Student placement
Nursing and PA student clinical placement
Nursing Education and Professional Development coordinates all undergraduate and graduate requests for clinical and non-clinical placement of nursing and physician assistant students at VCU Health.
Placement process
VCUHS must have a current affiliation agreement with the student's school prior to placement. The agreement must remain current beyond the dates of the proposed student rotation. VCUHS requires the use of their template for the agreements. VCUHS does not use specific agreements for individual students. There is no charge for clinical learning experiences at VCUHS.
VCUHS has agreements with local and state universities and can initiate new contracts/agreements on a case-by-case basis depending on the program. If a current affiliation agreement is not on record, please contact VCUHS’s Education and Professional Development Department at EPD.applications@vcuhealth.org.
Please note, affiliation agreements may take up to 6 months to complete.
Student Request
Students initiate placement by submitting a student placement request form no more than 6 months prior to the start of the requested clinical rotation. Clinical group scheduling is completed one semester before the desired placement term. The schedule is coordinated closely with the school’s program director and VCU Health nursing leadership and educators.
| Semester | Applications Open | Applications Close |
|---|---|---|
| Spring (Jan-May) | August 1 | October 15 |
| Summer (May-Aug) | December 1 | March 15 |
| Fall (Aug-Dec) | February 1 | May 15 |
Placements are made one semester at a time for one preceptor. Placement can take up to 6 weeks or longer. Waiting lists are maintained for placement at a later date. Due to the large volume of requests, VCU Health does not guarantee clinical placement, even for VCU Health employees or other students from schools with a current affiliation agreement.
Preceptorships
Individual graduate and undergraduate preceptorships must be submitted in writing via the Student Placement Interest form. Submission of the Placement Request Form does not imply acceptance for placement. NP/PA students (employees included) SHOULD NOT independently arrange for preceptors. Individual requests for placement occur after VCU students have been scheduled. Scheduling is on a space available basis. Those seeking a non-clinical MSN should secures their preceptor. **
VCUHS places APP students using the following priority:
- VCU School of Nursing
- VCUHS employees attending non-VCU programs
- Non-VCU/Non-VCUHS affiliated students
Requirements
Student Placement requires the following documents and activities:
- Completed application process and clearance from Human Resources
- Current affiliation agreement with current certificates of insurance
- Signed Attestation Statement for immunizations and background checks
- Confirmation of placement from clinical sites and/or preceptor
Undergraduate student & faculty placement/Preceptor Request
Graduate (Non-SP) student & faculty placement/Preceptor Request
Advanced practice provider student & faculty placement/Preceptor Request