Preceptors and volunteer clinical faculty offer students individual perspectives and hands-on experience in a variety of health care settings and specialties. The cumulative effect of what these volunteers impart plays a significant role in the care any health system delivers.
- Clinical preceptors are integral to the future of nursing.
- They volunteer their time and energy, using education and training in an effort to assure that the profession grows and thrives.
- They provide students with learning experiences that prepare them for the role of expert care provider.
- Preceptors can advance their career by becoming a UCSF volunteer faculty, participating in CE opportunities, and collaborating on projects within the School of Nursing.
- UCSF recently transitioned to a BSN Entry to Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) pathway. We are excited to bring preceptors along this journey and to gain new preceptors. In this FAQ resource, we answer preceptors' questions about this transition.
- For more information, contact clinical placements manager Shey Jamtsho.
Why I Precept
What Makes a Great Preceptor?
Recognizing Our Preceptors
In honor of the critical contributions that preceptors make to advance student learning, the UCSF School of Nursing faculty are delighted to recognize exceptional preceptors who consistently and effectively contribute to UCSF nursing students’ clinical education.
Betza Kunkel, MD, is medical director, behavioral health and psychiatry at CommuniCare+OLE. “Throughout the over six years Dr. Kunkel has been precepting UCSF School of Nursing students, she has made a lasting impact on their education and professional development,” says Jane Abanes, PhD, DNP, PMHNP-BC, coordinator of the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner specialty. “She shares her knowledge, clinical expertise, and passion for psychiatric mental health nursing and serves as an excellent role model.”
“I enjoy precepting as I enjoy teaching! As health care providers, we are teachers and precepting reminds me of this,” says Kunkel. “Precepting also keeps me on my toes and reminds me to focus on the ‘why’ we do the things we do. I also want to give back and share the pearls my preceptors have shared with me.”
Leonel Perez, RN, a student in UCSF's BSN Entry to DNP pathway and Kunkel's current precept, shares "Leadership in psychiatric care requires immense patience, and Dr. Kunkel demonstrates it effortlessly every day. She navigates clinical evaluations with deep empathy, giving her full attention to the person in front of her. As an educator, she takes an exceptionally thorough approach. She consistently takes the extra time to ensure that both the patient and I, the student, grasp the core reasoning behind every intervention. Her passion for this field shines through her practice. Because her guidance goes far beyond simply reviewing charts, she turns every patient encounter into a powerful lesson. She is an exceptional preceptor who models the exact kind of provider I aspire to be."
Read about other recipients of the School of Nursing Preceptor Awards.