Advanced Practice Specialty

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

The adult-gerontology primary care nurse practitioner provides primary care services to adults and adolescents over 13 years old. AGPCNPs assess, diagnose and manage common acute and chronic health conditions. They are trained to deliver high-quality care, as well as promote disease prevention and health improvement.

Graduates of Vanderbilt’s AGPCNP program are in high demand to meet the growing health care needs of patients. They can find employment in a variety of settings, such as medical offices, ambulatory care facilities, community clinics, veterans’ hospitals and more. It’s no wonder Vanderbilt’s AGPCNP program is ranked #3 as an MSN program and #4 as a DNP among U.S. graduate nursing programs.

Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP in his office setting
Section Contents

Specialty Highlights 

Complete in 4 Full-time Semesters

A part-time plan is also available. Full-time Vanderbilt MN Prespecialty students complete the program in 3-4 semesters.

Online/Hybrid Learning Format

Online classes with several in-person sessions over the course of the program

Robust Clinical Experience

Over 500 hours of directly supervised clinical practice

VUSN prepared me to excel in every aspect of practice. The professors taught me how to blend compassion and evidence-based practice as a clinician in the modern health care community.

Brooke Hazen, DNP’23, MSN’20, AGPCNP-BC
Neurology Nurse Practitioner
Vanderbilt University Medical Center

Prestigious Program with Exceptional Outcomes

  • Graduates are able to work in a variety of practice settings and serve diverse patient populations with holistic, evidence-based care. They apply their skills and knowledge in a wide range of health care environments.
  • Classes range in size from large core content courses taken by many different specialty students to smaller, specialized classes with low student-to-faculty ratios. These smaller classes focus specifically on content aligned with the scope of practice of AGPCNPs. 
  • AGPCNP faculty maintain clinical practices allowing them to bring real-world experiences and up-to-date knowledge into the classroom. This ensures the curriculum is directly applicable to students’ future practice. 
  • 100% – Average first-time pass rate on the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board A-GNP exam. 

What does an AGPCNP do?

AGPCNPs are well-prepared to provide primary care to patients age 13 and up. They practice in internal medicine offices, ambulatory care centers, community clinics, specialty clinics, university student health centers, rehabilitation centers, assisted living/long-term care facilities and prisons and jails. 

Graduates are prepared to take the Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner exams offered by the American Nurses Credentialing Center and/or the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board.

Curriculum & Objectives

Our rigorous and robust curriculum is structured to ensure students develop deep primary care knowledge and clinical reasoning skills. Students learn to provide comprehensive, person-centered care, including health promotion, disease prevention, and the diagnosis and treatment of common acute and chronic illnesses. The combination of traditional classroom settings, simulated experiences and clinical training allows students to develop into evidence-based providers with a holistic approach to care. 

The AGPCNP curriculum incorporates the 2021 AACN Essentials, assuring students receive a comprehensive and up-to-date education that meets the highest standards in nursing education and assures they are well-prepared for practice.

Explore the MSN full-time, MSN part-time, MN Prespecialty and sample Post-Master's Certificate curriculums.

Basic Admissions Information

Full-time students start in the fall semester. 

Applications open in August for the following fall semester. 

Fall priority review begins October 15, after which applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Priority is given to those applying before the priority review date, particularly in programs with limited spaces. Early decisions are sent in December.

You are encouraged to apply regardless of the priority review date. Your application is welcome throughout the fall and spring semesters.  

Your statement of purpose should reflect your interest in a specific specialty. Application to multiple specialties will not be considered.  

Determine if you wish to apply for admission as a Middle Tennessee area or Outside of Middle Tennessee area student (See Clinical Experience information, below). 

Clinical Experience

The School of Nursing’s full-time clinical placement team partners with students and faculty to create enriching clinical practicums, ensuring each student receives robust training in their specialty. Where possible, clinical placements are made in the student’s preferred geographic area. Clinical rotations may be completed in primary care/internal medicine practices, family practices, community health centers, assisted living/long-term care facilities and some subspecialty areas.

Below are more details about clinical placement by program/track. 

  • Middle Tennessee Area (MTA) – Specialty Students
    • If you are an MTA student, Vanderbilt’s Clinical Placement office works with specialty faculty to secure clinical sites. Clinical sites located within a 150-mile radius from the School of Nursing are considered to be within this area. As a result, students may have rotations in Kentucky, Alabama, and East or West Tennessee, depending on the sites’ appropriateness. In making assignments, faculty take into consideration a number of factors, including home address, specialty needs and clinical interests.
    • Given the large number of health profession students in the area and the competition for sites, agencies and providers have asked that a school representative coordinate all Greater Middle Tennessee area VUSN placements. Therefore, students are not to reach out to local sites to arrange their own placements. However, if you identify a possible local placement, please contact your specialty director or course coordinator; they will work with the Clinical Placement office staff to see if a placement is possible.
  • Outside the Middle Tennessee Area (OMTA) – Specialty Students
    • If you are admitted as an OMTA student, your faculty and the Clinical Placement staff work collaboratively with you to locate OMTA clinical sites. You are encouraged to develop a list of possible sites, as you often have a better knowledge of the area and can use personal networks and connections to identify a preceptor/site.
    • Begin by reviewing the specialty-specific info about clinical placement on your specialty orientation page. Each specialty has information and resources to assist you in your placement search.
    • Your faculty and clinical placement staff will meet regularly with you to evaluate your progress in identifying possible clinical sites and to brainstorm potential placements.
    • After a site has been identified, Clinical Placement staff will work to secure all necessary contracts and paperwork.

Time Commitment

This intensive specialty is best suited for motivated, self-directed learners who can master large amounts of complex material in a short time. Balancing full-time work with the program’s rigorous, full-time, accelerated curriculum is not recommended, although the specialty can be completed on a part-time basis. Many full-time students continue to work in either part-time, weekend or PRN positions.

Our AGPCNP program is led by experienced advanced practice nursing educators. This program equips you to transform the lives of adolescents and adults of all ages through holistic, evidence-based care.

Kanah Lewallen, DNP, AGPCNP-BC, CHSE
Director, Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Specialty
Associate Professor
Meet Our Faculty

Check Out the Dual AGPCNP/WHGRNP Program

View Admissions Information

Ready to Become an AGPCNP?

  • Attend an Information Session

    On-campus and online information sessions are held frequently; visit in person or virtually to learn more. 

  • Starting Your Application
    • Application Fee is $75.
    • Only one application is considered per student, per term.
    • Answer all application questions. Your writing style and content will be evaluated.
    • All application information must be your work.
    • Start the application before sending transcripts or recommendations.

    Start or continue your application. 

  • Application Components
    • Standardized test scores are not required. 
    • A GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale is recommended. 
    • Reference Letters: 
      • Submit three reference letters from faculty members, professional colleagues or supervisors only. At least one reference must hold a master’s degree or higher. There is no benefit to submitting additional references. 
    • Applicants to the Neonatal Nurse Practitioner (NNP) specialty should submit one reference from a neonatologist and one from an NNP. 

    Transcripts

    • Request official electronic transcripts from all colleges and universities attended be sent to CDM@vanderbilt.edu. Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded for application review, official transcripts required upon admission. Faculty review does not begin until all transcripts are received. 
    • If electronic transcripts are not available, send paper transcripts to the Center for Data Management - School of Nursing | Vanderbilt University | PMB 407833 | 2301 Vanderbilt Place | Nashville, TN 37240-7833.

    Academic History

    • Complete the academic history portion before submitting the application to avoid delays. 

    Prerequisites

    • Prerequisites (including online courses) must be completed before the term begins.  
    • Statistics is a prerequisite for all applicants. 
    • For applicants without nursing degrees, additional prerequisites include human anatomy*, human physiology*, microbiology*, lifespan development (or developmental psychology) and nutrition. Non-nurse applicants must meet the professional practice of nursing eligibility requirements. For more information on licensure, visit the Tennessee Department of Health website. *Must be taken within 5 years of application
    • For nursing students who reside outside of Tennessee, see Professional Licensure and Out-of-state Requirements. 
    • Registered nurse applicants must have graduated from an ACEN or CCNE accredited school and must hold an unencumbered RN license.  

    Start or continue your application. 

  • Check the Application Page Status Frequently
    • All applicants are responsible for monitoring the checklist on their application status page for missing transcripts, references, etc.

Take the Next Step

The AGPCNP specialty is available as part of the Master of Science in Nursing, Master of Nursing Prespecialty, Post-Master's Certificate and BSN to DNP programs. Request information about the program or contact your admissions counselor.

For more information from the specialty director, view this short video.

Start Your Application