Looking for a special MSN program

Advanced Practice Columnist / Guide · Mar 29, 2011

You are having a hard time finding a nurse practitioner program that meets your goals because for the most part, the existing NP tracks limit us to the broad, population-centered, programs geared towards delivery of health care in the US setting. Based on what you said in your post, a good start would be to narrow your search by looking into FNP programs. This will offer you the widest scope of training in primary care for all age groups. It would still be geared towards American healthcare in terms of following national guidelines for treatments/therapeutics that are in line with US standards. As such, you will be required by regulatory boards to complete hours of clinical rotations in approved facilities that meet these standards in order to be certified. However, there are most likley some programs that could assist you in arranging for elective clinical rotations/placements for extra credit outside of the US, maybe in Mexico and parts of Latin America, who knows maybe even Africa. You will need to call or make arrangements to meet with faculty from various programs to find out which ones are able to do this. That's really the only way to find out whether a program is a good fit for your needs.

heathert_kc · Mar 29, 2011

The University of Central Missouri as a rural NP program, but that's the closest thing I have heard of but I think he is right that generally specialty education in America is geared toward helping graduates work here at home... Good luck with persuing your dream. I might also suggest, advice I was given by someone who has done a great deal of medical missionary work, before you comit to a long term assignment, try a shorter trip or two first as traveling to many of these places in the developing world can be very overwhelming, emotional, and cause a great deal of culture shock, also learn the local language.