A pilot advanced practice provider (APP) fellowship program in oncology and hematology successfully enhanced clinical readiness, productivity, and job satisfaction for new graduate nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) entering specialty practice in a large community oncology network. 

This research was presented by Susan M. Utley, MSN, FNP-BC, AOCNP, Tennessee Oncology, Nashville, Tennessee, at the 2025 Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology (JADPRO) meeting in National Harbor, Maryland.

Most NP and PA graduate programs include limited oncology-specific education, contributing to early-career burnout and costly workforce attrition. To address this, an initiative to prepare new graduate APPs to provide high-quality cancer care in specialty areas while improving retention rates within a community oncology setting to better equip these centers to meet the growing demand for high-quality cancer care across non-academic environments.

Fellowship development followed national APP Fellowship Accreditation (APPFA) guidelines and included structured didactic content, clinical rotations, mentorship, and continuing education. Key implementation steps included leadership approval and appointment of a fellowship coordinator, curriculum design informed by current literature and APPFA benchmarks, targeted recruitment through local NP and PA programs which require personal statements and recommendations, and preceptor and mentor training to ensure consistent educational oversight.

Over a 12-month fellowship, an APP fellow completed all assigned self-study modules and earned 70 CE/CME credits. Self-assessed competency improved across all clinical domains. Productivity, which was measured by patient volume and visit complexity, increased notably in the final 4 months of the fellowship and a full-time role in medical oncology was accepted at the conclusion of the program. 

Feedback from physician and APP preceptors was positive and the program garnered strong administrative support. Early outcomes support the fellowship’s impact on onboarding success, clinical skill development, and integration into the oncology care team.

The researchers concluded, “An APP Oncology and Hematology Fellowship can be successfully implemented in a large community practice.”

They added, “An APP fellowship is a pipeline of clinical talent into a cancer practice and helps new graduate APPs become well-prepared for a career in oncology and hematology.”

Source:

Utley S, Bushart H, Deline N, et al. Development and Implementation of an Advanced Practice Provider Oncology and Hematology Fellowship at a Large Community Oncology Practice. Presented at the 2025 Journal of the Advanced Practitioner in Oncology Meeting. October 23-26, 2025; National Harbor, Maryland. Abstract JL1318C.