The first time a medical student sits beside a seasoned physician in the exam room, something transformative happens. In that ordinary moment of listening to a patient’s story and deciding on a course of care, the student begins to see what medicine truly means. For many, that moment, guided by a preceptor, becomes the compass that defines the kind of doctor they will become.

“Preceptors profoundly shape the trajectory of medical students,” says Dr. Lynsey Drew, dean of Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine in Provo. “The time a physician spends teaching in the clinic or hospital often becomes the moment a student discovers who they are, what kind of physician they want to become and why the calling to medicine matters.”

That calling has never been more urgent. Across the United States, and even more acutely here in Utah, medical schools are expanding faster than clinical teaching opportunities. Class sizes are growing and new campuses are opening, yet the number of available preceptors has not kept pace. Each year, thousands of clinical weeks must be filled to meet accreditation and graduation requirements. Without more physicians willing to teach, students face delays or limited access to the very experiences that make them competent, compassionate clinicians.

The Growing Strain

In 2025, Veritas Health Solutions published “Bridging the Gap,” a report commissioned by Utah’s Health Workforce Advisory Council. The findings were sobering: The state faces a “significant and growing deficit in clinical preceptor capacity,” particularly in family medicine. Its companion report, “Development Process and Supporting Research,” outlines how that shortage emerged alongside Utah’s rapidly expanding medical education landscape, including new osteopathic and allopathic programs and regional campuses designed to keep students in-state.

Research shows that most medical students who attend school and complete residency training in a state will stay to practice there. That means Utah’s preceptors aren’t just teaching students, they are shaping the future healthcare workforce of their own communities.

Dr. Drew calls this a “tremendous opportunity.” She notes that nearly 80% of healthcare happens not in large academic centers, but in community-based clinics. “Those community physicians are uniquely positioned to teach the skills, judgment and values students need most,” she says. “The investment of preceptors strengthens our profession in ways that extend far beyond any single rotation.”

A Preceptor’s Perspective

In Provo, Dr. Erik Gulbrandsen, a family physician, has been precepting medical students since finishing his residency. Teaching has always brought him joy, but it took a single continuing medical education session to change his perspective on it.

“At a UAFP CME event, a physician from the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM) explained how medical students can actually speed you up, instead of slowing you down,” Gulbrandsen recalls. “That idea changed everything.”

He began giving students meaningful responsibilities. Every morning, his students review the previous day’s lab and imaging results and propose treatment plans for each patient. Gulbrandsen then discusses and refines those plans with them before having the students communicate the plan to the patient and document the conversation. The result, he says, is greater efficiency and deeper learning.

“They remind me why we ordered certain tests, they handle documentation and they help me keep the clinic flowing,” he says. He also adopted a modified-wave scheduling system that allows both him and the student to see patients in tandem, cutting down on perceived wait times and increasing the number of patients seen.

For Gulbrandsen, the rewards go far beyond productivity. “If you give students responsibility, instead of just shadowing, the growth you see in them is phenomenal,” he says. “It’s incredibly rewarding. Years from now, you’ll have a coaching tree filled with students who remember you for what you did to help them grow. You end up helping more patients than you ever could on your own.”

A System Under Pressure

Dr. Michelle Hofmann, interim senior associate dean for the University of Utah’s new Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus, says the demand for preceptors has reached a critical point.

“Utah’s healthcare landscape is evolving rapidly,” she explains. “With explosive growth in MD, DO, PA and advanced practice nursing programs, the demand for clinical preceptors, especially in family medicine, is greater than ever.”

According to the Veritas reports, financial constraints remain one of the largest barriers. While some schools offer stipends, many physicians either cannot accept payment or choose to volunteer. Regardless of compensation, Hofmann points out that the American Medical Association’s Principles of Medical Ethics affirm a physician’s duty to support medical education.

“Family physicians are the cornerstone of community health,” Hofmann says. “They’re uniquely positioned to give students broad, high-impact clinical experiences. And students bring fresh perspectives and current knowledge that can enrich a practice.”

Teaching, she adds, is also one of the most effective ways to recruit and retain young physicians in underserved areas. “When students learn in community settings,” Hofmann says, “they see themselves building a future there.”

Turning Policy Into Action

The “Bridging the Gap” report didn’t just diagnose the problem — it also proposed solutions, chief among them being a statewide Clinical Preceptor Stipend Program, endorsed by the Health Workforce Advisory Council in 2025. The program aims to ease financial barriers by compensating physicians who dedicate time to teaching, a long-overdue recognition.

But the reports make clear that funding alone won’t close the gap. Many clinicians hesitate to precept because they fear it will slow their clinics or add to administrative burdens. Others doubt they have the temperament or skills to teach effectively. As Dr. Gulbrandsen’s experience shows, however, structured delegation and intentional scheduling can make precepting not only feasible but energizing.

Moreover, the act of teaching itself can serve as a counterbalance to burnout, a way to reconnect with the purpose that drew so many into medicine in the first place. “The experiences with our students often lead to reinvigoration of the why in medicine,” says Dr. Drew. “Precepting reminds physicians of the meaning and purpose that first called them to the profession.”

A Call to Family Physicians

Utah’s physician community now stands at a pivotal moment. As the state expands its medical training infrastructure, the need for community-based preceptors has never been greater. The policy groundwork is being laid; the funding mechanisms are on the horizon. What remains is the profession’s response.

Becoming a preceptor is more than an educational service; it’s an act of stewardship. Every physician who chooses to teach invests in the next generation of clinicians, ensures the vitality of the workforce and strengthens the fabric of community health.

As Dr. Hofmann puts it: “By serving as a clinical preceptor, you play a vital role in shaping the future of medicine in Utah and beyond.”

To those already teaching, thank you. To those considering it, now is the time. Reach out to a medical school, open your clinic door to a student and remember what first inspired you to practice medicine. The future of healthcare in Utah depends on it.

Acknowledgments

This article was developed with input and contributions from:

• Lynsey Drew, DO, MBA, FAAFP, Dean, Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine
• Erik Gulbrandsen, DO, Family Physician and Clinical Preceptor, Provo, Utah
• Michelle Hofmann, MD, MPH, MHCDS, Senior Associate Dean (Interim), Southern Utah Regional Medical Campus, Spencer Fox Eccles School of Medicine at the University of Utah

Special thanks to Veritas Health Solutions for its “Bridging the Gap” and “Development Process and Supporting Research” reports, which informed much of the policy context for this article.