Post-Master's Certificate — Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP)
UC Multi-Campus Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner Post-Master's Certificate
With California facing an urgent and growing shortage of mental health professionals, the UCLA School of Nursing, in collaboration with the UC Davis and UCSF Schools of Nursing, has launched new remote-access training that will prepare 300 psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners (PMHNPs) over five years.
Key Information
- The first remote-learning, post-master’s certificate of its kind in California, this training is being launched at a time when a shortfall in mental health providers has become widespread across California. Over 50 percent of people with mental illness in the state are not receiving psychiatric care, and many communities in the San Joaquin Valley and Inland Empire have only half as many psychiatrists as other parts of the state.
- The Multi-Campus PMHNP Post-Master’s Certificate training is a 12-month hybrid that combines remote-access education with three in-person sessions and regional clinical training across California. Students can stay in their communities to complete their training.
- Upon completion of this training, students will sit for the American Nurses Credentialing Center national certification to become a PMHNP.
Schedule and Application Deadline
Applications for 2024 entry are expected to open in 2023. Please complete this interest form to receive notification when applications open.
Admissions Requirements
Who Can Apply
- Nurse practitioners
- Clinical nurse specialists
- Certified nurse midwives
- Registered nurse anesthetists
Required Qualifications
- APRN licensure in California. Nursing license must be recognized as valid for practice within the state of California during the complete course of study
- Official transcripts from all post-secondary institutions, including any programs in which you are currently enrolled
- Goal statement
- Minimum of three letters of recommendation
- Resume or CV
- English proficiency for non-native speakers (minimum TOEFL score of 92, minimum ILTS score of 7)
Required Prerequisite Coursework
Prior coursework in the following areas is required by the American Nurses Credentialing Center to be eligible for the PMHNP certification exam.
Three separate, comprehensive graduate-level courses in:
- Advanced Physiology/Pathophysiology, including general principles that apply across the life span
- Advanced Health Assessment, which includes assessment of all human systems, advanced assessment techniques, concepts and approaches
- Advanced Pharmacology, which includes pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics and pharmacotherapeutics of all broad categories of agents
In addition, applicants must have completed content in:
- Health Promotion/Disease Prevention
- Differential Diagnosis/Disease Management
PLEASE NOTE: Students whose previous graduate programs did not include the courses specified above must complete them before applying to sit for PMHNP board certification.
Visit the UCSF website for more details »
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