University of Texas Medical Branch
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences
PRECEPTORSHIP INFORMATION
Scheduling:
The four preceptorships are scheduled in the summer of the Junior year, at the end of the
Fall semester of the Senior year, at the end of the Spring semester of the Senior year and
at the beginning of the summer semester of the Senior year. Each of the four
preceptorships is 4 weeks long. Students will participate in the general activities of the
clinical laboratories to achieve career-entry level skills. The students will not be included in
the staffing numbers to meet the service load of the hospital.
In the event a student cannot commit to the preceptorship rotation to which they are
assigned, he/she may opt to postpone the preceptorship. The student should be aware
such a postponement may affect their graduation date.
Students who do not have clinical laboratory experience will register for CLLS 4301,
4302, 4303 and 4304. Students in advanced standing, who are graduates of a
nationally accredited MLT/CLT program, may register for CLLS 4305, 4306, 4307 and
4308. Students who are enrolled in the BS to CLS Masters will enrol for
5335,5336,5337,5338.
A student may elect to take an additional two week Special/Research Preceptorship. This
preceptorship must be arranged well in advance. The purpose of this special
preceptorship is to give students an opportunity to enhance and enrich their clinical
experience and/or pursue special interests or skills.
Clinical rotation schedules are arranged for each student with time allotment as follows:
Clinical Rotation Schedules
Clinical Chemistry
Routine clinical chemistry & urinalysis.
4 weeks
Hematology
Routine clinical hematology & coagulation
4 weeks
Immunohematology
Routine type, crossmatch and antibody testing
4 weeks
Microbiology
Routine clinical microbiology & serology
4 weeks
Special/Research
Optional
2 weeks
The student will report to the clinical preceptorship supervisor at 8:00 am Monday of first
preceptorship or at a time designated by the clinical site. In most areas, the period of
assignment is Monday through Friday; 8:00 am to 4:30 p.m. with 30 minutes for lunch
(varies from department to department). This schedule may be changed at the discretion
of the clinical preceptorship supervisor. Any time a student is assigned to an area,
adequate supervision must be assured.
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Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences
Attendance
Students are expected to attend ALL preceptorship days as assigned during the times
scheduled. Students are assigned for a period of 8 hours per day with a break for lunch
and other breaks as designated by the facility.
Students will follow the holiday schedule of the Clinical Facility
In the event of absence from the preceptorship:
 Call Preceptorship supervisor of the department at the hospital assigned.
 Email Clinical Coordinator -Janet Vincent jvincent@utmb.edu
 Students in the Odessa-Midland area: send email to:
o Preceptorship supervisor of the department at the hospital assigned
o Susan Ray ray_s@utpb.edu
 Students in Tyler-Dallas Area
o Call Preceptorship supervisor/contact at the site
o Email Marla Stevenson mmsteven@utmb.edu
In the event of late arrival:
If a student is unavoidably detained in arriving at the clinical site at the assigned time,
the clinical coordinator and preceptorship supervisor (or designee) must be notified as
early as is possible, preferably before the start of the shift.
 Call the Preceptorship supervisor at the department at the hospital assigned.
 Follow up with an email to Clinical Coordinator when practical.
Absences in a clinical preceptorship must be made up at the discretion of the hospital
and the CLS Clinical Coordinator. Remediation will be defined by the clinical supervisor
of the preceptorship.
In the event of unexcused absence or failure to notify preceptorship supervisor of
late arrival:
Unexcused absence or failure to notify the preceptorship supervisor of late arrival may
result in rescheduling the Preceptorship at the convenience of the clinical site.
Assignments and Evaluation:
The psychomotor objectives for each preceptorship will direct the activities of that
preceptorship. The student should print off and maintain the objectives with them
throughout the preceptorship. The clinical site/teaching technologist will evaluate the
student based on the psychomotor objectives. The student will submit the completed
Preceptorship Performance Evaluation to the Blackboard at end of the rotation.
Practicals and quizzes may given by the clinical preceptorship supervisor at the
preceptorships as deemed necessary to evaluate completion of the psychomotor
objectives.
A Study Guide will be available on the CLS Blackboard Site for each of the four major
subject areas (hematology, chemistry, blood bank and microbiology). The Study Guide
will be the basis for examination and remediation if necessary. A 20-25 question
cognitive test will be given using CLS Blackboard Site. The student must make 70% and
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Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences
has a second chance to do this. Before taking the second chance at the test, the student
will submit the completed Study Guide. If a 70% is not obtained on the second exam, the
student will make an appointment the content expert for remediation.
The Affective checklists are part of the grade for each clinical rotation. Formative
evaluations of affective objectives will occur throughout the preceptorship.
Pass/Fail for each preceptorship is determined by the activities listed in the syllabus.
Confidentially
Patient information will be available to students during the preceptorship. Students must
follow the HIPAA policy of the clinical facility.
Safety
Students must follow the safety policy of the clinical facility. If the student becomes
exposed to blood or body fluids, the student can come to Student Wellness center for
follow up.
Dress Code
During Clinical Preceptorships:
a. Scrubs may be worn during clinical preceptorships. Check the site information
on the Student information site for further dress code requirements.
b. Jeans and shorts will not be worn during clinical preceptorships
c. Tank top, tee shirt or any shirt with advertising or slogans will not be worn during
preceptorships
d. Shoes protecting the entire foot including the toe and heel should be worn
e. Mini skirts (greater than 2 inches above the knee) will not be worn
f. Students will wear appropriate undergarments
g. Hair should be secured/contained if hair is a danger to being caught in any
machinery or fall into biohazardous material. Beards, mustaches and other facial
hair must be kept well-trimmed and clean. Hair should not obstruct vision.
h. Jewelry may present a hazard and should not be worn in the laboratory.
i. Students are expected to maintain proper hygiene.
Students will adhere to all policies of the clinical preceptorships, including dress code.
In the event facilities have less stringent policies than the policies stated in this
document, students will be expected to follow the guidelines as outlined in this
document.
Personal Electronic Devises
While they are useful and convenient tools for the student, personal electronic devices
can be a source of distraction for others and a potential temptation towards unethical
behaviour when used inappropriately and/or unprofessionally during a student’s learning
experience. Personal electronic devices are defined as electronic, portable,
entertainment, communication, and/or information storage devices.
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These devices include, but are not limited to, the following:
 Cellular phones
 Personal digital assistants (PDAs)
 Laptop and handheld computers
 Media players (includes MP3 players, audio & video players, etc.)
The use of personal electronic devices during graded activities, including clinical
preceptorships, is prohibited unless explicitly authorized by the instructor, with the
following possible exceptions:
 Use of cellular phones may be permitted for emergency contact purposes if prearranged with the instructor prior to the start of the activity
 Personal electronic devices may not be used under these exceptions for the
purpose of non-emergency communication or entertainment.
Equivalency (Challenge) Examinations:
Students with prior clinical laboratory work experience may challenge items on the
preceptorship psychomotor checklists. An email request to the clinical coordinator must
be submitted at least two weeks prior to starting the preceptorship. Documentation by a
clinical supervisor of completion of the skill will be required to challenge the psychomotor
checklist.
Resolving Problems:
If a student encounters difficulties during a rotation, he/she should discuss the problem
with the immediate clinical supervisor. If the problem is not resolved, the student should
consult the UTMB CLS clinical coordinator. If the student feels the situation warrants, a
factual written report should be submitted to the Chair of the Department of Clinical
Laboratory Sciences.
The immediate supervisor should discuss any deficiencies or difficulties with a student at
the time they are identified. If the problem persists, it should be reported to the UTMB
CLS clinical coordinator. The UTMB CLS clinical coordinator will submit a factual record
of each report in writing to the Chair of the Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
Upon receiving a written report from a student or clinical coordinator, the Chair will seek a
resolution to the problem. Should a student wish to appeal the decision reached, he or
she should follow the Grievance Policy of SAHS as stated in the UTMB General Catalog.
The Grading Behavior Policy is in force during Preceptorship.
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