The professional growth of our Advance Practice Providers (APPs) is one of Penn Medicine’s top priorities. At Penn Medicine, we provide our APPs the opportunity for continued engagement and challenge through their career with our Professional Advancement and Clinical Excellence Program (PAaCE). At Penn, we recognize that APPs are seeking organizations that support them professionally and provide opportunities for them to stay engaged and challenged in their career.
The Value of Penn Medicine’s PAaCE Program
Penn Medicine’s PAaCE program is an advancement model that supports, fosters, and recognizes the experience, contributions, and professional development of APPs. This empirically based program recognizes APPs who have made significant and sustainable impacts in leadership, education, practice, and professional contributions.
The PAaCE program is guided by the foundational principle that clinical practice is core to all APPs. It distinguishes those making exceptional contributions in the four domains of advanced practice:
Supporting APPs at All Stages of Their Career
Penn Medicine’s PAaCE Program supports APPs at all stages of their career—from novice to seasoned professional. As APPs gain experience and meet the PAaCE program criteria for advancement, they are promoted to the next professional level.
APP I
A novice/advanced beginner is a new-to-practice APP from the time of transition into APP role to a minimum of <30 months (2.5 years) of practice.
An APP I meets expected competencies for clinical practice, is developing as an integral APP member of Penn Medicine, and must demonstrate evidence of competency to progress to APP II during their performance evaluation cycle at 30 months (2.5 years).
APP II
An APP II delivers excellent patient care and makes significant and meaningful contributions both clinically and professionally. APP II has a minimum of 30 months (2.5 years) of clinical experience and have successfully met criteria for advancement through the PAaCE program. Most APPs will have fulfilling careers as an APP II.
APP Senior
An APP Senior has greater than 72 months (6 years) of APP experience and is recognized as an expert in his or her field by peers and colleagues alike. In choosing to promote, APP Seniors are affirming their commitment to clinical care through their practice. As part of this commitment, they are expected to make significant contributions to patients, peers, and clinical practice, while also disseminating best practices.
While clinical practice is the hallmark of this trajectory, an APP Senior must also demonstrate excellence in education, leadership, and quality through teaching, preceptorship, engagement and alignment with divisional, departmental, and organizational initiatives and goals.
Becoming an APP Senior
The APP Senior Application Process
The process to apply for APP Senior is rigorous. Eligible APPs must have demonstrated excellence in clinical practice. They also must have significant contributions in leadership, education, and in their profession, APP IIs are evaluated for promotion to APP Senior based on their CV, personal statement and letters of support utilizing a scoring rubric and threshold. There are two independent reviewers with an ad hoc request for a third reviewer if needed.
Professional Development Series
Professional development and growth continues once promoted to APP Senior. APP Seniors are offered and commit to a one year Professional Development Series. The primary objectives of this 16-hour series are twofold: firstly, to establish a solid foundation of leadership skills that will enhance your capabilities in your role, and secondly, to create opportunities for you to foster meaningful relationships with fellow leaders and colleagues throughout the entire system.
Special Interest Groups
Once the APP Senior Professional Development Series is completed APP Seniors engage in Special Interest Groups. The goal of the APP Senior Special Interest Groups is to engage APP Seniors as thought leaders at Penn Medicine. The groups are focused on the APP domains of practice: Clinical Excellence, Leadership, Education and Professional Contribution with the aim to create continued opportunities for growth for those who are at the APP I and II levels. They play a crucial role in establishing priorities within each domain, ensuring that the focus remains on the most important areas for development and advancement.