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 Supervisor Tammy Ryan.
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 honoring one preceptor each month. The award recognizes an exceptional preceptor who consistently and effectively contributes to UCSF nursing students’ clinical education.
Jessica Axelrod, MS, RN, PNP, has been a primary care pediatric nurse practitioner at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital's Children’s Health Center for 18 years and is a longtime preceptor of SON students. “Jessica has contributed significantly to our students' understanding of how to provide evidence-based compassionate pediatric primary care,” says Mary Anne Israel, MS, RN, PNP, assistant professor and specialty coordinator for the pediatric nurse practitioner specialty. “We are grateful our students have the opportunity to learn from Jessica's expertise.”
“I love precepting students because it gives me an opportunity to teach and learn,” says Axelrod. “It is also a way for me to pay forward the great experiences I had with my own SON preceptors!”
Charlotte Chiarrela Redfern, a current student, stated, “Jessica exemplifies the best qualities of a mentor and practitioner. Even in the midst of a very busy clinic, she patiently guided me through her critical thinking process. Jessica had a remarkable ability to meet me where I was in my learning, offering tailored support while encouraging me to grow in confidence and independence as a provider. I deeply admired her patient-centered approach, particularly in working with foster children and families, the meaningful time she dedicated to each interaction and her unwavering commitment to holistic, evidence-based care.“
Read about other recipients of the School of Nursing Preceptor Awards.