Nurse Faculty Residency Program
The Nurse Faculty Residency is an opportunity for individuals to receive job training and skill development to prepare them for a teaching career in Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN), Master’s Entry Program in Nursing (MEPN), or Advanced Practice Provider (NP or PA) programs.
Applicants who are currently enrolled in, accepted to, or have completed a master’s degree program in nursing, another health-related field, or administration are eligible. Individuals who are pursuing or have earned a master’s degree in education, an MSN in education or MSN with a concentration in education are not eligible. Current doctoral students or those who have earned a doctoral degree (DNP, PhD, etc.) in nursing, another health-related field, administration or education are not eligible.
About the Nurse Faculty Residency
This program emphasizes:
- Collegial relationships
- Opportunities to teach and mentor students
- Opportunities to shape nursing practice
Across the 12-month program, participants will complete the following requirements:
- Three Health Professions Educator online courses, applying their knowledge to prepare class lessons and syllabi and assist faculty with overall course preparation
- Participants will also work with faculty to plan, implement, and evaluate student assignments, and facilitate active learning sessions with students.
- Complete active learning sessions including the Western States Simulation Alliance training, such as Simulations and High-Fidelity Simulations, Basic and Advanced Debriefing, and Adapting and Evaluating Simulation Activities
- Work toward their master’s degree (unless already earned), which may include nursing, other select health-related fields, or administration
- An online or local hybrid master's degree program is preferred to ensure residents can fully participate in the teaching experience.
Upon completion of the program, participants will be prepared to take the NLN CNE® novice exam and be well positioned to apply for faculty positions.
The program will train a minimum of 20 participants over the four-year grant period.
Applications for this program are currently closed. Applications for the 2026-27 cohort are set to open in late 2025.
Join our email list to receive updates on opportunities to join this program.
Stipend
- Participants in the Nurse Faculty Residency (NFR) will receive an annual stipend of $75,000 (paid monthly).
- Stipend payments are contingent on satisfactory performance in the program and fulfillment of all program requirements.
Tuition
- In addition to the program stipend, participants can receive up to $50,000 in tuition assistance toward their master's degree program, if eligible.
- Participants must be enrolled or accepted as a student at the time of application and in a program with a focus on nursing, another health-related field, or administration.
- Participants must maintain a passing status for the duration of the RETAIN program.
- Students enrolled in a master's degree in education, or MSN in nursing education, or MSN with a concentration in education are not eligible for this program.
- For applicants who already have a graduate degree in nursing, another health-related field, or administration, tuition assistance is not applicable.
- Scholarships and student loan reimbursement/forgiveness are not available under this grant-funded program.
Co-teaching
Each NFR will be precepted by an experienced nurse faculty member who will facilitate their learning and supervise all co-teaching activities in and out of the classroom. Participants will learn the skills to develop and implement a nursing or nursing-related graduate course, develop and provide lectures, facilitate student simulations, and conduct student assessments, including grading papers. They will work with a learning management system (e.g., Canvas) and learn classroom management skills.
Teaching experiences will be coordinated by the program and may include courses taught in partner organizations located throughout Northern California. The RETAIN program will facilitate teaching placement to align with applicant interests to the degree possible. Please note: Currently, placements in the SF Bay Area or Southern California are not available.
Benefits
Benefits (e.g., health and welfare benefits) are not available; however, there are some supportive funds available for individuals who meet the eligibility requirements.
Health Professions Educator Graduate Academic Unit Certificate Program
Participants completing the three mandatory Health Professions Educator courses will receive a Graduate Academic Unit Certificate and be prepared to sit for the NLN CNE® novice exam. The costs associated with the prep course and exam are covered by the residency program.
The Health Professions Educator Graduate Academic Unit Certificate Program consists of three courses (UC Davis Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters), 12 units total, and includes topics such as curriculum development, clinical skills teaching, classroom management and student assessments. These courses are provided through UC Davis with a practical portion that will consist of application toward the NFRs’ selected focus. On-site and online training assignments will be scheduled with the residents.
Travel
Travel to the UC Davis Health Sacramento campus a minimum of 3-4 times in the 12-month program is required. More travel may be required for in-person courses.
Residents are required to travel to teaching sites for in-person education days that may be geographically distant from their homes. Reimbursement for travel expenses may be available based on need.
Schedule
View a sample of the program schedule
Other support for participants
Need-based services are available to participants who meet the eligibility requirements. Contact RETAIN@health.ucdavis.edu for more details.
Applicants must:
- Be a California state resident
- Have a valid, current, unrestricted, and active RN license through the California Board of Registered Nursing and be free from any disciplinary action by the board
- Possess a baccalaureate degree
- Be enrolled in, accepted to, or have earned a master’s degree in nursing, another health-related field, or administration
- Individuals who are pursuing or have earned a master's degree in education, an MSN in nursing education or an MSN with a concentration in education are not eligible for this program.
- Examples of eligible MSN concentrations include leadership and administration.
- There is a preference for students attending primarily online master’s programs to allow the NFR to participate fully in the teaching experience.
- The following schools work closely with this residency program: Sacramento State University; Sonoma State University; Cal Poly Humboldt, American River College; Sacramento City College; and Sierra College.
- Please contact RETAIN@health.ucdavis.edu for eligibility confirmation prior to applying if you have a master’s degree in an area that does not include nursing, another health-related field or administration.
- Individuals who are pursuing or have earned a master's degree in education, an MSN in nursing education or an MSN with a concentration in education are not eligible for this program.
- Be available to participate in all learning activities during the full 12-month timeframe, including all in-person sessions
- This includes 2-3 days at the beginning and end of each quarter and potentially 2-3 days during the week, depending on the assigned nursing school and course schedule.
- For those enrolled in a graduate program (assumes ~50% time) while also participating in the nurse faculty residency (~50% time), the ability to also have concurrent employment is limited.
- Have at least one (1) year’s continuous, full-time or its equivalent experience within the previous five years providing direct patient care as a registered nurse in one of the designated nursing areas: geriatrics, medical-surgical, mental-health/psychiatric nursing, obstetrics, pediatrics or community health
- Applicants are advised to review CA TITLE 16, CCR SECTION 1420(d) defining faculty requirements for clinical competence and CCR SECTION 1425 describing requirements to qualify for a faculty instructor position in a school of nursing.
- The RETAIN Nurse Faculty Residency program meets the requirement for: One (1) academic year of registered nurse level clinical teaching experience in the designated nursing area or its equivalent that demonstrates clinical competency.
Applicants cannot:
- Be a current doctoral student or have already earned a doctoral degree (DNP, PhD, etc.) in nursing, another health related field, administration or education.
- Have earned or be enrolled in a Master’s of Education, an MSN in nursing education or an MSN with a concentration in education program.
- Be currently or previously employed as a faculty member or lecturer for any school of nursing.
- Employment as a clinical instructor is permitted.
- Work full-time while in the residency (full-time is defined as 1.0 FTE or 0.9 FTE if working six 12- hour shifts per two-week pay period).
Applications for this program are currently closed. Applications for the 2026-27 cohort are set to open in late 2025.
Application components:
- Completed online application
- Specific instructions for submitting the required documents outlined below can be found at the conclusion of the application.
- Cover letter describing your nursing experience, your goals as an educator and why you are interested in participating in this program
- Please include a statement supporting your interest in working as an educator in underserved or under resourced regions of Northern California.
- Curriculum vitae or resume that lists all your experiences as a nurse
- Names, titles and email addresses of two references
- At least one reference should be from an RN or NP clinical supervisor. The second reference can be from a master’s program faculty member (if applicable), a faculty member from your nursing program if a recent graduate (within five years) or another clinician (RN, NP, PA, MD/DO) who can speak to your clinical role and expertise
- Current unofficial graduate program transcript (if any course work in a graduate program has been completed) or acceptance letter with start date (if course work has not yet been completed)
- Interviews will not be conducted for this program; however, a pre-admission meeting to clarify application elements may be requested or offered by the program.
Visit our frequently asked questions (FAQs) document or contact us at RETAIN@health.ucdavis.edu for more information about this program.
For additional information about applying to the Nurse Faculty Residency program, including eligibility requirements and an overview of the profession, please view the June 2025 recording of the webinar information session.
