Frequently Asked Questions

Is the St. Luke’s AP fellowship program accredited by a national organization?
The ARC-PA has granted Accreditation-Clinical Postgraduate Program status to St. Luke’s University Health Network Emergency Medicine Advanced Practitioner Fellowship Program and to St. Luke’s University Health Network Critical Care Advanced Practitioner Fellowship Program sponsored by St. Luke’s University Health Network.

Accreditation-Clinical Postgraduate Program is the status of accreditation granted when a new or currently accredited clinical postgraduate program is in compliance with the Standards for Clinical Postgraduate Programs. Accreditation-clinical postgraduate program remains in effect until the program closes or withdraws from the accreditation process or until accreditation is withdrawn for failure to comply with the Standards, ARC-PA requirements or procedures.

Accreditation-Clinical Postgraduate Program does not ensure any subsequent accreditation status. It is limited to no more than five years from matriculation of the first class.

What is the admission guideline for the advanced practitioner fellowship program?
St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) welcomes all qualified applicants to apply for its postgraduate Advanced Practitioner Fellowship Programs in Critical Care and Emergency Medicine. In alignment with the mission of both the institution and the fellowship programs, the admissions process places particular emphasis on candidates who contribute to the diversity of our institution and who bring a breadth of professional and life experiences to the program.

Applicants with the following backgrounds will be given favorable consideration for admission:

Current or prior employment at SLUHN or its affiliated entities
Veteran or active military status
Extensive professional experience in critical care or emergency medicine
Demonstrated outstanding academic or clinical achievement
Possession of specialty certification prior to admission

Eligibility Requirements:

Graduation from an ARC-PA accredited physician assistant program or an accredited nurse practitioner program
National certification (NCCPA for PAs, ANCC/AACN for specialties)
Pennsylvania State Licensure prior to the start of program
Proof of BLS and ACLS. PALS preferred, not required

Application Process: Applications are accepted from January 1st- March 15th. Applications are due in their entirety for consideration by the Admissions Committee by March 15th for subsequent October start date. Select candidates are invited for an interview in April. Applicants are selected based on academic achievement, interpersonal skills and interest in emergency medicine or critical care.

Required Documents:

Personal statement outlining goals and specialty interest
CV / resume
Unofficial or official transcripts
Contact information for two to three references who will be requested to provide letters of recommendation (if applicant has graduated within the past year, one of the references must be the applicant’s program director / clinical coordinator)

How does an advanced practitioner fellow successfully progress in the fellowship program?
To advance through the Advanced Practitioner Fellowship Program, fellows must successfully achieve all required milestones and competencies. The program is built upon a competency-based framework, which guides curriculum development, assessment, and progression.

Core Competency Domains:

Patient Care
Medical Knowledge
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
Professionalism
Systems-Based Practice

Fellows are evaluated on a regular basis by faculty and preceptors. Assessments include clinical performance, examinations, procedural skills, and adherence to professional standards. Each rotation and evaluation has clearly defined passing requirements, ensuring fellows demonstrate proficiency across all domains before advancing.

How does an advanced practitioner fellow successfully complete the program?
Each fellow is guided by a Comprehensive Graduation Requirement Template, which serves as the official record to ensure all program requirements are met. This summative document tracks progress across clinical, academic, and professional milestones.

The template is formally reviewed with each fellow at two key points:

Midpoint of the fellowship year – to assess progress and identify areas for improvement.
End of the fellowship year – to confirm successful completion of all requirements and eligibility for graduation.

What are the employment guidelines for the advanced practitioner fellowship program?
Details regarding the employment of Advanced Practitioner Fellows are outlined in the Fellowship Agreement provided by St. Luke’s Physician Group (SLPG) upon acceptance into the program.

Employment Status: Fellows are hired as full-time employees of SLPG with full benefits. They are not considered students, but employees with professional responsibilities and accountability to patients and the health system.
Work Hours: Fellows follow structured schedules aligned with clinical rotations, which may include nights, weekends, and holidays.
Compensation: Fellows receive a salary and benefits package during the fellowship year, comparable to other advanced practice providers, though at a trainee level.
Duration of Employment: The fellowship appointment is for 12 months.
Protected Learning Time: Fellows are guaranteed dedicated educational time for didactics, case reviews, and mentorship, ensuring role balances service with structured learning.
Clinical Responsibilities: Fellows rotate through critical care units, emergency departments, and specialty services, functioning as supervised members of the care team.
Workload Expectations: Applicants should be prepared for a rigorous schedule that integrates clinical duties with academic learning.
Completion & Employment: Successful completion of the fellowship does not guarantee employment at SLUHN or its affiliated institutions.
Post-Fellowship Opportunities: Many fellows transition into permanent advanced practice roles within SLUHN following program completion.

Are there any advanced placement options in the AP Fellowship program?
The critical care and emergency medicine AP fellowships do not offer advanced placement for previous experience or education. The entire curriculum along with clinical rotations must be completed and there is no opportunity for fast-tracking or challenging program requirements.

What are the work hours like for an AP fellow at SLUHN?
The AP fellowship program mirrors national graduate medical education guidelines with regard to postgraduate residency training limitations. AP fellows are provided with clinical rotational schedules for every rotation in the program and these hours will vary by the type of clinical rotation. AP fellows will be scheduled for a minimum of 40 hours per week at each clinical rotation and each rotation will not exceed 80 hours per week. If an overnight call is expected as part of the clinical rotation, AP fellows will be provided with adequate rest space at the clinical site.

What is the supervision that an AP fellow at SLUHN will have?
As a licensed healthcare provider, the AP fellow does have the ability to provide clinical care in both emergency medicine and critical care situations. Although there is autonomy in this role, it is not independent practice and appropriate oversite of this practice will occur as the fellow participates in clinical rotations. As with other educational/training programs at SLUHN, all residents and fellows function under the supervision of an SLUHN attending physician with appropriate clinical privileges. The program is constructed to allow for deliberate progression of responsibility as the AP fellow progresses in experience, knowledge, procedural skills, and clinical/professional judgment. The AP fellow is responsible for following communication standards with the attending physician that is supervising them. The AP fellow is also able to contact the primary preceptor for each rotation and the program director for any questions or concerns.

What is the technology guideline for the advanced practitioner fellowship program?
All participants in the Advanced Practitioner Fellowship Program are granted access to, and are expected to comply with, all St. Luke’s University Health Network (SLUHN) policies governing technology utilization by providers. Fellows are provided with the same technological resources as other physicians and advanced practitioners within the organization.

Fellows must complete all mandatory technology training modules prior to independent system use. All technology use must adhere to HIPAA regulations and SLUHN confidentiality standards. Unauthorized access, sharing of credentials, or misuse of technology resources will result in disciplinary action, up to and including removal from the program

Fellows are required to comply with all SLUHN policies governing technology utilization, including but not limited to:

Electronic Health Record (EHR) Usage
Clinical Documentation Standards
Acceptable Use of Network and Devices
Telehealth Protocols
Data Privacy and Security

What are the required technical standards for this position?
Sit up to 8 hours per day; 3 hours at a time. Stand for up to 8 hours per day; 8 hours at a time. Walking for up to 6 hours per day. Frequently lifting, carrying and pushing objects up to 10 pounds. Rarely lifting, carrying and pushing objects up to 75 pounds. Frequently stooping and bending. Frequently reaching above shoulder level. Frequently handling, firm grasping and twisting & turning as it relates to performing procedures. Must be able to perceive attributes of an object through touch. Must be able to hear as it relates to normal conversation, high and low frequencies. Must be able to see as it relates to general, near, far, color and peripheral vision. Must be able to speak as it relates to normal conversation and projection as it relates to lectures and presentations.

Is there academic credit offered in the AP fellowship program at SLUHN?
There is no academic credit offered.

Are there any tuition, fees, or other expenses associated with the program?
The fellow is an employee and is not charged tuition or fees for this AP fellowship program. If the AP fellow voluntarily leaves or is dismissed from the program, there are no financial charges for failure to complete this program. The AP fellows will incur traditional living and transportation expenses during the year.

Is moonlighting or outside work during the program allowed?
Moonlighting is allowable during the last 2 months of the program if it complies with the network policy and is approved by the program directors. The program director may revoke any previously approved moonlighting activity, at any time, in accordance with the program’s policy, or if it is determined that the activity is adversely affecting the performance of the AP fellow.

What happens if there is a reduction in the class size or closure of the postgraduate program?
Although these training programs have been in existence and SLUHN for over a decade and the institution is committed to continuing institutional support for these programs, there is a contingency plan in the event that these programs would close. The current AP fellows would continue in the established program until the completion of the cohort year. Notification about the closure of these programs would be publicly communicated on the AP fellowship website. These programs would stop recruitment and admissions of additional AP fellows in the event of program closure.

What are the defined training duties and weekly time expectations?
Each clinical rotation provides the trainee with the expectations regarding their role as postgraduate fellows. Time expectations and work hours are also provided to the AP fellow for each rotation. A typical day in a critical care rotation includes pre-rounding, presentation of patients to critical care attending, procedures, re-assessments, admissions, consults, and responding to alerts. A typical day in an emergency medicine rotation includes the evaluation of patients based upon chief complaints, generating an initial differential diagnosis and presenting this to the attending physician, initiation of a treatment plan, diagnostic testing, re-evaluation, and generate a disposition plan. All procedures are logged in program management software. AP fellows are also expected to participate in scheduled didactic activities throughout the year.

Please note that many of these above questions are addressed in detail in the AP Fellowship Manual. The AP Fellowship Manual is distributed to all AP fellows in the program and is available for review by any candidates who are extended an interview.