Because we all have a role
in making care exceptional

The Cleveland Clinic Critical Care Advanced Practice Provider (APP) Fellowship is an innovative 12-month program with a mission to train post-graduate Acute Care Nurse Practitioners and Physician Assistants to provide comprehensive critical care services to the most acutely ill Medical ICU patients. Fellows of the program will graduate with the critical thinking, diagnostic, and clinical skills necessary for the management of complex clinical cases while providing safe, efficient, and evidence-based care to critically ill adults in today’s multi-disciplinary, team-based model of care.  There will be 2 Cohorts per year. Please see schedule below. 

Timeline for Cohort 2 (2026) 

• Application deadline: June 19, 2026
• Anticipated Start Date: October 5, 2026

*Applications will be accepted through June 19th, 2026 (unless the positions are filled before then), with virtual interviews conducted on a rolling basis as applications are received. Candidates who are successful in their virtual interviews may be invited for a site visit.

***REQUIREMENTS FOR APPLICATION*** (Applicants that have not submitted required documents by the application deadline will not be considered)
●    CV/Resume
●    Cover letter/Personal Statement 
●    Minimum of 2 letters of recommendation (PA/NP program director, Clinical Instructor, etc.) (Letters of recommendation should be sent directly from the author to appccmfellowship@ccf.org).  
●    Candidates must be eligible for DEA licensure
●    Current BLS/ACLS certification*

*If not already completed at time of application, all qualifications must be completed 6 weeks prior to the start date. 

Eligibility Requirements

Nurse Practitioners:

• Master’s degree in Adult Gerontology Acute Care certification from an accredited school/college of nursing
• Current license as a Registered Nurse in the State of Ohio
• Current OH license* 

Physician Assistants: 

• Master's degree from an accredited Physician Assistant Program 
• Current OH license*

*All certifications and board examinations must be successfully completed 6 weeks prior to program start date. 

 
The 12 month, intensive training program will provide the fellow with a comprehensive, structured transition into the fast-paced environment of Critical Care Medicine. Fellows begin with a boot camp to review and establish the fundamentals of practice.  Each week includes protected didactic learning which includes case-based learning, lecture, and simulations, all with an emphasis on applying evidenced based medicine.  Clinical training includes nine months of precepted rotations on intensive care units and other services followed by three months of internship.  The schedule for our fellows varies by week and is unique to each rotation, and it includes a combination of days, evenings, nights, weekends, and holidays. Between clinical and didactic experiences, our fellows commit five days a week [roughly 50 hours/week] towards their training.   NP/PA fellows participate in basic and advanced procedural simulation followed by rotations on procedural services and dedicated airway management training in the OR. Throughout training, Fellows are supervised by department NP/PAs and physician experts in their field. Each fellow receives instruction and mentoring in professional development including a structured, 1 on 1 mentored experience identifying and completing a quality or research project with the purpose of submitting the work in the form of an abstract or peer reviewed article to a national society.  Upon completion of this twelve-month intensive clinical training, mentorship, and professional development each fellow will be a highly skilled and capable NP/PA in the field of Critical Care Medicine.  

The Advanced Practice Registered Nurse, Certified Nurse Practitioner or Certified Physician Assistant in the Fellow role reflects the mission, vision, and values of Cleveland Clinic, adheres to the organization's Code of Ethics, Corporate Compliance Program and complies with all relevant policies, procedures, guidelines, and all regulatory and accreditation standards.

Cleveland Clinic Department of Critical Care Medicine 
With more than 50 NP/PAs and 110 attending physicians, the Department of Critical Care Medicine is one of the largest in the nation.  The department delivers critical care services in 12 Adult ICUs across 9 Cleveland Clinic Hospitals in Northeast Ohio including the 64 bed Medical Intensive Care Unit on Cleveland Clinic’s Main Campus.  As a premier quaternary care center, Cleveland Clinic Main Campus provides cutting edge care modalities and a full range of specialty and subspecialty care. 

The NP/PA Fellowship is concentrated at 3 Cleveland Clinic hospitals in Northeast Ohio:

• Cleveland Clinic Main Campus-Medical ICU, Medical Intensive Liver Unit, Procedure Service, Consult Service
• Cleveland Clinic Fairview Hospital-Medical ICU, Coronary Care Unit
• Cleveland Clinic Hillcrest Hospital-Medical ICU, Coronary Care Unit

Why Apply / Choose Fellowship Training 
Post-graduate fellowship training is rapidly becoming the expected path of entry for an NP or PA who desires a rewarding career in Critical Care Medicine. The Cleveland Clinic Critical Care Fellowship recruits driven, passionate NPs and PAs and provides an innovative opportunity to train in an enriching, supportive environment, learning from world-leaders in medicine. Cleveland Clinic maintains a world-renowned reputation as a forerunner in patient care, leadership, innovation, and education.  As a graduate of this program, you will accelerate your clinical abilities and have a distinct advantage in gaining desired employment in the field of Critical Care.  

Curriculum Overview 
Didactic Training:
●    APP Critical Care Boot Camp
●    Weekly Dedicated Didactic Time
●    Case Studies and Presentations 
●    Critical Care Medicine Conference Series
●    MICU Morbidity and Mortality Conference
●    POCUS and Ventilator Rounds 
●    Fundamentals of Critical Care Science (FCCS)

Simulation Training: 
●    Airway Management
●    Critical Care procedure course 
●    Point of Care Ultrasound (POCUS)

Professional Development 
●    Mentorship Program 
●    Quality Improvement Project 
●    Multidisciplinary Team Development 

Salary & Benefits 

The fellow will be hired in a full-time, salaried position not to exceed one year of employment. The fellow will be eligible for the full-time benefits as described in the Total Rewards Brochure. The salary will be paid on a semi-monthly basis.

After successful completion of the fellowship and the termed program the fellow will have the opportunity to apply for any open position within the Cleveland Clinic enterprise. If the fellow does not secure employment within Cleveland Clinic, their employment will be terminated per the terms of this fellowship.  Employment at the end of the fellowship is not guaranteed.

APRN/PA learns the role of an Advanced Practice provider under supervision of the APRN/PA preceptor and/or Physician preceptor for no longer than 12 months.

Responsibilities:

• Conducts thorough medical histories, performs complete physical examinations (where indicated), initiates appropriate lab, radiology tests or other special tests required for evaluation of illness, and scrutinizes lab data on new and former clinic patients and hospital admissions to establish a record of the patient's current health status and to develop a working diagnosis and treatment plan with direct review by a physician.
• Works under direction of supervising physician within the confines of state law
• Performs and interprets, at least to the point of recognizing deviations from normal, common laboratory, radiologic, cardiographic and other routine diagnostic procedures used to identify pathophysiologic processes as privileged by CCF Credentialing Board.
• Performs routine procedures such as injections, immunizations, suturing and wound care, managing simple conditions produced by infection or trauma, assisting in the management of more complex illness and injury which may include assisting surgeons in conducting operations and taking initiative in performing evaluation and therapeutic procedures in response to life-threatening situations, as privileged by CCF Credentialing Board.
• Performs and interprets, at least to the point of recognizing deviations from normal, common laboratory, radiologic, cardiographic and other routine diagnostic procedures used to identify pathophysiologic processes as privileged by CCF Credentialing Board. Performs specialized procedures, including bone marrow aspirations, biopsies and harvest, blood draws, designated IV starts, spinal taps, thoracentesis and paracentesis as well as other specific procedures as directed by the physician, following approval by CCF Credentialing Board.
• Provides information and answers routine questions of patients regarding their disease, including preventive health maintenance topics such as diet, weight, smoking and topics related to medical specialty, with basic recommendations.
• Educates patients regarding their disease, treatments, related drug and treatment side effects and hazards.
• Assists with record keeping, completes appropriate patient medical chart, and transcribes lab data and routine correspondence, as directed and reviewed by physician.
• Refers patients to physicians as appropriate for consultation or for specialized health resources and treatment.
• Ensures continuity of care by serving as a liaison between patient and other members of the multi-disciplinary care team or with other specialty areas as necessary.
• Performs research follow-up studies as directed by the supervision of a physician. Assists in data analysis.
• Participates in quality monitoring thru the review of records and treatment plans for patient outcomes on a periodic basis to assure quality care.
• Facilitates appropriate length of stay, discharge planning and compliance with regulatory standards for inpatient management.
• Other duties as assigned.

Complexity of Work:

• Requires critical thinking skills, decisive judgment and the ability to work with minimal supervision.
• Must be able to work in a stressful environment and take appropriate action.

Work Experience:

• Depending on practice, surgical fields may require surgical experience

• Good verbal, written and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated competency and the ability to perform advanced assessment, diagnosis, and treatment plan development and invasive procedures as per clinical privileges.

Physical Requirements:

• Typical physical demands include the ability to walk and stand for long periods of time.
• Manual and finger dexterity and eye/hand coordination to perform physical examinations.
• Requires corrected vision and hearing to a normal range.
• Occasionally lifts and carries items weighing up to 50 pounds.
• May require exposure to communicable diseases and/or body fluids.

Personal Protective Equipment:

• Follows Standard Precautions using personal protective equipment as required.