with med students either, so unfortunately he isn't an option either way. They require our preceptors to have previous experience. :/ At least the other worked out! Thanks for the help!

[littlepeopleRNICU]

You are welcome. I tried to send you a private message, but your inbox is full.

Try now!

[Dranger]

I mean I don't think it's burning bridges your next rotations will all be hospital based anyway. Two on the same day? Very nice lol

I was lucky that our instructor allowed a hospitalist for this rotation, I have 0 networking outside the hospital.

[Jules A, MSN]

I was going to say do both, is it common for schools not to allow students to have more than one experience? I feel I learned so much from having varied experiences with multiple preceptors. What a shame also that your school turned down an available MD because they haven't precepted before. Sounds like they are stepping over dollars to pick up nickels if you ask me.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

I mean I don't think it's burning bridges your next rotations will all be hospital based anyway. Two on the same day? Very nice lol

I was lucky that our instructor allowed a hospitalist for this rotation, I have 0 networking outside the hospital.

Yes, I am very lucky and thankful for that, and that I didn't have to look super hard either. They actually reformatted our welcome letter for that semester too. For acute care, it now HAS to be either a hospitalist or internist! Which makes sense lol.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

I was going to say do both, is it common for schools not to allow students to have more than one experience? I feel I learned so much from having varied experiences with multiple preceptors. What a shame also that your school turned down an available MD because they haven't precepted before. Sounds like they are stepping over dollars to pick up nickels if you ask me.

I'm not sure if it's common, but someone specifically asked if they could split hours in orientation, and they said no :/ I get what you are saying though! However, in my specific situation, I feel like I am better suited to the one I ended up with, so I'm hoping I feel the same when it's all said and done. Part of it may be that for this specific clinical, the hours are so few as it is that they think maybe you wouldn't learn as much from that one preceptor if you were rotating back and forth? It will be 8 hours a week for the semester. Who knows what they are thinking! I don't make the rules, just have to follow them :/

[Jules A, MSN]

Who knows what they are thinking! I don't make the rules, just have to follow them :/

I agree although I'd check for myself again before accepting this as their final answer if at some point in the future you might want more than one experience. Exposure to different ways of doing things even if not the way you might decide to practice imo makes for a broader background.

[littlepeopleRNICU]

I got my 3rd yes for Spring today! I sure hope I am able to find someone this easily in semesters to come lol.

[LV702]

I also was struggling to find a preceptor and accepted the first one who was willing to take me on. I then had another preceptor email me and was willing to precept me]. I did send her an email stating I needed so many hours I would love to be with her during another semester and asked if I could touch base with her when it got close to that time. Didn't want to burn any bridges because I has such difficulty getting anyone with all the med students taking all the positions. This has been the most challenging experience in the program so far.