Why Don’t All Schools Place NP Students in Clinical Rotations?

It’s a frustrating reality for many NP students—unlike medical students and PA students, who are typically placed in clinical rotations by their schools, NP students are often left to find their own preceptors. But why?

Here are the key reasons schools don’t handle clinical placement for NP students:

1. Rapid Growth of NP Programs

Over the past decade, the number of nurse practitioner programs has skyrocketed. NP program growth has far outpaced the availability of preceptors. Many schools simply don’t have (or spend) the resources to secure enough clinical sites for every student.

2. Limited Clinical Affiliations

NP programs have partnerships, or Affiliations, with hospitals or clinics, but these slots are often limited. Many schools prioritize these placements for their local students or for specific specialties (such as hospital-based rotations). And most hospital systems are not adding new affiliations because they already have more requests than they can handle.

3. Accreditation Doesn’t Require It

Unlike medical schools, which are required to place students in rotations as part of their accreditation, NP schools are not held to the same standard. Instead, they shift this responsibility to students, expecting them to network, cold-call, and find their own preceptors—all while balancing coursework and jobs.

4. Lack of Incentives for Preceptors

Many preceptors are already stretched thin, and there are few financial or professional incentives for them to take on students. Schools often don’t offer or even allow competitive compensation or support for preceptors, making it difficult to secure committed mentors. And clinical sites often don’t allow precepting, adding to the problem. 

5. Online and Hybrid Programs Increase Competition

With more online and hybrid NP programs, students are often located all over the country. This means schools would have to secure hundreds or even thousands of clinical sites nationwide—a logistical challenge most programs simply aren’t equipped to handle.

6. Faculty and Staffing Limitations

Coordinating preceptors takes a lot of time and effort. Many schools lack dedicated staff to build relationships with preceptors, manage paperwork, and ensure site availability. And faculty are busy teaching and often don’t have time to add securing preceptors to their day. Instead, schools leave it up to students, even though finding a preceptor is one of the hardest parts of NP education.

The Bottom Line: Schools Should Do More—But They Often Don’t

We truly believe that schools should be more involved in helping students find clinical placements. (And we do help schools find placements too!) But the reality is, many or most don’t—and that’s why services like PreceptorLink® exist. So if you need us, we’re here for you! 

More than 10 years and thousands of placements later, we’re still here, doing the hard work of recruiting and vetting preceptors so students can focus on learning, not hunting for rotations.
If you’re struggling to find a preceptor, we’re here to help.

💬 What do you think? Let’s have a constructive, friendly conversation. I think we all agree that NP Education could use some changes. But in what ways?

• How can we better support preceptors so more providers are willing and able to take students?
• What do you think schools should do or change from the current norm? 
• What about the Accrediting bodies? What should they do or change? 

Let’s hear your constructive feedback! Remember, I am an NP, so I’m on the side of the profession and support positive change! 

About the Author

Lynn McComas is the CEO and founder of PreceptorLink and a recognized expert in precepting nurse practitioners and advanced practice provider students. With over two decades in primary care, Lynn has served as a coach, advisor, mentor, and preceptor for countless healthcare professionals, including NPs, nurses, and medical assistants. She co-founded a successful skills and procedures business and speaks nationwide on NP-related issues.

Lynn is also a regular contributor on LinkedIn, KevinMD, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram @preceptorlink, X @LynnMcComas, and her blog, where she addresses the growing NP and PA professions and the urgent need for preceptor sites. Her unique perspective, shaped by her business, clinical, and educational experiences, positions her as a key voice in tackling preceptor shortages. Lynn is committed to driving change—through a paradigm shift in NP education, reducing barriers, offering preceptor incentives, and advocating for reforms within the profession.

👉 Find a Preceptor Now

In a future post, we’ll explore what preceptors wish NP schools understood—and how small changes could improve clinical education for everyone.