FAQs

What is the Consortium for Advanced Practice Providers?

• National, private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) charitable organization;
• Created to advance the model and rigor of postgraduate NP training programs, both residency and fellowship through accreditation;
• The Consortium accredits NP, PA, and joint NP/PA postgraduate (residency or fellowship) training programs in the United States;
• Programs are based in a variety of settings such as FQHCs, Veterans Affairs (VA), academic practices, hospitals, and large health systems.

How to contact the Consortium?

Kerry Bamrick, MBA
Executive Director
Email: [email protected]
Address: 19 Grand Street, Middletown, CT 06457

Web: www.apppostgradtraining.com
Twitter: @APPPostGrad
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/consortium-for-advanced-practice-providers/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/apppostgradtraining

Who is involved in the Consortium?

• The Board of Directors consists of individuals and organizations who are national leaders in this area or stakeholders in advancing health and healthcare;
• Staff;
• Supporters of the Consortium: currently nearly 300 self-identified members representing clinical practice, academia, policy, and public health who are committed to excellence in APP postgraduate training and advancing health and healthcare

What is Accreditation?  

• Accreditation is a quality assurance review of programs or institutions; (certification is for individual programs)
• The Consortium’s Accreditation is for postgraduate NP, PA, and joint NP/PA training programs.
• Accreditation is a recognized way for trainees, patients, organizations, government officials, and the general public to know that an institution or program provides high quality postgraduate training
• Goal of Accreditation: Ensure that training provided by postgraduate training programs meet acceptable levels of quality

What is the Consortium’s Accreditation Program?

• Accreditation Fact Sheet and Accreditation Process Maps (Initial Accreditation and Renewal of Accreditation);
• Based on adherence to Accreditation Standards that were thoughtfully and rigorously developed by Program Directors and other healthcare leaders with consultation from experts in adult education curriculum, design and evaluation;
• Informed by programmatic Self-Study Guide that is designed to foster programmatic continuous quality improvement and innovation;
• Includes a 1.5-day on-site visit conducted by professional peers such as Program Directors who collect evidence pertinent to an accreditation decision;
• Accredits postgraduate training programs for up to three (3) years for Initial Accreditation and up to five (5) years for Renewal of Accreditation.

Why do programs need Consortium Accreditation?

• Postgraduate training is a relatively new innovation for which accreditation did not previously exist:
  • The first primary care NP postgraduate program was established in 2007;
  • As of June 2026, there are over 600 APP postgraduate training programs;
  • Major growth in specialty, sub-specialty, and acute care postgraduate training programs
• Program Directors identified the need for a national accreditation organization that recognizes a program’s adherence to quality assurance standards
• As federal funding becomes available for postgraduate programs, accreditation by a nationally recognized organization is one of the components of eligibility for such funding
• The Consortium is a national accreditation organization that accredits NP, PA, and joint NP/PA postgraduate training programs with a process that:
  • Uses practice-based standards derived from a national consensus process inclusive of expert NPs and PAs
  • Provides a rigorous, 1.5-day on-site visit conducted by professional peers recognized for their expertise in postgraduate training

What does the Consortium accredit?

1. Established postgraduate nurse practitioner, physician assistant/associate, and joint NP/PA postgraduate training programs within the United States that have graduated at least one cohort of trainees:

• Postgraduate trainees are licensed and credentialed NPs and PAs ;
• Provide a minimum of one (1) year of structured, intensive education and training;
• In a service delivery setting that supports training to a mastery and confidence in the full scope of clinical practice, whether primary care or specialty care;
• Provides training to a higher performance model of care

2. Programs that have not been previously accredited by the Consortium in the immediate time period and are likely to meet the Consortium’s standards are eligible to apply for Initial Accreditation.

3. Programs that are in their final year of Initial Accreditation and have demonstrated continued compliance with the accreditation standards, may apply for Renewal of Accreditation, with the goal of continuous accreditation.

Federal Recognition by the U.S. Department of Education

The Accreditation Commission of the Consortium for Advanced Practice Providers received federal recognition from the U.S. Department of Education in 2022 for accrediting Nurse Practitioner (NP) postgraduate training programs. In 2024, the Commission’s federally recognized scope was expanded to include Joint NP/PA postgraduate training programs.

The Accreditation Commission can accredit Physician Assistant/Physician Associate (PA)-only postgraduate training programs. However, accreditation of PA-only postgraduate training programs is not currently included in the Commission’s federally recognized scope with the U.S. Department of Education.

Legal Entity and DBA

The National Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Training Consortium, Inc., is doing business as (DBA) Consortium for Advanced Practice Providers.

While the Consortium for Advanced Practice Providers is the DBA name of the organization, the National Nurse Practitioner Residency and Fellowship Training Consortium, Inc is the entity recognized by the Department of Education.

Updated and Approved 06/19/2026