Advanced Practice Provider Fellowship Program

Through the Advanced Practice Provider Best Practice Center (APP-BPC), MUSC Health offers various post-graduate fellowships for Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants. The goal is to provide an enhanced, immersive, and comprehensive APP post-graduate experience, supporting a successful and safe transition into a complex clinical practice setting. Ideal candidates are newly graduated APPs or experienced APPs who wish to change specialties. MUSC offers a wide range of fellowship tracks that cover various patient populations and practice areas – including ambulatory, inpatient, operating room, and intensive care. In addition to clinical experience, this one-year fellowship includes robust didactic curriculum, quality improvement projects, and a leadership focused journal club.

The APP BPC provides primary oversight of the various APP Fellowship tracks with support from the APP Fellowship Director, APP Fellowship Coordinators, APP Mentors, and Medical Directors. These key individuals are committed to the specialized development of the APP Fellow and provide essential mentorship and coaching to foster clinical and professional growth.

Currently, all MUSC APP Fellowship tracks complete clinical requirements at the Charleston Campus with start dates in October or February. By the end of their fellowship year, APP Fellows are highly competitive candidates poised to continue their practice at MUSC Health.

Acute Care Surgery (PA, AGACNP + RNFA)

The Acute Care Surgery (ACS) APP Fellow will be exposed to a wide array of specialties and practice environments within the Department of Surgery through monthly rotations that include the Surgical/Trauma/Burn ICU, burn surgery, trauma surgery, acute care and general surgery, as well as additional elective rotation opportunities.

The role of the fellowship is to better prepare APPs for practice within various aspects of the acute care surgery field, including the operating room, outpatient clinics, inpatient floors, step-down units, and the ICU. The APP fellow will have the opportunity to learn various aspects of acute care surgery, including ICU procedures, burn debridement, responding to trauma activations, and first-assist opportunities in the OR.

Fellows are also expected to participate in weekly didactic lectures, monthly grand rounds, M&M lectures, monthly journal clubs, and simulation lab training.

• Start Month: October
• Number of APPs per Year: 1
• APP License Types: PA, AGACNP + RNFA
• Schedule: Rotates between 13 twelve-hour shifts or 15 eight- to ten-hour shifts per month, including nights, weekends, and some holiday coverage.

Clinical Component

• Rotations: Four-week rotations through various Acute Care Surgery specialties in both inpatient and outpatient settings, including:
  • Burn Surgery
  • Surgical/Trauma/Burn ICU
  • Trauma
  • Acute Care Surgery (ACS)
  • Transplant Surgery
  • Surgery Clinic
• Elective Rotations:
  • Palliative Care
  • Geriatrics
  • Nephrology
  • Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation
• Procedures:
  • First assist in the OR
  • Wound debridement
  • Burn management and hydrotherapy
  • Central venous line placement
  • Arterial line placement
  • Endotracheal intubation
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Paracentesis
  • Thoracostomy tube placement
  • Hemodynamic monitoring
  • Assist with bedside procedures
  • Suturing and stapling
  • Removal of catheters, tubes, and drains
  • Responding to trauma bay activations
  • Point-of-care ultrasound

Didactic Component

• Monthly Surgery Journal Club
• Surgery Grand Rounds and M&M
• Major Trauma Committee & PI, Burn Operations Committee & PI, and Critical Care QAPI (Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement)
• Weekly education sessions
• Patient case presentations
• ATLS

Cardiac Surgery (PA, AGACNP + RNFA)

This one-year fellowship focuses on intraoperative and clinical experiences, as well as a robust didactic curriculum, to provide a well-rounded education intended to fully prepare an APP for a full-time position in cardiac surgery. Ideal candidates include new APPs or experienced APPs wishing to change specialties.

The APP fellowship provides a primarily surgical training experience as a first assist in the operating room. Additional rotations on the inpatient service team, cardiothoracic ICU, and outpatient clinic allow the fellow to develop the skills needed to triage, evaluate, treat, and manage cardiac disorders at a high level of care.

Additionally, the APP Fellow will have the opportunity to learn and complete competencies on various procedures, including endoscopic saphenous vein harvest, central venous catheter placement, arterial catheter placement, and chest tube placement.

• Start Month: October
• Number of APPs per Year: 1
• APP License Types: PA, AGACNP + RNFA
• Schedule: Varied schedule based on rotation location.

Clinical Component

• OR first assist and vein harvesting
• Inpatient and clinic/pre-op rotations
• Elective rotation in the cardiothoracic ICU

Didactic Component

• Monthly educational journal club
• Weekly education sessions
• Valve conference

Cardiology with Advanced Heart Failure Concentration (PA, AGACNP)

By the end of the fellowship year, the APP Fellow will gain working knowledge of cardiovascular and cardiometabolic diseases, cardiac dysrhythmias, all stages and classes of heart failure, cardiomyopathies, cardiographics, catheterizations, shock states, advanced therapy evaluations, heart transplant, and mechanical circulatory support management.

• Start Month: October
• Number of APPs per Year: 1
• APP License Types: PA, AGACNP
• Schedule: Shifts and total hours vary based on rotation area. Outpatient rotations include eight-hour shifts, while inpatient and ICU rotations include ten 13-hour shifts. Shifts may include nights, weekends, and holiday coverage.

Clinical Component

• 10–12 rotations through inpatient, outpatient, cath lab, EP lab, and ECHO
• Clinic Rotations:
  • Heart Failure
  • LVAD
  • Heart Transplant
  • Electrophysiology
• Inpatient Rotations:
  • Cardiac ICU
  • Cardiothoracic ICU
  • General Cardiology
  • Heart Failure
  • LVAD/Heart Transplant
• Elective Rotations:
  • Congenital
  • Structural
  • ECHO

Didactic Component

• Monthly Cardiology Journal Club
• Weekly education sessions, including:
  • Cardiology Grand Rounds
  • Noon Heart Failure Lecture Series
• MUSC Cardiology Conference
• LVAD training
• Patient case presentations

Critical Care – Adult (PA, AGACNP)

This one-year fellowship focuses on clinical experiences and a robust didactic curriculum to provide a well-rounded education intended to fully prepare an APP for a full-time position in critical care.

The APP Fellow will be exposed to a wide array of disease processes in multiple critical care settings through monthly rotations in the following ICUs: Neuroscience, Cardiothoracic, Medical/Surgical, Specialty Medical, Cardiac, and Surgical/Trauma/Burn, as well as elective rotation opportunities.

Additionally, the APP Fellow will have the opportunity to learn and complete competencies on various critical care procedures such as central venous catheter and arterial catheter placement. Fellows are expected to participate in weekly educational lectures, including grand rounds, and complete an end-of-year project.

• Start Month: October and/or February
• Number of APPs per Year: 4–6
• APP License Types: PA, AGACNP
• Schedule: Shifts and total hours vary based on rotation area. ICU rotations require 13-hour shifts with three to four clinical shifts per week, including nights, weekends, and holiday coverage. Non-ICU rotations require eight- to 10-hour shifts with four to five clinical shifts per week.

Clinical Component

• Eight Four-Week Rotations Through Six MUSC Adult ICUs:
  • Cardiac ICU
  • Cardiothoracic Surgery ICU
  • Medical/Surgical ICU
  • Neuroscience ICU
  • Specialty Medical ICU
  • Surgical/Trauma/Burn ICU
• Four to Six Core Subspecialty Rotations:
  • Nephrology
  • Palliative Care
  • Cardiology/Heart Failure
  • Hepatology
  • Pulmonology
• Zero to Two Elective Rotations:
  • Hematology
  • Pediatric ICU
  • Cardiac Catheterization Lab
  • Interventional Pulmonology
  • Interventional Radiology
• Procedures:
  • Central line placement
  • Arterial line placement
  • Bronchoscopy
  • Endotracheal intubation
  • Paracentesis
  • Thoracentesis
  • Lumbar puncture
  • Chest tube insertion and removal
  • Pulmonary artery catheter placement
  • Suturing and stapling
  • Removal of catheters, tubes, and drains as needed

Didactic Component

• Mini Critical Care Interprofessional Rotations, including:
  • Pharmacy
  • Physical Therapy
  • Occupational Therapy
  • Respiratory Therapy
  • Speech Therapy
  • Registered Dietician
  • Case Management
  • Organ Procurement
  • Wound Care
  • Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO)
• Simulation training and skills lab
• Weekly academic lecture requirements
• QAPI (Quality Assurance and Performance Improvement) article presentation
• Education and teaching hours
• End-of-year quality improvement project with presentation

Dermatology (PA, FNP)

The Dermatology APP Fellow will receive one year of in-person training in Charleston, South Carolina, where they will train in clinic with attending physicians alongside physician learners such as residents and fellows while learning a comprehensive approach to patient care.

This includes specialized training in therapeutic procedures such as biopsies, advanced injections, and cryotherapy.

APPs who complete all fellowship requirements will transition into a full-time position in dermatology within MUSC’s Regional Health Network, which extends beyond Charleston, South Carolina. Post-fellowship position locations are dependent on available openings and will be communicated in the posted position description. A two-year post-fellowship commitment is required.

• Start Month: October and/or February
• Number of APPs per Year: 1–2
• APP License Types: PA, FNP
• Schedule: Clinic-based, Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week

Clinical Component

• Fellowship training occurs in Charleston at MUSC Dermatology
• Procedures:
  • Skin biopsy
  • KOH exam
  • Scabies preparation
  • Cryotherapy
  • Intralesional injection
  • Suturing
  • Assist in Mohs surgery
  • Debridement
  • UV light therapy
  • Curettage and electrodessication

Didactic Component

• Monthly educational Journal Club
• Weekly education sessions

Developmental Pediatrics (PA, PNP-PC, FNP, PMHNP)

The successful applicant will be an Advanced Practice Provider interested in working full-time to learn about providing care in Developmental Pediatrics.

The APP Fellow will join a busy and thriving Developmental Pediatrics Division that includes five MD faculty members, seven PhD psychologists, two LISWs, post-doctoral psychology fellows, and DBP MD fellows.

The Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP) operates within the Department of Pediatrics at MUSC Children’s Hospital and provides comprehensive diagnostic and treatment services for a broad range of developmental and behavioral diagnoses. The division also runs an innovative clinical research program focused on developmental and behavioral disorders.

• Start Month: October
• Number of APPs per Year: 1
• APP License Types: PA, PNP-PC, FNP, PMHNP (if pediatrics is included in curriculum)
• Schedule: Clinic-based, Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week

Clinical Component

• Outpatient Clinics Include:
  • Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics (DBP)
  • ADHD
  • Down Syndrome
  • International Adoption
  • High Risk
  • Cardiology
  • STAT
  • Autism specialty evaluations
• Elective Rotations:
  • Genetics
  • Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (PM&R)
  • Sleep Medicine
  • Neurology
• Observation and training in multiple behavioral and neurodevelopmental evaluations

Didactic Component

• Monthly rotating meetings featuring up-to-date information related to Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics, including:
  • CASE Meeting
  • Research Meeting
  • Didactics
  • Journal Club
• Weekly Grand Rounds
• Two-semester South Carolina Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities (SC LEND) training, including a quality improvement project

Hematology-Oncology (PA, AGACNP, AGPCNP, FNP)

This one-year fellowship focuses on clinical experiences and a robust didactic curriculum to provide a well-rounded education intended to fully prepare a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant for a full-time position in Hematology-Oncology.

The APP Fellow will be exposed to a wide array of disease processes in multiple clinical settings through monthly rotations in Malignant Hematology, Oncology, Bone Marrow Transplant, Classical Hematology, Infusion, and elective specialties.

Additionally, the APP Fellow will have the opportunity to learn and complete competencies on various procedures such as bone marrow biopsies and lumbar punctures. Fellows are expected to participate in weekly lectures, including grand rounds, and complete an end-of-year project.

• Start Month: October
• Number of APPs per Year: 2
• APP License Types: PA, AGACNP, FNP, AGPCNP
• Schedule: Shifts and total hours vary based on rotation area. Outpatient rotations include eight-hour shifts, while inpatient and ICU rotations include ten 13-hour shifts. Shifts may include nights, weekends, and holiday coverage.

Clinical Component

• 13 Rotations
• Clinic Rotations:
  • Lung
  • Head and Neck
  • Genitourinary (GU)
  • Lymphoma
  • Bone Marrow Transplant (BMT)
  • Infusion
  • Myeloma
  • Breast
  • Gastrointestinal (GI)
  • Leukemia
• Inpatient Rotations:
  • Malignant Hematology
• Elective Rotations:
  • Palliative Care
  • Leadership
  • Surgical Oncology
  • Gynecologic Oncology
  • Neuro-Oncology
• Procedures:
  • Chemotherapy infusions
  • Lumbar puncture
  • Bone marrow biopsy
  • Skin biopsy

Didactic Component

• Monthly educational Journal Club
• Weekly education sessions
• Patient case presentations
• Quality improvement project
• Chemotherapy training

Nephrology (PA, AGACNP, AGPCNP, FNP)

This one-year fellowship focuses on clinical experiences and a robust didactic curriculum to provide a well-rounded education intended to fully prepare a Nurse Practitioner or Physician Assistant for a full-time position in Nephrology.

The APP Fellow will rotate through various nephrology clinical areas, including inpatient dialysis, inpatient nephrology consultations, ambulatory nephrology clinics, and community dialysis centers. Fellows are expected to participate in weekly lectures, including grand rounds, and complete an end-of-year project.

• Start Month: October
• Number of APPs per Year: 1
• APP License Types: PA, AGACNP, FNP, AGPCNP
• Schedule: Shifts and total hours vary based on rotation area. Outpatient rotations include eight-hour shifts, while inpatient rotations include ten 13-hour shifts. Shifts may include nights, weekends, and holiday coverage.

Clinical Component

• Core Rotations:
  • Inpatient Dialysis
  • Inpatient Nephrology Consults
  • Ambulatory Nephrology Clinics
  • Community Dialysis Centers
• Core Subspecialty Rotations:
  • Heart Failure Clinic
  • Rheumatology Clinic
  • Endocrine Clinic
• Elective Rotations:
  • Palliative Care

Didactic Component

• Didactic lectures
• Quality improvement project
• QAPI article presentation
• Renal Grand Rounds and M&M
• Educational presentation
• Nephrology conference
• Community involvement events, including:
  • PKD Walk
  • NKF Walk
  • Community CKD screenings

Neonatal Critical Care (PA)

This one-year fellowship focuses on clinical experiences and a robust didactic curriculum to provide a well-rounded education intended to fully prepare a Physician Assistant for a full-time position in Neonatology.

The primary fellowship role in Neonatology includes opportunities to learn population-specific pathophysiology and work toward procedural and clinically relevant competencies.

The NICU APP Fellowship is aligned with an external PA certificate program for Neonatology, which is completed online throughout the fellowship year. Tuition for the PA certificate program is supported by the APP Fellowship program.

APPs who complete all fellowship requirements, including successful completion of the PA certificate program, will be considered for a full-time position in the NICU. If offered a full-time position, a two-year post-fellowship commitment is required.

• Start Month: Certificate program classes begin in mid-January. Clinical rotations begin in February.
• Number of APPs per Year: 1–2
• APP License Types: PA
• Schedule: ICU rotations require 13-hour shifts with three to four clinical shifts per week, including nights, weekends, and holiday coverage.

Clinical Component

• Rotations:
  • Shawn Jenkins Level IV Neonatal ICU
• Procedures:
  • Umbilical venous catheterization
  • Umbilical arterial catheterization
  • Peripheral arterial line placement
  • Intubation
  • PICC placement
  • Lumbar puncture
  • Paracentesis
  • Thoracentesis
  • Suprapubic tap

Didactic Component

• Academic requirements as outlined by the post-graduate certificate program
• Must apply to the external post-graduate certificate program once the fellowship offer is accepted
• Monthly educational Journal Club
• Patient case presentations