Developing a Nurse Practitioner Workforce for Primary Care: Evaluation of a Fellowship Program

Authors

• Paula Smith, Southern New Hampshire Health Education Center
• Sophie Weider, Institute for Health Policy and Practice, University of New Hampshire
• Brianna Ferraro
• Michelle Capozzoli, University of New Hampshire
• Carli Giani
• Gene Harkless, University of New Hampshire
• Marcy Doyle, Institute for Health Policy and Practice, University of New Hampshire

Abstract

Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) help to address the shortage of primary care providers. However, the transition from student to practicing FNP can be challenging, prompting the development of fellowship programs. This article investigates the evaluation of a fellowship program and its impact on the development of new FNPs. Using a Likert-type scale, self-evaluations at 3, 6, and 12 months of the 1-year program were examined across 5 cohorts with the use of t tests and repeated-measures analysis of variance. Findings suggested significant improvements in several competency domains. These results underscore the value of postgraduate programs and their importance to the growth of the FNP workforce.

Department

College of Health and Human Services Institute for Health Policy and Practice

Publication Date

Spring 3-18-2026

Journal Title

ScienceDirect

Document Type

Article

Recommended Citation

Paula Smith, Sophie Weider, Brianna Ferraro, Michelle Capozzoli, Carli Giani, Gene Harkless, Marcy Doyle, Developing a Nurse Practitioner Workforce for Primary Care: Evaluation of a Fellowship Program, The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, Volume 22, Issue 5, 2026, 105739, ISSN 1555-4155, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nurpra.2026.105739. (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1555415526000528) Abstract: Family nurse practitioners (FNPs) help to address the shortage of primary care providers. However, the transition from student to practicing FNP can be challenging, prompting the development of fellowship programs. This article investigates the evaluation of a fellowship program and its impact on the development of new FNPs. Using a Likert-type scale, self-evaluations at 3, 6, and 12 months of the 1-year program were examined across 5 cohorts with the use of t tests and repeated-measures analysis of variance. Findings suggested significant improvements in several competency domains. These results underscore the value of postgraduate programs and their importance to the growth of the FNP workforce. Keywords: fellowship; novice to expert model; nurse practitioner; primary care; residency; workforce