This depends on how long the clinical clearance process takes at the facility. If the preceptor works at a facility where an affiliation agreement is in place, or the preceptor owns/manages the facility, the clearance process can be completed within a few days. If the preceptor is at a facility where an affiliation agreement is needed, there is no guarantee these negotiations will be finalized prior to the class starting. In this case, the student might be placed at an alternate clinical site in the interim.