Giles selected as UW SMPH Phase 1 Preceptor Program Director

Dobie Giles, MD, MS, MBA, professor in the Division of Urogynecology and Reconstructive Pelvic Surgery, has been selected for an exciting leadership role in medical student education! Giles is the new director of the Phase 1 Preceptor Program in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health, effective January 1, 2025.

As part of the UW School of Medicine and Public Health ForWard curriculum, every Phase 1 student is assigned a preceptor to support their growth. Preceptors can be members of UW SMPH faculty or physicians who work elsewhere in southern Wisconsin. The preceptor relationship gives students an opportunity to develop their skills in Phase 1 by working one-on-one with a physician in an office setting. Under preceptor supervision, the students progress to working with patients. Throughout the 18 months of Phase 1, students also identify a quality improvement project that can improve quality of care at the clinic.

As Director of the Phase 1 Preceptor Program (P1PP), Giles is responsible for the integration of the P1PP within the medical school curriculum and support of the Phase 1 students and their preceptors throughout the program. An important part of the role is building and maintaining positive relationships with health systems throughout southern Wisconsin, to ensure productive relationships and high-quality placements for SMPH students. Giles will also provide education and orientation to preceptors, review student and preceptor feedback for continuous quality improvement, work closely with block leaders to align P1PP curriculum with other block activities, and more. 

This director role reports to the Phase 1 Director in the UW School of Medicine and Public Health. Giles looks forward to more interactions with the undergraduate medical students while they are adjusting to medical school: “I enjoy watching them develop from that first overwhelming week of med school into the confident students that transition into the Phase 2 clinical setting,” he says.

We cannot think of anyone better suited to support students and educators through the beginning of their medical school careers. It is exciting to have another amazing leader from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology making a big mark on the medical school’s curriculum and operations!