The short answer
During a rotation, the student’s program keeps in touch with you through its clinical faculty. Expect an orientation packet before the first day, a faculty check-in or site visit during the rotation, often by phone or video, and the midpoint and final evaluation forms. NP program standards ask for this communication between faculty and preceptors, so you always have a contact at the school.
- 1orientation packet before your first student
- 5things an orientation packet usually includes
- 2evaluations most schools ask for
- 1faculty contact for every question about the course
Why programs stay in touch
The National Task Force standards for NP programs ask schools to document a formal orientation for new preceptors and communication between faculty and clinical preceptors about the course materials and objectives. Faculty also oversee each clinical site and the student’s progress. In practice, that means the school checks in with you, and you have a named person to call.
The orientation packet
Before the first day, the school sends a packet, often by email or through its clinical placement system. It usually includes:
- The course objectives and what the student should practice.
- The number of hours and how they are logged.
- The evaluation forms and when they are due.
- The clinical faculty member’s name and contact details.
- The school’s guidance for preceptors.
Faculty check-ins and site visits
Clinical faculty check in with you during the rotation. Many check-ins are a short phone or video call; some programs visit the site in person. The faculty member asks how the student is progressing, whether the course objectives are being met, and whether you need anything. It is also your chance to share how the student is doing and ask about anything in the course.
A check-in is usually brief and friendly. Having a couple of examples of the student’s strengths and goals ready, from your weekly notes, makes it quick and useful.
Who to contact, and when
| Question | Who to ask |
|---|---|
| Course objectives or hour requirements | The clinical faculty member |
| Evaluation forms and due dates | The faculty member, or Preceptorate’s team |
| Scheduling and the rotation dates | The student first, then the faculty member |
| Agreements, school forms and payments | Your Preceptorate recruitment manager |
Supporting a student together
When a student needs extra support with a skill, faculty are partners. A specific note to the faculty member, what you see and what would help, lets the school support the student alongside you. Most programs prefer to hear early, so a plan can be set at the midpoint and the second half of the rotation goes well.
How Preceptorate fits in
Our team works with the school on the paperwork side: the affiliation agreement, the school’s forms and the evaluation schedule. You keep a direct line to the faculty for the teaching side, and your recruitment manager for everything else.
Preparing for a check-in
A check-in is quick and easy with a few things in hand:
- Two or three of the student’s strengths, with examples.
- One or two goals for the rest of the rotation.
- The hours logged so far.
- Any question you have about the course or the forms.
What faculty usually ask
- How the student is progressing against the course objectives.
- Whether the student is seeing the right mix of patients for the course.
- Whether the hours are on track.
- Whether there is anything the school can do to help.
Virtual check-ins
For virtual rotations, and for many in-person ones, the check-in happens by video or phone at a time that suits you. It usually fits into a gap in your clinic day.
What faculty bring to a rotation
Clinical faculty know the course, the student’s earlier rotations and what the program expects at this stage. They can tell you which skills the course focuses on, suggest the kinds of patients that would help most, and share how the student has done before. A short conversation with the faculty member early in the rotation often makes the whole rotation more focused.
After the rotation
When the rotation ends, faculty review your final evaluation and confirm the student’s hours for the course. This is also the moment to ask for your preceptorship letter for certification renewal, while the dates are fresh. Many programs welcome preceptors back for future students, and with Preceptorate your recruitment manager can match you with the next student from the same program.
A partnership
The best rotations feel like a partnership between the preceptor, the student and the school. The school brings the course design, the objectives and the student’s history; you bring the patients and the clinical teaching; the student brings their effort and curiosity. With Preceptorate’s team handling the paperwork in between, each partner can focus on their own part, and the student gets the most from the rotation.
Questions
Will the school visit my practice?
When does faculty check in?
Who do I contact about the course?
Who handles the agreement and forms?
Can I ask faculty for my preceptorship letter?
Does the school visit for virtual rotations?
What should I share at a check-in?
Can I suggest changes to the student’s focus?
How long does a check-in take?
Who arranges the check-in?
Sources
Checked October 30, 2026. Schools build on these standards with their own guidelines.