Psych Preceptors are the Hardest to find. Hear from One of Our Students.
Testimonial from Carla, a PMHNP Student at Walden University
Finding a rotation site in New Jersey was nothing short of a Herculean task for me. As a dedicated PMHNP student from Walden, I was fully prepared to take on academic challenges but was taken aback by the uphill battle I faced securing a preceptor.
I tried every method imaginable. I walked into clinics hoping to make a personal impression, made cold calls to over 100 potential sites, and sent out countless emails hoping to get a positive response. My friends became my network, and I tapped into every contact I could think of. After what felt like an eternity, I finally thought I had secured a preceptor, only to have them back out at the eleventh hour. Feeling a glimmer of hope once again, I managed to find another preceptor, but my enthusiasm was short-lived. Walden University didn’t approve the site because there were already three students assigned to that preceptor. The frustration, disappointment, and sheer exhaustion from this process were overwhelming.
That’s when I stumbled upon Preceptor Tree. With mounting pressure and dwindling hope, I was apprehensive but decided to give it a try. To my amazement, they helped me find a preceptor in the nick of time. I’m immensely grateful to Preceptor Tree for being the lifeline I desperately needed.
However, my journey has left an indelible mark. The process is more daunting than it should be for students eager to learn and serve. I truly hope that the system evolves so future students don’t have to endure such a tumultuous experience. We enter this field with a passion to help and heal, and the pathway to achieving that shouldn’t be this challenging.
