Overview
The Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Primary Care (PNP-PC) specialty prepares clinicians and leaders to promote health equity and optimal health from birth through young adulthood in ambulatory settings. Students will develop knowledge and skills in pediatric primary health and chronic illness care for infants, children, and adolescents in community and clinic environments. There is a strong emphasis on addressing health disparities by preparing Pediatric Nurse Practitioners who have expertise to work with diverse, vulnerable, and underserved pediatric and adolescent populations.
Clinical rotations may take place in county or public health clinics, community federally-qualified health centers, school-based health centers, large health network managed primary or specialty care clinics, or private pediatric or family practices.
Applicants who are interested in studying to be a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in acute or critical care settings should apply to the Pediatric Nurse Practitioner Acute Care (PNP-AC) specialty. Please also consult this helpful resource for more information about the differences between the pediatric primary and acute care specialties.
Certifications and Licenses
Graduates of the PNP-PC specialty are eligible for state licensure as a Nurse Practitioner and to take the examination for national certification as a Pediatric Nurse Practitioner in Primary Care through the Pediatric National Certification Board (PNCB).
Application Requirements and Deadlines
| For Master of Science and Post-Master's Students | |
| Is RN experience required? |
Previous RN experience is not required, although volunteer or work experience with children and families is highly recommended (even if not direct nursing experience). |
| Other admissions requirements specific to this specialty |
Fluency in spoken and written English is mandatory for acceptance into the program. Fluency in spoken and written Spanish is highly desirable. The specialty is academically rigorous; therefore, prospective students are recommended to spend no more than 50-60 percent time in work or professional commitments during their graduate study. |
| Application deadline |
April 1, 2023 |
Curriculum
Coursework and clinical residency in the PNP-PC specialty provides didactic and practical knowledge development in advanced pediatric health assessment; family/child/adolescent development and theory; pediatric physiology and pathophysiology; nutritional and pharmacologic management in pediatrics; clinical management of the pediatric patient in primary and chronic care, pediatric sociocultural and ethical issues, and professional role development for the PNP.
In the first year, courses are taken in the Graduate core curriculum, and clinical skills begin development in the primary care setting. In the second year, the specialty includes further coursework in pediatric complex care, and clinical experiences include more advanced primary care skills and exposure to the outpatient specialty or chronic care setting. A total of at least 540 clinical hours are required to meet licensure requirements for the state of California, as well as national certification by the PNCB.
Review the sample curriculum for this specialty. Please note that courses are subject to change.
Post-Master's Certificate Program
Post-Master’s students may complete the PNP-PC specialty in 5 to 6 quarters, depending on acceptability of previous coursework. Previous clinical hours will generally not be credited towards completion of the specialty, unless completed recently through another UCSF specialty in the area of pediatric primary care. Contact the specialty coordinator for consultation on an individualized post-master's curriculum.
Learn more about our Post-Master's Certificate Program, including how to apply. (Please note that post-master's applicants do not need to fulfill a statistics requirement.)
Faculty
Abbey Alkon, RN, PhD, FAAN
Carrie Chan, MS, RN
Jyu-Lin Chen, RN, PhD, FAAN
Bridget Gramkowski, RN, MS, PNP
Mary Anne Israel, MS, RN, PNP
Angel Kuo, MS, RN, PNP
Adam Leonard, MS, MPH
Linda Stephan, RN, MSN, PNP
Contact Us
Specialty Coordinator: Mary Anne Israel, MS, RN, PNP
[email protected]
Staff Contact: Laura Moy
[email protected]
415-476-1732