I’m interested in becoming a DMU osteopathic medical student preceptor – what do I need to do?

If you’re interested in becoming a preceptor for DMU DO students, please complete the online application.

Who is eligible to receive credit for preceptoring DMU osteopathic medical students?

Any DO or MD who has completed the online application and has been approved to take a student on rotation is eligible for the appropriate credential-based credit.

How do I claim credit for preceptoring DMU osteopathic medical students?

To request credit for preceptoring DMU osteopathic medical students, read the guidelines and complete the form found at the following link: https://cme.dmu.edu/preceptorCME. Preceptor hours will no longer be generated from the student evaluations or accepted via email – all requests for credit must be entered using the online form.

What is the difference between DO and MD preceptor hours?

  • DO: Time spent preceptoring DMU osteopathic students is reported to the American Osteopathic Assoication (AOA) on your behalf and is eligible for AOA Category 1-B credit which can be utilized for licensing purposes.  A maximum of 60 AOA Category 1-B credits for preceptoring may be applied to the 3-year, 120-hour requirement.
  • MD: Des Moines University is an osteopathic residency and teaching osteopathic residents, medical students or other health professionals meets the requirements for AMA PRA Category 2 Credit™.  The hours are self-reported by the physician and may be utilized for state or other licensing purposes. Self-reporting of hours should include the activity title or description, subject or content area, date(s) of participation and number of credits claimed.

How are preceptor hours calculated?

  • Credit is awarded on a per-hour basis not to exceed 40 hours per week. For example, you cannot claim more than 80 hours for a 2-week rotation or more than 160 hours for a 4-week rotation.
  • If the student spent time with more than one physician during a single rotation, each physician cannot claim the amount of credit commensurate with the entire rotation. For example, if a DMU student had a 1-week rotation in your practice and spent time with two preceptors, both physicians cannot claim the full 40 hours. 
  • If a preceptor has multiple students during the same time period, credit is not multiplied per the number of students. For example, if a preceptor has two students for a 4-week rotation, only 160 hours can be claimed.

How often are preceptor hours processed?

Only hours that are submitted through the online preceptor credit form will be processed. You may access the form here, https://cme.dmu.edu/preceptorCME. Preceptor hours submitted through this online form are processed twice per year. Preceptor hours for DO’s are reported to the AOA by DMU and all preceptors receive a confirmation letter at the end of each period for self-reporting and documentation purposes. One month is given post-reporting period to submit your preceptor hours. After this timeframe, your CME hours may be forfeited. The reporting period is as follows:

Reporting Period Reported to the AOA*
January 1 – March 31Approximately May 15
April 1 – June 30Approximately August 15
July 1 – September 30Approximately November 15
October 1 – December 31Approximately February 15

* Once reported to the AOA, it may take up to six weeks for the hours to appear on your transcript. 

How do I document my preceptor CME hours?

When hours are claimed through the preceptor online reporting form, you will received an automated confirmation email that contains a summary of your submission. This email can be used to document your preceptor hours. Additionally, after the quarterly processing of submitted preceptor hours, you will receive an email with instructions to access a certificate of participation summarizing any hours that you submitted during the previous reporting period. This summary will be accessed through your DMU CME account; if you haven't already done so, please create an account in order to expedite the processing of your hours.

How do I access my AOA transcript?

From the AOA homepage, click on the yellow rectangle that says "View CME Report" (screenshot below). You will be directed to the login page. DMU does not have access to your AOA log-in information. If you don’t remember your password, you are able to request a new one.

Once logged in, a screen will appear that will show the available cycles. You can click on the cycle you are interested in viewing. A sample is shown below.

I cannot find my hours on my AOA transcript.

The AOA transcript contains several sections. CME Details contains the activities that have been submitted to the AOA during the current membership cycle, and Specialty CME Details (if applicable) contains the activities that have been submitted and are eligible for the physician’s designated specialty credit.

The AOA classifies educational activities into general categories, such as Osteopathic Preceptoring or Formal Teaching in the Specialty, that appear on one’s transcript. If you don’t believe an activity is listed, look for the date of the activity. If the date and amount of credit is appropriate for the activity, this means that the hours have been successfully applied and that the AOA classified the activity into a general category so the specific activity title does not appear on the transcript.

If more than six weeks have passed since your hours were submitted to the AOA for a specific reporting period, please contact the DMU CME office at cme@dmu.edu or 515-271-1596.

I’m interested in other educational activities offered by DMU. 

DMU CME has a robust live calendar and many online offerings. We encourage you to visit the event calendar or browse our searchable catalog which allows you to find activities that are specific to a certain topic, credit type, course format, and much more!

I'm a nurse. Am I able to receive credit for precepting DMU students?

Click here to learn more.