Physician Preceptors Recognized for Mentoring CHSU Students

July 13, 2022

The California Health Sciences University College of Osteopathic Medicine (CHSU-COM) Clinical Education Department hosted its 3rd annual Preceptor Appreciation Dinner on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, at the CHSU campus. The event was held to honor physician preceptors from within the community who invest their time to shape the next generation of health care professionals by providing clinical training to CHSU third- and fourth-year medical students.

For the past two years, physicians have participated in the CHSU-COM Clerkship Preceptor Program that has been a creative solution and opportunity to train preceptors on offering clerkship rotations to visiting students from other medical school during the pandemic in preparation for when CHSU-COM’s inaugural class will enter their clerkships this fall semester 2022.

This pilot program began in 2019 and has become a unique avenue for medical students from KCU and ATSU to develop relationships with our local community and help address the physician deficit in the Central Valley. For the 2021-2022 academic year, the honored physicians precepted visiting third- and fourth-year medical students from Kansas City University (KCU) and A.T. Still University (ATSU). Through the dedication of CHSU faculty and these preceptors, 100% of CHSU-COM’s visiting medical students have matched to a residency program for the past two years, with 50% of them matching to programs in California.

CHSU welcomed 40 local physician preceptors, joined by 15 CHSU faculty and staff members, to tour the medical school campus, followed by an exclusive dinner experience in a teaching environment and award presentations. Preceptors had the opportunity to see where their graduates had attended classes and how they learned.  

Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs, Anne VanGarsse, MD, FAAP, CHCEF, CPE, and two graduates from the visiting students’ Class of 2022 presented 8 awards in fun categories to preceptors, nominated and voted by the visiting fourth-year visiting medical graduates. This year was special, where the fourth-year graduates gave the first Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to the Fresno Medical Community to Harrol Hutchison, MD.

Congratulations to the following award recipients:

  • Preceptor of the Year — Jonathan Terry, DO
  • Lifetime Achievement Award for contributions to the Fresno Medical Community — Harrol Hutchison, MD
  • Most Likely to Make You Work Out Between Patients — Michael Moffett, MD
  • Most Likely to Hang Out with You — Jamie DiPietro, DO
  • Most Likely to Let You Out Early — Joseph Alimasuya, MD & Greg Copeland, DO
  • Most Likely to Give You Stock and Crypto Advice — Patrick Golden, MD
  • Most Likely to Introduce You to Their Family — Aftab Naz, MD
  • Most Caring — Harrol Hutchison, MD
  • Most Likely to Crack Jokes with Patients — George Hsu, DO
  • Most Likely to Treat You Like Family — Yolanda Castro, MD

The Clerkship Preceptors program through Clinical Education is an integral part of the medical education to teach third- and fourth-year student doctors’ hands-on skills and give them a well-rounded, clinical experience at Central Valley hospitals, clinics, and private practices. Students rotate through training sites at different clinics for 6 weeks at a time. At each site, preceptors play a critical part in providing area-focused mentorship, lessons, and evaluations for students.

This fall semester, preceptors will work with CHSU’s inaugural cohort of now third-year students. They will be CHSU’s first graduating class of medical doctors beginning their residencies in 2024 who may decide to practice in their own hometown serving the region.

CHSU is proud to partner with all the preceptors who train and support students with exceptional rotation experiences needed to complete their training to become physicians. About a third of physicians in California have reported their retirement. Our preceptors’ services and examples as doctors are contributing to the efforts of transforming health outcomes in the Central Valley.

Thank you to the individuals in the Clinical Education Department and the Dean’s Office for their dedication to coordinate the Preceptors Appreciation Dinner. For more information about becoming a preceptor, please visit our Preceptors page.