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The Consortium for Advanced Practice Providers exists to support new and ongoing postgraduate training programs for nurse practitioners and physician associates in the achievement and maintenance of the highest standards of rigor and quality, consistent with achieving the goal of an expert healthcare workforce prepared to meet the needs of patients and the society as a whole. |
Benefits and Outcomes
Benefits
Consortium for Advanced Practice Providers Accreditation: How Does Accreditation Benefit a Program and Organization?
Accreditation demonstrates a program’s commitment to excellence, accountability, and continuous quality improvement. Through a rigorous peer-review process, accredited postgraduate NP, PA, and Joint NP/PA residency and fellowship programs are evaluated against nationally recognized standards that promote high-quality educational experiences, strong clinical training environments, and positive trainee outcomes.
The accreditation process provides programs with a structured framework for self-assessment, performance evaluation, and ongoing improvement. By engaging in continuous quality improvement, programs can strengthen their educational infrastructure, enhance trainee support, improve outcomes measurement, and demonstrate their commitment to preparing highly competent advanced practice providers.
Accreditation also serves as an external validation of program quality, helping organizations attract and retain top applicants, strengthen institutional support, and distinguish themselves within an increasingly competitive postgraduate training landscape. Accredited programs demonstrate their commitment to excellence while contributing to workforce development, improved access to care, and better health outcomes for the patients and communities they serve.
As the nationally recognized accrediting body for postgraduate NP, PA, and Joint NP/PA residency and fellowship programs, the Consortium remains committed to supporting accredited programs and advancing excellence in postgraduate advanced practice provider training.
Learn more about Benefits of Accreditation here.
Outcomes
What are the known outcomes of Postgraduate NP, PA, and Joint NP/PA Residency and Fellowship Training Programs?
The evidence base supporting postgraduate NP, PA, and Joint NP/PA residency and fellowship training continues to grow. While additional research is needed to further evaluate program models, educational approaches, workforce outcomes, and long-term impact on patient care, available evidence demonstrates positive outcomes for trainees, employers, and the healthcare system.
Programs have reported outcomes including:
- Progressive development of clinical competence, confidence, professional identity, and readiness for independent practice.
- Improvements in trainee self-assessed competency and preparedness for practice following completion of postgraduate training.
- Enhanced ability to care for complex patient populations and practice effectively within interdisciplinary healthcare teams.
- Increased recruitment and retention of advanced practice providers in primary care, specialty care, rural, underserved, and safety-net settings.
- Strengthened workforce readiness and smoother transition to independent clinical practice.
Individual programs have also reported positive outcomes related to workforce retention, leadership development, professional satisfaction, and long-term service in high-need practice settings.
Postgraduate Trainee Achievement
The Consortium collects and reviews program outcomes data as part of its accreditation and monitoring processes. Data reported by accredited programs demonstrate strong trainee success and workforce outcomes.
2025 Outcomes Data
- Average Completion Rate: 88%
- Average Job Placement Rate: 89%
Completion Rate Benchmark
The Consortium’s Completion Rate Benchmark for cohorts through the 2025-2026 year is 50%, averaged over three consecutive years. This benchmark reflects the expectation that accredited programs support trainees through successful program completion.
Beginning with trainees entering programs during the 2026-2027 year, the Completion Rate Benchmark has increased to 70%, reflecting the maturation of postgraduate training programs and the Consortium’s commitment to continuous quality improvement.
Job Placement Rate Benchmark
The Consortium’s Job Placement Rate Benchmark for cohorts through the 2025-2026 year is 50%. Accredited programs are expected to demonstrate that at least 50% of postgraduate trainee completers who are available for employment secure employment within 180 days of program completion.
Beginning with trainees entering programs during the 2026-2027 year, the Job Placement Rate Benchmark has increased to 70%, meaning that at least 70% of postgraduate trainee completers who are available for employment should secure employment within 180 days of program completion.
These benchmarks reflect the Consortium’s ongoing commitment to promoting high-quality educational experiences, strong workforce outcomes, and continuous improvement across accredited postgraduate NP, PA, and Joint NP/PA residency and fellowship programs.
One resident’s experience
“After the residency, I moved to a health center in one of the poorest towns of my state. My transition to being an independent provider has been smooth. I have a certain level of confidence that enables me to keep my head above water. A list of twelve complaints in one visit no longer paralyzes me; instead I prioritize almost instinctively. I ask better questions. I put the pieces together just a little bit faster. And when I feel like I’m about to crumble from the demands of community health, I remember that there are thousands of primary care providers out there with varying levels of training and experience all facing similar challenges. I am grateful to know that this is the nature of the work, that this is simply what it requires, and that I am well prepared to address the needs of the community.”
— M.O., Postgraduate Trainee Graduate, speaking at a Capitol Hill Briefing, Washington, DC
Updated and Approved on 06/19/2026
