Rural ARNP Fellowship – A Solution for Washington State
Our fellowship mission:
The mission of the UW Premera Rural Nursing Health Initiative fellowship is to cultivate autonomous, confident, and competent nurse practitioners through collaborative and structured clinical education, providing continuity for compassionate, evidence-based health care that improves access and health outcomes in rural populations.
With support from the Premera Foundation, the UW Rural Nursing Health Initiative (RNHI) invited newly licensed Nurse Practitioners to apply for a 12-13 month paid fellowship designed to partner newly graduated ARNPs with rural healthcare practices across Washington state. These partnerships offered a unique fellowship experience of programmatic expertise, academic excellence, and a robust professional network designed to enhance the fellows’ professional competency and confidence in the rural clinical setting. By the end of the fourth and final rural ARNP fellowship cohort in September 2025, we anticipate having supported a total of 22 program completers.
The UW Premera Rural Nursing Health Initiative is in a “no cost extension” and no additional funding is expected beyond the grant’s 12/31/2025 end date.
Kitti Cramer, Executive Vice President and Chief Legal & Risk Office for Premera Blue Cross, welcomes our 3rd cohort of six UW Premera RNHI ARNP fellows (2023-2024)
Program structure:
- Build your own patient panel with access to expert preceptors and mentors – 3 days per week
- Participate in focused training in specialty areas relevant to rural practice
- Engage in weekly (virtual) didactics and 4 days of in-person skills workshops at the UW SON Simulation Center
- Complete a quality improvement project to meet organizational and community needs
- Network with a cohort of fellows across the state, for added support and encouragement
Why consider a rural ARNP fellowship?
“It’s an opportunity for growth but also an opportunity to help people in a community who may not otherwise get medical care or have access to providers… I was excited about being able to help and to be helped at the same time.” – Elaine O., UW Premera RNHI FNP Fellow, 2022-2023 Cohort
UW Premera RNHI ARNP Fellowship Program At a Glance:
Do you have questions regarding the UW Premera RNHI Grant?
CONNECT WITH US