Health workforce pathways seek to expose interested individuals to health fields and to train staff throughout their careers. Advanced Practice Provider (APP) pathway programs are typically those that offer training for providers with (or in the process of obtaining) master’s-level degrees, helping nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and others to complete their training as well as supporting the career development of existing APPs. These resources have been designed to help health centers and Primary Care Associations implement and improve programs for these staff, e.g., hosting APPs in clinical training or fellowship programs, supporting current APPs in their career development, etc.
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Region VIII Program Examples
Additional Program Examples
Academic Studies
Additional Online Resources
REGION VIII PROGRAM EXAMPLES
Family HealthCare
Medical Students and Educational Opportunities
A North Dakota health center that offers educational opportunities for family nurse practitioner students and midwifery students.
Midtown Community Health Center
Internships and Employment Opportunities
Midtown Community Health Center offers a dental hygiene program through Weber State University in Utah.
Peak Vista Community Health Centers
Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRN) Primary Care Fellowship
A health center that offers a year-long primary care fellowship in Colorado, accredited as a Practice Transition Program by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
Southwest Montana Community Health Center
Healthcare Student Training Opportunities
This Montana health center offers training for advanced practitioner students (PA, NP, DNP). Scroll down to the “Healthcare Student Training Opportunities” section for more information.
ADDITIONAL PROGRAM EXAMPLES
A.T. Still University
Hometown Scholars
A program that encourages community health centers to endorse the applications of aspiring physician assistants who seek to improve the health of their communities.
Community Health Center, Inc. (CHCI)
Nurse Practitioner Residency Training Program
CHCI, a health center located in Connecticut, is the home of America’s first postgraduate family nurse practitioner residency program.
El Rio Health
APRN Residency Program
A health center APRN residency program in Arizona that shares program curriculum and mission details.
Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
National Health Service Corps (NHSC)
A loan repayment program with annual application cycles for qualified health providers serving in areas of the U.S. with limited access to care; eligible disciplines include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, behavioral health professionals, and others.
NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program
A loan repayment program through the NHSC that supports providers working to combat the opioid epidemic in rural communities; eligible disciplines include primary care medical provider or mental/behavioral health discipline.
NHSC Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Workforce Loan Repayment Program
A loan repayment program through the NHSC that supports the recruitment and retention of health professionals needed in underserved areas to expand access to SUD treatment and combat the opioid crisis; eligible disciplines include nurse practitioners, physician assistants, behavioral health professionals, and others.
Nurse Corps Loan Repayment Program
The Nurse Corps is a loan repayment program that provides up to 85% of unpaid nursing education debt for advanced practice registered nurses and nurse faculty.
ACADEMIC STUDIES
Journal of Nursing Education and Practice
Thematic Elements of the Postgraduate NP Residency Year and Transition to the Primary Care Provider Role in a Federally Qualified Health Center
A study of qualitive data that reflects the experience of nurse practitioner residents and highlights findings that support the development of future programs. (January 2017)
Nursing Outlook
Critical Workforce Issues for Registered and Advanced Practice Nurses in Integrated Care Models
An article that explores how nurses can partner with state and federal agencies, advocacy groups, and professional organizations to meet behavioral health needs of patients and communities. (October 2016)
SAGE Journals
Understanding Why Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Physician Assistant (PA) Productivity Varies Across Community Health Centers (CHCS): A Comparative Qualitative Analysis
An analysis that examines how formal education programs for new advanced practice clinicians during onboarding/transition to practice leads to higher productivity in community health centers. (September 2020)
The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing
From New Nurse Practitioner to Primary Care Provider: Bridging the Transition through FQHC-Based Residency Training
An article that explores background and context for a nurse practitioner residency program, the importance of such programs, and the recruitment and selection of residents. (November 2011)
ADDITIONAL ONLINE RESOURCES
American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
Career Central
An association that offers guidance for applying and preparing for PA school, support while in school, and post-graduate resources.
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Build Your Career
An association that offers job connection resources for MFTs, plus program accreditation information and a minority fellowship program.
American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP)
Education
An association that offers continuing education resources, student resources, and faculty resources for NPs.
American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM)
Students
A professional association that provides resources for students, continuing education, and midwifery program opportunities.
American Counseling Association (ACA)
American Counseling Association
An association that provides continuing education resources and general career and education support for counselors.
American Dental Hygienists’ Association (ADHA)
Education and Research
An association that supports dental hygienists offering education and research resources and career path information.
American Dental Therapy Association (ADTA)
American Dental Therapy Association
An association that supports dental therapists and offers resources and general information about the expanding field.
American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA)
American Psychiatric Nurses Association
An association that provides career resources and continuing education opportunities for psychiatric nurses.
Health Affairs
Nurse-Managed Health Centers and Patient-Centered Medical Homes Could Mitigate Expected Primary Care Physician Shortage
An analysis of two models of care that use a provider mix with more nurse practitioners and physicians assistants.
National Association of Social Workers (NASW)
Career Center
An association that provides continuing education resources, career development resources, and job search support.
Weitzman Institute
Training the Next Generation: Residency and Fellowship Programs for Nurse Practitioners in Community Health Centers
This electronic Clinical Workforce Development Nurse Practitioner Residency Book illustrates what it means to train to a high-performance model of care, while addressing structure, curriculum, and clinical and financial resources.