Working in health care is a vital and rewarding profession, but the road to that very first job can be daunting. That's why the role of preceptor is such an important one. Those who have walked the path first have so much to offer to students coming up behind them, and their lessons and insights are invaluable. In fact, the wisdom preceptors impart as they guide their students, helping them learn and practice in their area of expertise, often follows those students throughout their careers.
The OHA is highlighting the experience and contributions of preceptors by featuring a series of interviews with some of the incredible individuals who have chosen to take on this critical role. It's our way of recognizing these unsung heroes who give so much of themselves to help make our health care professionals the very best they can be.
This month we're shining the spotlight on Dr. Leslie Martin, general internal medicine physician at Hamilton General Hospital, and Director of the Internal Medicine Residency Program at McMaster University.
What made you decide to become a preceptor? Can you share a bit about your journey to becoming a preceptor?
I've been in clinical practice since 2017 and engaged in education even during my residency years. My journey to becoming a preceptor really started during my residency training, where I fell in love with teaching and education. After meeting with several mentors, I decided to pursue a Master of Education through Maastricht University in the Netherlands. This program allowed me to refine my knowledge and skills in curriculum development and assessment of learners. It also introduced me to qualitative research, which I have grown to love. My involvement in education early in my career led me to take on the role of Deputy Program Director and eventually the Residency Program Director for Internal Medicine at McMaster University in 2021.
What resources have been instrumental in supporting you as a preceptor?
To begin, I would like to highlight the many teachers and mentors who have supported my own journey. These individuals continue to be an incredible resource to me as a preceptor. In addition, my Master of Education provided me with many ideas and tools, and the McMaster Health Education Research, Innovation and Theory (MERIT) Centre at McMaster University has been a significant resource. MERIT offers support in research, innovation, and program evaluation, and has connected me with education scientists and partners who have inspired and supported my work. Finally, I am fortunate to work alongside an amazing group of colleagues and a top-notch administrative team. Collaborating with our residents, colleagues, university and hospital partners has been crucial in optimizing our learning environment and supporting our residents' education.
What is the approach you take with the learners you support?
As a Program Director, my approach is to foster a culture of continuous improvement and broad stakeholder engagement. I encourage questioning the status quo and exploring better ways to do things. We engage our learners through various mechanisms, such as design thinking workshops, world cafes, and surveys, to ensure their voices inform our decisions. We also strive to individualize learning experiences to support our residents' diverse interests while ensuring they all become exceptional internal medicine physicians. A few examples include creating social medicine and academic focus rotations as well as a new longitudinal research stream to tailor key learning experiences to their specific interests.
What do you like most about this role?
As a clinical preceptor, I am energized by working with learners. It is incredibly rewarding to engage with them around patient care, teach them, and watch them grow, even over short periods. Their questions often lead to mutual learning experiences, keeping me up-to-date and motivated. As a Program Director, I love supporting and mentoring residents through their training and seeing their success upon completion. Many of our learners stay in Hamilton, and it is gratifying to work with them as colleagues and see their careers flourish. The collaborative and supportive environment at Hamilton Health Sciences and McMaster University has made this role particularly rewarding.
Can you share a memorable experience with a learner?
I have a hard time selecting just one. You intersect with a lot of learners as a clinical preceptor on the Clinical Teaching Unit at Hamilton Health Sciences.
One thing that stands out in my mind is the opportunity to teach and support learners sometimes across the entirety of their early career. There are many students that I met when they were early in medical school, worked with them later as a resident, and now work alongside them as a faculty member and colleague at Hamilton Health Sciences. Along the way, there are often opportunities to encourage individual learners to follow their heart and pursue a special interest. In several of those instances, these decisions have shaped their career in meaningful and impactful ways. Watching these individuals thrive across their career, no matter the extent of my role in their journey, is one of the most rewarding aspects of being a preceptor.
What advice or words of encouragement do you have for others who may be interested in taking on this role?
If you are considering becoming a preceptor, please do! We are so fortunate in medicine to be able to serve our patients and communities while contributing to the education of the next generation of physicians. There are so many ways to get involved in medical education, whether that's having learners join you in clinic or on the wards, getting involved in designing or delivering formal teaching at various levels, providing individual mentorship, or supervising trainees in research or scholarship. The opportunities are truly endless! You stand to learn so much along the way, and the impact you can have on an individual or group of learners can be profound.
If you're interested in becoming a preceptor, please speak to your human resources department.