It is surreal to think that I am more than halfway through my PGY2 residency year. I now find myself moving to take on new roles and responsibilities. One of the biggest transitions that I am beginning to face is that of going from learner to teacher. Based on conversations I have had with recent residency graduates, this can sometimes be a struggle. For the vast majority of my life I have been in the role of a learner, seeking the opinions and advice of those with more experience and knowledge than I currently possess.
As I approach the end of my residency, I am now being looked to as the one with more knowledge and experience in a particular area, I am becoming that “grown-up pharmacist” that I keep hearing about. Students, PGY1 residents, and PGY2 residents are now looking to me for answers, and to serve as their preceptor. This paradigm shift can be challenging, and can cause you as the new preceptor to have several questions, now that you are the official preceptor for a learning experience.
Questions such as: how do I write a syllabus and what should be in it, do I create a calendar with topic discussions or play it day to day, do I “pimp” the learner, do I try to be their friend, etc. Possibly for the first time in your life you are having to develop your own preceptor style, and once you have that established you likely will have to adapt your style to fit various learning styles.
One piece of advice passed on to me was to try to hold on to the feeling of being a learner for as long as you can, when you become a preceptor. Write down the things that you enjoyed from your rotation experiences, and likewise the things you dreaded about your learning experiences. It is never too early to start this list, while the experiences are still fresh in your mind. When you become a preceptor, try to incorporate those aspects of preceptors that you enjoyed, and avoid the things you did not like that your preceptors did. Like most things in life, you will likely have to learn what works by trial and error. You should also seek feedback from the learners to see what they perceive went well.
Another great way to learn what may or may not work is to talk with other preceptors, and especially those who have recently made the transition from resident to preceptor themselves. If you do not feel comfortable discussing with people you currently know, a great resource can be found in the ASHP connect mentor match. This is a free program offered to ASHP members to help with professional development and networking. Using your ASHP connect profile, you can then search out mentors. If you have advice to offer you can also sign up to be a mentor for someone else. The program is designed to allow practitioners to serve as both a mentor and a mentee. After all, it is much easier to learn from others experiences and mistakes, and to utilize them to make your experiences that much better.