Preceptor Resources
The Script — September 2025
Starting with the Class of 2026, students have been introduced to a structured approach for working up patient cases. This includes creating a comprehensive problem list, identifying appropriate and inappropriate therapies, and developing a monitoring plan. The students know this as the BLT Method and have access to a template for rotations. Please refer to the rotation manuals found on the homepage in CORE ELMS for further details. If you have a learner who is struggling to connect the various aspects of patient care or one who needs to "DIG DEEPER," we encourage you to have them work through the BLT Method as a helpful tool to guide their learning.
Adapting, Guiding, and Growing with Every Student
What do you want other preceptors to know about you? (Introduce yourself)
My name is Rachele Harrison. I graduated from North Dakota State University in 2019. I went on to complete a 24-month PGY1 Pharmacy Practice and Academic Leadership Residency at Concordia University Wisconsin (CUW) School of Pharmacy in Mequon, Wisconsin. During this time, I also earned a master’s degree in education. I currently serve as an Assistant Professor at the Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) School of Pharmacy. My clinical practice site is with Froedtert Health in their Geriatric Ambulatory Care Clinic, where I provide care under a collaborative practice agreement (CPA) for the management of hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, obesity, and tobacco cessation.
I consider it a privilege to educate future pharmacists and provide personalized ambulatory care services to patients in the Milwaukee community. I currently precept APPE students on their ambulatory care clinical rotation, as well as PGY2 ambulatory care residents.
What are the benefits of precepting pharmacy students?
Precepting helps me stay up to date with developments in pharmacy. I’m continually learning through student-led journal clubs, discussions about newly approved medications, and exposure to therapeutic areas that may fall outside of my immediate clinical practice. Precepting also keeps me grounded; students remind me what it's like to be new to the field, helping me maintain gratitude and excitement for our profession.
It’s gratifying to witness a student experience key milestones, whether it’s confidently answering a drug information question, leading their first full patient encounter, or celebrating a patient’s health improvement. I often say that my learners help me as much as I help them. Many have created or improved patient education materials that I continue to use in practice. These contributions not only enhance our clinic’s workflow but also give students a sense of ownership and accomplishment. One of the most rewarding aspects of teaching has been seeing former students become colleagues.
How do you adjust your precepting for an underachieving (or overachieving) student?
At the start of each rotation, I establish clear weekly objectives and discuss them with the student. That said, not all learners progress at the same rate. For high-performing students, particularly those on later rotations, I often see them meeting baseline objectives within the first week or two. These students are typically ready to lead patient visits under supervision early in the experience. When appropriate, I assign them more complex patients or those facing challenging barriers to care. I also give them the opportunity to lead additional journal clubs or contribute to clinic-based projects aligned with their interests.
For underperforming students, especially those earlier in their APPE year, I take a more structured and paced approach. We work toward leading a follow-up patient visit by the end of the rotation, even if that doesn't happen until the final week. In all cases, my goal is to ensure learners are consistently challenged and supported in a way that fosters growth, without compromising patient care. For students who require more guidance, I meet with them regularly to review expectations, discuss performance concerns, and provide mentorship.
What advice and tips do you have for new preceptors?
Be flexible, patient, and open to learning from your learners. Every student brings a unique background, pace of learning, and set of interests. Establish clear expectations early on but be ready to adapt your teaching style based on each individual’s needs and level of readiness. Open and ongoing communication is key.
It’s also important to foster an environment where students feel safe to ask questions, make mistakes, and reflect on feedback. Build time into your schedule for one-on-one debriefing and goal setting. Precepting is not just about teaching clinical skills; it’s also about mentoring students as they develop confidence and professional identity. Don’t underestimate the impact you can have on their growth and how much they can enrich your own practice in return!
For both of the events below, CE credit is available for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
A Historical Perspective on Federal Law and the Practice of Pharmacy | Register
Thursday, October 23 from 12 - 1 p.m. Central Time
Virtual and Recorded — Register to receive the webinar link.
View full webinar details in the handout PDF.
Presenter: Emily Van Klompenburg, PharmD, BCACP
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice
South Dakota State University
College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions
Learning Objectives:
- Identify key federal laws that have historically shaped the practice of pharmacy in the United States.
- Explain how the evolution of federal law has influenced current pharmacy regulatory standards and professional responsibilities.
- Summarize the legal and policy milestones that have defined the role of pharmacists.
Partially Filled, Fully Regulated: Updates on Controlled Substance Legal Requirements | Register
Thursday, October 30 from 12 - 1 p.m. Central Time
Virtual and Recorded — Register to receive the webinar link.
View full webinar details in the handout PDF.
Presenter: Katherine Rotzenberg, PharmD, MBA, BCPS
Teaching Associate Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy
Learning Objectives:
- Recognize circumstances under which a schedule II controlled substance may be partially dispensed under federal law.
- Identify the federal requirements for requesting, dispensing, and documenting a schedule II controlled substance partial dispense under the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.
- Identify the federal requirements for requesting, dispensing, and documenting a schedule II controlled substance partial dispense under “inability to supply.”
- Explain when pharmacists may independently alter controlled substance prescriptions in Wisconsin and how to document prescription alterations.
Preceptor Insights Series
5 Tips for Effective Written Evaluations
Providing your learner with formal, written feedback is an invaluable part of the student’s rotation experience. These evaluations are essential to a learner’s continued growth as they work toward becoming life-long learners and trusted healthcare providers.
This video details five tips to help you write specific, objective, observable, and actionable evaluations.
Trust & Autonomy
As a preceptor, you guide, challenge, and create growth opportunities—but when should you grant more autonomy? How do you build trust while ensuring quality patient care?
Building Trust: The Foundation of Autonomy
Granting autonomy starts with trust—trust in your ability to assess readiness and in your learner’s ability to ask for help when needed. Trust is influenced by your experience, the learner’s strengths and weaknesses, and the task at hand. Understanding these dynamics is key to knowing when and how much autonomy to offer.
Setting Expectations
As pharmacy preceptors, one of the most important things we can do to ensure a successful rotation is to set clear expectations for our learners. This not only creates a structured environment but also prevents confusion and reduces learner apprehension. This Preceptor Insight video will guide you through how to set expectations from day one, all the way to addressing any unmet expectations.
View the Full Preceptor Insight Series
View the video seriesPreceptor Resources
For both of the virtual webinar events below, CE credit is available for pharmacists and pharmacy technicians.
A Historical Perspective on Federal Law and the Practice of Pharmacy | Register
Thursday, October 23 from 12 - 1 p.m. Central Time
Virtual and Recorded — Register to receive the webinar link.
View full webinar details in the handout PDF.
Presenter: Emily Van Klompenburg, PharmD, BCACP
Assistant Professor of Pharmacy Practice
South Dakota State University
College of Pharmacy and Allied Health Professions
Learning Objectives:
1. Identify key federal laws that have historically shaped the practice of pharmacy in the United States.
2. Explain how the evolution of federal law has influenced current pharmacy regulatory standards and professional responsibilities.
3. Summarize the legal and policy milestones that have defined the role of pharmacists.
Partially Filled, Fully Regulated: Updates on Controlled Substance Legal Requirements | Register
Thursday, October 30 from 12 - 1 p.m. Central Time
Virtual and Recorded — Register to receive the webinar link.
View full webinar details in the handout PDF.
Presenter: Katherine Rotzenberg, PharmD, MBA, BCPS
Teaching Associate Professor
University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Pharmacy
Learning Objectives:
1. Recognize circumstances under which a schedule II controlled substance may be partially dispensed under federal law.
2. Identify the federal requirements for requesting, dispensing, and documenting a schedule II controlled substance partial dispense under the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act.
3. Identify the federal requirements for requesting, dispensing, and documenting a schedule II controlled substance partial dispense under “inability to supply.”
4. Explain when pharmacists may independently alter controlled substance prescriptions in Wisconsin and how to document prescription alterations.
MCW Teaching Certificate Program
Completion of the MCW Pharmacy School Teaching Certificate will enhance the participant’s abilities to educate and precept future pharmacists and residents, while also improving the everyday education they provide to patients and other healthcare providers in the organizations they serve. The Pharmacy Teaching Certificate was developed to provide a robust experience for both pharmacy residents and practicing pharmacists, that is flexible to meet their individual interests and goals.
- Open to pharmacists and residents
- No fee for current residents at Froedtert and MCW Health System
- Payment required for non-resident pharmacists
- Learn More
MCW Research Certificate Program
In collaboration with Froedtert & MCW Pharmacy Department, the School of Pharmacy has developed a research certificate program designed to provide participants with the foundation to conduct research projects and support those interested in pursuing a career with continued scholarly efforts.
Pharmacy Society of Wisconsin (PSW)
Each year, PSW hosts Legislative Day in Madison, an Annual Meeting, an Educational Conference and a Wisconsin Pharmacy Residency Conference.
- Membership required
- CE Available
- Learn More
Thank you, preceptors!
Our preceptors play a pivotal role in guiding pharmacy students towards becoming innovative and engaging professionals. You provide pharmacy practice experiences that integrate, reinforce and advance the PharmD program curriculum. At the MCW Pharmacy School, we value the commitment and dedication of each pharmacy preceptor and the role you play in shaping the pharmacists of the future. Thank you!
