The Office of Advanced Practice is committed to the education of APPs. We seek to enroll students of exceptional quality and experience. Penn State Health System created advanced practice fellowships in Emergency Medicine, Dermatology and Neonatal Intensive Care to foster new providers’ confidence. We are dedicated to lifelong learning, professional development, and mentorship of APPs and advanced practice leaders. Continuing education is essential to professional growth, excellence in clinical practice, and optimal health care outcomes.
Advanced Practice Provider Critical Care Fellowship
Penn State Health’s Critical Care Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship is a post–graduate, transition-to-practice training program for physician assistants and acute care nurse practitioners who have a sincere interest in a career as a critical care APP.
The 12-month program includes clinical rotations through Penn State Health’s adult critical-care units. In addition, trainees will have clinical experiences with services that are integral in supporting critical care including nephrology, palliative care and infectious disease. Trainees are expected to work a minimum of 36 hours per week clinically.
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Nursing and currently licensed to practice as a CRNP by Pennsylvania Board of Nurse Examiners required OR
- Graduate of an AMA approved Physician Assistant Program or baccalaureate or higher degree program that meets licensure requirements in the State of Pennsylvania required and National Certification in Pennsylvania or in another State with reciprocity and licensure to practice in Pennsylvania
- GPA 3.5 and over required
- Outstanding recommendations from clinical preceptors, program directors, or professional work experience required
Advanced Practice Provider Dermatology Fellowship
The Dermatology Fellowship is a structured 12-month post graduate program for new-to-practice or for nurse practitioners and physician assistants with limited dermatology experience. The fellowship consists of clinical and didactic education designed to develop experts and leaders in the field. This distinguished fellowship fosters successful transition into practice by way of a multi-disciplinary healthcare approach and collaboration with other specialties. One fellow is recruited annually.
Minimum qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Nursing and currently licensed to practice as a CRNP by Pennsylvania Board of Nurse Examiners required OR
- Graduate of an AMA approved Physician Assistant Program or baccalaureate or higher degree program that meets licensure requirements in the State of Pennsylvania required and National Certification in Pennsylvania or in another State with reciprocity and licensure to practice in Pennsylvania
- GPA 3.5 and over required
- Current PALS, ACLS, and BLS certifications required
- Outstanding recommendations from clinical preceptors, program directors, or professional work experience required
Emergency Medicine Fellowship
In emergency medicine, stress is amplified by the very intense nature of the field. In a setting where it is necessary to be a jack of all trades, master of a few, one questions if they have the experience necessary to enter into the demanding arena of an Emergency Medicine Provider.
We have created a program to marry both skills training and critical thinking development to form premier EM providers. In collaboration with the community hospital within the system, the fellows are trained in both academic and community emergency rooms. Additionally, the fellows train in anesthesia, obstetrics, orthopedics, ophthalmology, trauma, critical care, and pre-hospital settings
We have trained the fellows through the high-fidelity simulation center in critical medicine skills as well as case-based study. Case-based modules provide an opportunity for providers to step through assessment and decisions in a safe environment that fosters the rapid and accurate critical thinking needed to excel in emergency medicine. Built for both nurse practitioners and physician assistants, the program was built to foster the respect and experience of caring for today’s patients on an interdisciplinary team.
Program
The program has been designed to provide the needed experience, academic rigor, and oversight to make any practitioner ready to assume the role of experienced provider in 18 months. The result of this academic program has been to prove that the fellowship graduates are better prepared, more independent, and capable of assuming a more competent role at graduation. This has made the APP fellow more functional and financially beneficial to the organization as a whole.
This fellowship will be a blended program that will allow entrance to the best and brightest Nurse Practitioners (NP) and Physician Assistants (PA). We are committed to educating the fellow in the latest evidence based medicine that will prepare them clinically, academically, and professionally to be the leaders of tomorrow in Emergency Departments across America and beyond.
Emergency Medicine fellows will experience interactive clinical education in the emergency department, pediatric emergency department, and simulation lab as well as off-service rotations. As the hosting clinical site, The Penn State Hershey Medical Center is a community-based, tertiary care teaching hospital designated as a Level 1 Trauma Center which provides care to patients from across the commonwealth. Advanced technology, exceptional facilities, expert providers and an innovative approach to the transformation of healthcare delivery provide graduates with the key resources to become well-rounded providers, leaders and knowledgeable resources in the area of emergency medicine.
Goals of fellowship
- To immerse the fellow in specialty specific competencies preparing them to think critically above the level received in their formal education.
- To expand the fellow’s knowledge of evidenced-based practice, research techniques, policy development and quality improvement initiatives.
- To foster the leadership and process improvement skills of the fellow.
- To emphasize team based care and communication with the emergency medicine interdisciplinary health care team.
- To enhance recruitment and retention of the brightest of our own graduating nurse practitioners and physician assistants.
- To fulfill a continued mission of our institution; education of the future health care providers of the commonwealth.
- Remain revenue neutral or revenue producing.
Students will gain the following:
- Experience in emergency medicine which will improve career opportunities upon graduation.
- Opportunity to participate in continued education alongside of their physician and resident colleagues.
- Protected time for their education.
- Ability to work with accomplished faculty in emergency medicine.
- Students will become well-rounded emergency medicine providers.
- Students will have opportunity to develop leadership skills, presentation skills, and have the opportunity to participate in scholarly endeavors
The Department of Emergency Medicine takes pride in its history of producing top-notch providers and leaders through the emergency medicine physician residency programs. In conjunction with the emergency physician residency program, fellows participate in weekly emergency medicine block conferences to promote interdisciplinary collaboration. This comprehensive post-graduate approach offers the advantage of a guided learning experience and direct patient care while in a protected learning environment which increases confidence and in turn presents a smoother transition to practice.
Timeline
The Emergency Medicine Fellowship is a structured 18-month post graduate program that began in August 2016. Two applicants are selected annually.
Minimum Qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Nursing and currently licensed to practice as a CRNP by Pennsylvania Board of Nurse Examiners required; or
- Graduate of an AMA approved Physician Assistant Program or baccalaureate or higher degree program that meets licensure requirements in the State of Pennsylvania required and National Certification in Pennsylvania or in another State with reciprocity and licensure to practice in Pennsylvania.
Advance Practice Provider Neonatal Intensive Care Fellowship
The Neonatal Intensive Care Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship will be a 12 month post graduate neonatal-perinatal medicine fellowship that will educate highly qualified certified physician assistants and nurse practitioners to become competent, proficient, and compassionate neonatal providers.
Minimum qualifications
- Master’s Degree in Nursing and currently licensed to practice as a CRNP by Pennsylvania Board of Nurse Examiners required; or
- Graduate of an AMA approved Physician Assistant Program or baccalaureate or higher degree program that meets licensure requirements in the State of Pennsylvania required and National Certification in Pennsylvania or in another State with reciprocity and licensure to practice in Pennsylvania.
- GPA 3.5 and over
- Highly organized and motivated
- NRP certification
- Outstanding recommendations from clinical preceptors, program directors, or professional work experience
Continuing Education
We offer assistance for continuing education opportunities.
Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants
- $2K annually for continuing education.
- Reimbursement for DEA licensure for positions that require it.
- Up to $25K Education Expense Reimbursement program for those that qualify.
Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists
- $2K annually for continuing education.
- Ten (10) paid days for continuing education.
- Up to $40K Education Expense Reimbursement program for new graduates.
Nurse anesthetist education expense program
This program provides newly graduated nurse anesthetists reimbursement for costs associated with their program of study. Hershey Medical Center will provide up to $40,000 toward expenses. To receive the maximum benefit, nurse anesthetists must maintain full-time employment with Hershey Medical Center as a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA) for a period of 36 consecutive months.
To be eligible for this reimbursement, you must be a full-time, benefit-eligible (0.9 - 1.0 FTE) nurse anesthetist who fulfills a defined employment commitment at Hershey Medical Center. Eligible participants must have:
- Graduated from a nurse anesthesia program accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Programs
- Been hired by Hershey Medical Center into their first nurse anesthetist position since graduating their program of study
- A current Pennsylvania RN license to practice their profession
- Certification by the National Board of Certification and Recertification for Nurse Anesthetists (NBCRNA)
To learn more about our Nurse Anesthetist Education Expense Program, please contact our nurse recruitment team at [email protected].