Reflections from Past Participants
I’ve done a lot of reading, watched a lot of videos, and have even attended a conference focused on HIV. But having an opportunity for one-on-one interaction in a small group was the best type of learning. We came from different backgrounds – physician, NP, pharmacist — and it really showed me that I am part of a team and I can do more working with others. I’ve also developed a great relationship with my preceptor. I had a patient that I had a question about, and I was able to reach out to her for guidance even after the clinical preceptorship.
—Physician
It’s been quite some time since I did my 6-week rotation that included HIV when I was in school. Participating in the preceptorship was really great for me. I’ve told so many people about it, and I would recommend it to anyone who is involved in caring for people with HIV.
—Nurse Practitioner
The program helped me see my patients with HIV more comprehensively. I’m able to approach them differently as part of my practice. I also liked that there was a support system built into the program. It was nice to come back week after week to learn from the faculty and my peers.
— Pharmacist
Not only did I learn a lot but the class also helped me to see what I didn’t know and need to learn more about to increase my comfort level as I treat patients with HIV. I work in a primary care setting and this class will definitely help me to treat the patients with HIV who are under my care.
—Nurse Practitioner
Hearing from the preceptors about cases they’ve had and how they dealt with them really helped me with what I do. I can read books and articles all day long but to have experts share their individualized experiences, giving tips and pointers was really valuable.
—Nurse Practitioner
This was a valuable experience for my knowledge and for the health of my patients. I am using critical thinking skills that were taught to me through the classes to better manage my patients. I am so thankful for this experience and opportunity for learning.
—Nurse Practitioner
I really enjoyed the experience. I liked the informal case discussions. We had a small group and we had time to talk about challenges in our own clinics. I also liked the long-term connections I’ve developed. Since participating, I’ve gone back to them to ask what they would do in different scenarios.
—Nurse Practitioner
The preceptorship was valuable to me as a non-ID-trained physician. Today we see more and more that primary care clinicians are being encouraged to provide HIV as well as primary care to PWH. An opportunity like this preceptorship offers primary care clinicians a valuable experience and insights into how we can effectively provide both primary care and HIV-management for our patients.
—Physician
This program was definitely worth participating. Because of the confidence I developed, I feel like a different provider. I have been working in my current position for a long time but never had any formal training in HIV care. After participating in the Preceptorship program I feel more confident in what I’m doing. This is better for me as a provider and for my patients.
—Nurse Practitioner
When I participated in the preceptorship I was the main HIV clinician at a FQHC with a low volume of HIV cases. The preceptorship confirmed for me that HIV primary care is a priority for me in my career and reinvigorated my passion for HIV care. As someone who got broad training it supplemented my professional development and engaged me in the latest science that is coming out on HIV care. It was also helpful in giving me a broader perspective of challenges I faced in my own clinic.
—Physician
It was really helpful to interact with clinicians from other areas of the country who are focused on the same goal and mission. It was extremely motivating to take that energy and bring it back to my community and where I’m working.
—Pharmacist
I felt like I was in a great learning environment during the preceptorship. I loved being in a group with providers from multiple professions and learning from them as well as the preceptor. We were all trained differently. We come at things from different perspectives. The small groups gave us a chance to learn from each other. However, I also appreciated the didactic portions of the program. In nurse practitioner training there is no ID specialization, so I appreciated the advanced didactics on the medication classes.
—Nurse Practitioner