SUBCHAPTER 42M - PRECEPTORSHIPS
21 NCAC 42M .0101 DEFINITIONS
As used in this Subchapter:
(1) An "institution" is a school or college of optometry approved by the Board in accordance with Rule 21 NCAC 42B .0101.
(2) A "preceptee" is an individual who is still enrolled as a student in a school or college of optometry approved by the Board and whose clinical training is continuing under the auspices and control of the institution in which he or she is enrolled and under the supervision of the preceptor to which he or she has been assigned by his or her institution.
(3) A "preceptor" is an optometrist, duly licensed in the State of North Carolina, credentialed by the institution for which he is serving as preceptor and who has been approved by the Board to act as such and under whose supervision a preceptee serves.
(4) A "preceptorship" is a course of study in which students enrolled in a school approved pursuant to Rule 21 NCAC 42B .0101 receive part of their clinical training in a private practice setting outside the direct confines of the educational institution and whose training is continuing under the auspices and overall responsibility of the institution in which he or she is enrolled and under the supervision of a preceptor credentialed by the institution for which he or she is acting as a preceptor and whose credentials have been approved by the board.
History Note: Authority G.S. 90-115.1(3); 90-117.5;
Eff. April 1, 1993;
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 23, 2015;
Amended Eff. March 1, 2023.
(a) Preceptees may perform all functions which a duly licensed optometrist may perform under Article 6 of Chapter 90 of the North Carolina General Statutes, provided that such are performed at the direction and under the supervision of the preceptor to whom the preceptee is registered; provided, however, nothing in this part shall be construed to permit a preceptee to prescribe for any patient in his own name or prior to the patient's chart being reviewed and signed by the preceptor. Further, in an instance where a pharmaceutical agent is being prescribed, the preceptor shall physically examine the patient prior to the prescription being authorized and given to the patient.
(b) A preceptee shall wear appropriate identification at all times when involved in patient care that will identify him to patients both by name and as a "student". Acceptable terms that would meet this requirement include but are not limited to "intern", "preceptee", "extern", and "optometry student".
(c) Prior to the undertaking of any examination of a patient by a preceptee, the patient shall be made aware that the care being rendered to him is being performed by a student in training and the patient's record shall note the patient's consent.
History Note: Authority G.S. 90-115.1(3); 90-117.5;
Eff. April 1, 1993;
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 23, 2015.
21 NCAC 42M .0103 QUALIFICATIONS
(a) To qualify for a preceptorship, an individual must:
(1) be a student in good academic standing currently enrolled in an optometric program leading to a doctorate degree in optometry at a school whose preceptorship program has been approved by the Board;
(2) submit evidence satisfactory to the Board of an educational background sufficient to enable the applicant to function in a clinical environment;
(3) be recommended for participation in a preceptorship by the dean of the optometry school or college or his designee;
(4) be approved and registered by the Board.
(b) Within 60 days of the completion of a preceptorship, the institution under whose auspices the preceptorship was offered shall furnish the Board with an evaluation of the preceptee's performance in the preceptorship, such evaluation to include copies of no fewer than one case report for each week the preceptee was engaged in the program.
History Note: Authority G.S. 90-115.1(3); 90-117.5;
Eff. April 1, 1993;
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 23, 2015.
21 NCAC 42M .0104 APPLICATION AND REGISTRATION
(a) An institution establishing a preceptorship within the State of North Carolina shall be approved by the Board in accordance with Rule 21 NCAC 42B .0101 and shall:
(1) notify the Board in writing outlining in sufficient detail the educational purposes of the program, the clinical experience they expect the preceptee to gain, the supervision or protocols that the institution, the preceptor and the preceptee agree to in order to assure safe and effective patient care, the standards by which they will credential preceptors, the facilities that are required and made available by the preceptor to the preceptee, the maximum and minimum number of weeks a student will be assigned to the same preceptor and the means or methods they use to evaluate the student's performance in the program. If the Board finds that the preceptorship serves the educational goals as outlined by the institution and patient care and safety will not be compromised by lack of proper supervision, the Board will notify the institution of the approval by the Board of their preceptorship program.
(2) within 30 days of the beginning of each academic year furnish the Board with a current list of optometrists licensed in North Carolina who are recommended by the institution to the Board as having proper credentials and adequate facilities to serve as preceptors. If "new" preceptors are to be added to the institution's preceptorship program after the institution has filed the preceptor list with the Board, the Board shall be notified prior to a preceptee being assigned to a new preceptor.
(b) To receive Board approval and be registered as a preceptee, the individual must file an application, Form BEO-7, provided by the Board and must submit such to the Board complete in every detail. The application must be accompanied by evidence of educational qualifications as required by Rule .0003 of this Subchapter.
(c) To receive Board approval and be registered as a preceptor, the optometrist must file an application, Form BEO-8, provided by the Board and must submit such to the Board complete in every detail.
History Note: Authority G.S. 90-115.1(3); 90-117.5;
Eff. April 1, 1993;
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 23, 2015.
21 NCAC 42M .0105 REMUNERATION AND EXPENSES
The preceptor shall serve as such without remuneration for his or her services. Any funds given to the preceptee shall be only for reimbursement of expenses and subsistence costs.
History Note: Authority G.S. 90-115.1(3); 90-117.5;
Eff. April 1, 1993;
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 23, 2015;
Amended Eff. January 1, 2024.
21 NCAC 42M .0106 TERMINATION
(a) Approval and registration of a preceptor shall continue in effect until terminated by the Board, by the institution from whom he or she received his or her credentials as a preceptor, or until 30 days after written notification of termination is submitted by the preceptor to the Board. The approval and registration of a preceptor may be terminated, after notice and hearing, for any violation of these Rules.
(b) The approval of a preceptee shall be terminated by the Board no later than 30 days following the date of graduation or when, after notice and hearing, the Board finds:
(1) that the preceptee has held himself or herself out or permitted another to represent him or her as a licensed optometrist;
(2) that the preceptee has in fact performed professional services while not under the supervision of an optometrist licensed by the Board or has been delegated and preformed a task or tasks beyond his or her competence;
(3) that the preceptee is a user of intoxicants or drugs to such an extent that he or she is unable to perform as a preceptee to an optometrist;
(4) that the preceptee has been convicted in any court, state or federal, of any felony or other criminal offense involving moral turpitude;
(5) that the preceptee has been adjudicated a mental incompetent or whose mental condition renders him or her unable to safely perform as a preceptee to an optometrist; or
(6) that the preceptee has committed any act or omission which would subject him or her to discipline under G.S. 90-121.2 or under these Rules.
(c) Approval of a preceptorship shall continue in effect until terminated by the Board or until 30 days after written notification of termination is submitted by the institution to the Board. A preceptorship may be terminated, after notice and hearing, for any violation of the rules of this Chapter.
History Note: Authority G. S. 90-115.1(3); 90-117.5; 90-121.2;
Eff. April 1, 1993;
Pursuant to G.S. 150B-21.3A, rule is necessary without substantive public interest Eff. May 23, 2015;
Amended Eff. March 1, 2023.