Preceptorship in a University Hospital: The Perspective of a Small-Scale Healthcare Network in Brazil’s Northeastern Semi-Arid Region
Preceptorship. Professional competence. School Hospital
The preceptor plays a fundamental role in the education of health sciences students by articulating scientific knowledge with professional practice. However, despite the relevance of this function across various practice settings—especially in teaching hospitals—questions and uncertainties remain regarding the core competencies that this professional must possess to perform preceptorship with quality. This gap in the field of knowledge justifies the present study, whose main objective is to map evidence that synthesizes the competencies required for high-quality preceptorship in the practice settings of teaching hospitals. The study is designed as a scoping review, followed by a structured interview and a focus group review. The research question was developed based on the framework of Preceptorship, Competencies, and Teaching Hospitals. As a result, it is expected to indicate that the preceptor is recognized as an essential educational agent but must possess technical-scientific, pedagogical, and feedback-related competencies, as well as professional experience and adherence to continuing education. The hypothesis is that investments in the pedagogical qualification of preceptors and in the creation of spaces for support and exchange of experiences are necessary, particularly for small teaching hospitals. The study setting will be the semi-arid region of Northeastern Brazil. The dissertation product is expected to contribute to preceptorial practice, its multiple competencies, and the strengthening of this role through institutional policies supporting faculty development in health education.