University of Texas Medical Branch
Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences
HONORS PRECEPTORSHIP INFORMATION
Eligibility:
Students in advanced standing, who are graduates of a nationally accredited MLT/CLT
program, and have passed a nationally recognized MLT/CLT certifying examination, may
register for honors preceptorships, CLLS 4305, 4306, 4307 and 4308.
Scheduling:
The four honors preceptorships may be scheduled at any time during the program, after
the didactic courses for the discipline have been successfully completed. For instance, the
microbiology preceptorship may be scheduled after CLLS 4325, Advanced Microbiology
has been successfully completed.
The course number of the preceptorship designates the sequence of the course in the
program. So CLLS 4305 is the first honors preceptorship, whether it is hematology,
chemistry, microbiology or immunohematology.
The time requirement for each of the four preceptorships is 2 weeks. Students may
reduce the time requirement for psychomotor skills by documenting work experience at
their place of employment. If clinical experience cannot be documented at the place of
employment, the student can request a date and time to be sent to a UTMB CLS clinical
affiliate.
In the event a student cannot commit to the preceptorship rotation to which they are
assigned, he/she may withdraw or take an incomplete. The incomplete must be
completed by the end of the next semester.
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 and opportunity to enhance and enrich their clinical
experience and/or pursue special interests or skills.
In most cases, 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.
Procedure for Requesting a Reduced Time Preceptorship
If the student is requesting reduced time for the preceptorship on the basis of work
experience, the work experience must be documented. Print the objectives and skills
checklist found on the Blackboard CLLS Preceptorship ODL. Ask the clinical supervisor
to sign those items on the checklist which the student has completed through work
experience and indicate the name and location of the facility on the checklist. The
completed checklist should be scanned and submitted onto Blackboard Preceptorship
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Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences
ODL course. Also, the clinical supervisor must write a letter documenting the
experience the student obtained was completed at the level of MT/CLS work
experience. This information must be completed before the end of the semester. To
receive a PASS grade for a clinical preceptorship, the student must complete the Self
Study Guide and successfully pass the online exam.
If the student cannot obtain work experience, he/she may request specific sites from the
list of facilities affiliated with the UTMB program (list resides on the Student Info web
site).
Attendance
Students not doing work experience 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:
 Send an email to:
o Preceptorship supervisor of the department at the hospital assigned (see
contact information sheet)
o Education Coordinator associated with UTMB CLS program
 In the event email is not available, the student must notify the preceptorship
supervisor by phone call or other means. The student will follow up with emails to
the Clinical Coordinator.
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.


If possible, send an email as above.
If not possible:
o Call the Preceptorship supervisor at the department at the hospital
assigned (see contact information sheet)
o Follow up with an email to UTMB CLS Clinical Coordinator when practical.
In the event of unexcused absence/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 or at
another affiliation.
Assignments and Evaluation:
The psychomotor and cognitive objectives for each preceptorship will direct the activities
of that preceptorship. The student should print off the checklist and maintain the
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objectives with them throughout the preceptorship. It is the student’s responsibility to
obtain the completed Psychomotor Performance Evaluation (PPE) from the clinical
supervisor. The student will submit the completed PPE to the UTMB CLS clinical
coordinator at the 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 checklist items.
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.
Dress Code
During Clinical Preceptorships:
a. Scrubs may be worn during clinical preceptorships (Royal Blue scrubs cannot be
worn at the St. Joseph’s Facility)
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 that protect 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.
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 clinical
coordinator. The 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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