Left: Laura Romano (pre-vet) with baby possums at Schuylkill Wildlife Refuge, Hagys Mill Road, Philadelphia

Right: Nancy Helmy (center) with Lisa Campanello PAC and James Purtill MD, Rothman Institute, Philadelphia                      

The design of the preceptorship experience is unique to Philadelphia University as it allows students to gain an insight into the career they want to pursue by working side-by-side with health care professionals including veterinarians, physicians and dentists or scientists involved in a variety of fields of medical research. You can also go to E Portfolio to read what students found in their preceptorships at http://philau.digication.com/preceptorships/Home//

Below are excerpts of what students and preceptors have said about the courses: -

Preceptors

The utility of such an experience is to give greater insight into the medical profession and allow an informed decision about continuing on a course in medicine.  I also attempted to give an awareness of how our prejudices and world views impact our relationships with patients (Dr David Lewis, Family Practice, Philadelphia, PA)

I believe that all of the students had the opportunity to learn about the work life of an academic pediatrician, and have had the chance to learn some basic pediatrics, as well as the opportunity to work on a meaningful project within the area of pediatrics. For the students going into medicine, I think this was very useful. (Dr. Alexis Lieberman, Department of Pediatrics, Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA)

Students

Medical TV shows are different from reality. During my preceptorship with Dr. Purtill, I witnessed how real professional doctors work. I saw the diagnosis process, methods of treatment, and in some cases the effect of the treatment ("did the first treatment work or fail?"). I met residents, medical students in various years, and fellows, so I saw the different stages of becoming a doctor right in front of my eyes. Nancy Helmy - Class of 2011, Pre-Medical Studies

This past summer I worked for Dr. John Ruggieri, DMD for my preceptorship course. During my time working in the office, I was able to learn a variety of procedures involved in the field of dentistry by observing patients. Furthermore, while I observed, Dr. Ruggieri provided step-by-step explanations of every technique that was being used. Secondly, I was able to develop better communication skills. In my opinion, there is nothing more important in the medical profession than being comfortable with patient interaction. Finally, during my time at the office I was able to gain experience, outside of the classroom, in the field of medicine. These courses allow students to expand their knowledge of the real world of medicine and decide for sure, whether or not they see themselves in this position in the future. - Natalie Cellini – Class of 2004    Biology/ Pre-Medicine

The preceptorship at Albert Einstein Medical Center not only gave me a chance to gain clinical knowledge but was also a unique learning experience for me. As part of the preceptorship I was able to shadow my preceptor, Dr. Alexis Lieberman, in clinics. This gave me an opportunity to learn about different diseases, their diagnoses and how they are treated. However more importantly for myself, I was also able to learn how to interact with patients, what kind of questions should be asked, and how to make them feel better even before inquiring about their illness.  -  Mohammad Ghani – Class of 2003, Biology/ Pre-Medicine