02/25/2026    H. David Gottlieb, DPM

Advanced Placement for DPMs to Obtain a Nurse Practitioner Degree (Daniel Chaskin, DPM)

This is the response I received from Google’s AI
Gemini, then decide how practical this would be.
My prompt was: "What are the requirements to
become licensed as a nurse practitioner?" Gemini
said: Becoming a Nurse Practitioner (NP) is a
journey that bridges the gap between nursing and
medicine. Because NPs are Advanced Practice
Registered Nurses (APRNs), the requirements
involve a combination of rigorous academic study,
thousands of hours of clinical practice, and
national board testing.

The path generally follows these four primary
pillars:

1. Foundational Nursing Education & Licensure
Before you can become an NP, you must be a
Registered Nurse (RN).
• Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): Most
graduate programs require a 4-year BSN degree.
While some "bridge programs" exist for those with
an associate degree (ADN), the BSN is the industry
standard.
• RN Licensure: You must pass the NCLEX-RN exam
and hold an active, unencumbered license in your
state.
• Clinical Experience: While not strictly required
by every school, most top-tier NP programs prefer
(or require) 1–2 years of bedside experience as an
RN to build clinical intuition.

2. Graduate-Level Education (MSN or DNP)
You must complete an accredited graduate program
specifically designed for Nurse Practitioners.
• Master of Science in Nursing (MSN): Currently
the minimum degree required to practice. Usually
takes 2–3 years.
• Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP): A terminal
degree focusing on leadership and clinical
application. It typically takes 3–4 years. There
is a strong industry push to make the DNP the
entry-level requirement for all NPs by the late
2020s.
• Core Coursework: All programs must include the
"Advanced 3" courses:
1. Advanced Pathophysiology
2. Advanced Pharmacology
3. Advanced Physical Assessment

3. Supervised Clinical Hours
During your graduate program, you must complete a
minimum number of supervised hours in a clinical
setting related to your chosen specialty (e.g.,
Family, Pediatrics, Psych).
• Minimum Requirement: Most accrediting bodies
require at least 500 supervised clinical hours.
• Specialty Variance: Some specialties or DNP
programs require significantly more, sometimes
upwards of 1,000 hours.

4. National Board Certification
Once you graduate, you cannot practice until you
pass a national board exam in your specialty area.
The two main certifying bodies are:
• AANPCB (American Academy of Nurse Practitioners
Certification Board)
• ANCC (American Nurses Credentialing Center)
Common certifications include FNP-C (Family Nurse
Practitioner) or PMHNP-BC (Psychiatric-Mental
Health Nurse Practitioner).

Final Step: State Licensure

After passing your boards, you must apply to your
State Board of Nursing for an APRN license. This
is the final "green light" that allows you to
diagnose, treat, and prescribe medication.
Note: Requirements vary slightly by state
regarding "Scope of Practice." In some states, NPs
can practice completely independently, while
others require a "Collaborative Practice
Agreement" with a physician.

H. David Gottlieb, DPM, Baltimore, MD

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