Nurse Practitioner Residency Programs

As I was looking for a Nurse Practitioner job, I had also looked at and applied for two residency programs, Penobscot Community Health Center in Maine and Family Health Center of Worcester in Massachusetts. Unfortunately, I was not picked for either of the limited and highly competitive positions.

First Nurse Practitioner (NP) Residency Program was started in 2007 in Community Health Center (CHC) in Connecticut. The structure of the program was designed to be in compliance with Institute of Medicine’s (IOM) principles of health care for the vulnerable population. The facilities used in the residency programs are Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHC). Subsequent NP Residency programs have been following the structure of CHC (Penobscot Community Health Care, n.d.).

Community Health Center, Inc.
Connecticut

Community Health Center of New Britain

1 Washington Square, New Britain, CT 06051

860-224-3642

Community Health Center of Meriden

134 State Street, Meriden, CT 06450

203-237-2229

• The purpose of the NP Residency programs is to serve the underserved, uninsured and homeless population in an FQHC facility in compliance with the IOM 2010 compliance report and to provide a training bridge for NPs from education to practice.
• The program is a 12 month salaried education program that provides precepted clinics, independent clinics, weekly didactic training sessions, and specialty rotations.
• Qualification: Applicants must be recent graduates (18 months or less) from an accredited Masters or DNP program, licensed in Connecticut and be FNP-C. Spanish speaking is preferred or if not Spanish speaking, must take an intensive Spanish course prior to start of residency. Commitment to practice careers as primary care providers in an FQHC is strongly emphasized.

Penobscot Community Health Center (PCHC
Maine

1012 Union St.,
Bangor, ME 04401
(207) 945-5247

• Established in 2011 from new NP to skilled Primary Care Provider and provide care for the underserved and uninsured.
• Funded by a grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
• Program is a one year employment with benefits that includes continuity clinics, didactic sessions, team clinics, rotation through specialty clinics within PCHC and locally, and a comprehensive clinical evaluation.
• Qualification: same as above except requires licensing in Maine.

Required for application:

Letter of introduction and interest

Cirriculum vitae

Official Graduate school transcripts

Photo ID Confirmation

Three letter of recommendations with one being from a faculty member of a graduate program.

Family Health Center of Worcester (FHCW)
Massachusetts

26 Queen Street,
 Worcester, MA 01610

Established in 2009, is the second oldest residency program for nurse practitioners in the country.

Serves over 33,000 patients in the greater Worcester area.

All residents are hired providers at the FHCW.

Contact personnel:

Betty Morse

508-860-7988

 

elizabeth.morsefhcw@umassmed.edu


Santa Rosa Community Health Centers
California

• Started in January 2012
• 12 month Family Nurse Practitioner program full-time paid appointment.
• Goal is to graduate 4 residents per year.
• Located in various locations in the Santa Rosa, CA area- Vista Family Health Center and Southwest Health Center.

• Email Donna Tully, MSW, PA-C for further queries donnat@srhealthcenters.org or visit the website at http://srhealthcenters.org/nursepractitionerresidency/

Methodist Hospital Nurse Practitioner Program Fellowship
Texas
6565 Fannin

MGJ 11-002

Houston, Texas 77030

Transplant Fellowship and Neuroscience Fellowship programs.

Both 12 month programs with competitive pay and benefits. 

For more information, visit the Methodist Hospital website at http://www.methodisthealth.com


As one can see, the NP Residency program is in its infancy. Hopefully in the future, more of these programs will be established to allow future NP's to take advantage of this transition from education to practice.

 

Reference

Community Health Center, Inc. (n.d.). America’s First Nurse Practitioner Residency Training Program. Retrieved from http://www.npresidency.com

Family Health Center of Worcester (2012). Family Nurse Practitioner Residency. Retrieved from http://www.fhcw.org/en/Academics/FamilyNursePractitioner

Penobscot Community Health Care (n.d.). PCHC NP Residency Program. Retrieved from http://www.pchc.com

Santa Rosa Community Health Centers (n.d.). Family Nurse Practitioner Residency. Retrieved from http://srhealthcenters.org/nursepractitionerresidency/

The Methodist Hospital System (2012). Nurse Practitioner Program Fellowship. Retrieved fromhttp://www.methodisthealth.com/