22nd Annual Preceptor Education & Recognition Symposium

22nd Annual Preceptor Education & Recognition Symposium: “Tools for the Pharmacist Teacher (Preceptor)”

A Continuing Education Activity for Pharmacists

Wednesday, April 29, 2026
8:00am – 12:30pm
All times are in ET

The event location is hybrid. You may attend onsite at the Pendleton room at the Michigan Union and on Zoom (link will be sent to registered attendees).

Program Schedule:

7:30 am            Doors Open    

7:45 am            Zoom Session Open

8:00 am            Welcome & Recognition of Preceptors

Hanna Phan, PharmD, FCCP, FPPA
Clinical Professor and Director of Experiential Education, UM College of Pharmacy

Amy Thompson, PharmD
Clinical Professor and Director of Community Health and Engagement, UM College of Pharmacy

– Preceptor Service Awards
– Maize and Blue Preceptor of the Year Awards
– Experiential Education Excellence Faculty Award
– Community Health & Engagement Preceptor Award

8:30 am            Leverage the Layers: How to Optimize Layered Learning in Preceptor Roles

Jessica Starr, PharmD, FCCP, BCPS
Clinical Professor, Auburn University Harrison College of Pharmacy, PGY2 Internal Medicine Residency Program Director, Baptist Health Princeton Hospital

9:30 am            The Preceptor’s Role in Digital Accessibility

Jessica McCauig
Senior Digital Accessibility Specialist, UM Disability Equity Office

10:00 am         Supporting Students in Distress (Part 2)

Ed Huebner
Associate Director of Training Programs, UM Counseling Services

11:30 am         Great (Reasonable) Expectations: The Interplay of Student Curriculum and Expectations During Rotations

Sarah Vordenberg, PharmD
Clinical Professor, Chair of UM COP Curriculum Committee, Associate Chair of Dept of Clinical Pharmacy, UM College of Pharmacy

Carolyn Richards, PharmD
Clinical Pharmacist Specialist, Staff Education and Professional Development Coordinator, Adjunct Clinical Instructor, Michigan Medicine

12:30 pm         Wrap up and Adjourn

Event Information:

Preceptor of the Year Awards

Preceptors are essential to our students’ education, as the experiential education component constitutes nearly one-third of the College of Pharmacy’s PharmD curriculum. Our volunteer faculty preceptors significantly contribute to both IPPE and APPE practice experiences, offering students a wide range of high-quality rotation opportunities. These preceptors are exemplary role models, demonstrating a strong commitment to the core values of the College of Pharmacy.

For adjunct faculty/preceptors:

• The Maize Award is for an exceptional adjunct faculty who have served less than 5 years of precepting.
• The Blue Award is reserved for those adjunct faculty with 5 years+ of outstanding precepting.

For COP faculty:

• There is an Experiential Education Excellence Faculty Award to recognize their outstanding effort in this area of teaching. A list of eligible COP faculty members can be found here.

Nominate Preceptor of the Year Award

Nominations due by 12:00pm on Monday, March 2, 2026. Preceptors are nominated by their students or peers. The nominees will be reviewed by the Office of Experiential Education and peer-reviewed by specially formed sub-committees for this occasion. Recipients will then be selected and notified. The honoree is awarded a plaque and monetary recognition at the annual Preceptor Education and Recognition Symposium.

Has a preceptor…. Inspired you? Gone above and beyond to mentor and support you? Served as a wonderful role model?

If you worked with a preceptor that you feel is an exceptional teacher and role model, please go to the Qualtrics survey below to submit your Nomination(s):