7 Standout Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner Programs

There’s no doubt about it. The ladies (and guys!) in Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner (WHNP) programs across the country have got it together. Not only were faculty in these programs super receptive and speedy in responding to our requests for information, the pass rates and program perks offered by the WHNP programs we interviewed were top notch. Which Women’s Health NP Programs stand out above the rest?

Job opportunities for women’s health nurse practitioners are on the rise. These NPs work in women’s health clinics, hospitals. fertility clinics, and public health departments to name a few. Caring for women across the lifespan, they specialize in all things OB/GYN. Fortunately, for aspiring WHNP’s there are plenty of quality of programs across the nation preparing students as women’s health nurse practitioners.

In evaluating these programs, we asked faculty about flexibility of program scheduling, pass rates on the national NP certification exam, post-graduation job placement rates, and the ease of obtaining clinical assignments. Here are seven schools that top our list of the best women’s health nurse practitioner programs in the country.

1. University of Alabama Birmingham

The University of Alabama Birmingham takes a unique approach to the women’s health NP education by offering a dual women’s health/adult NP program. Faculty say this dual degree format uniquely prepares student for practice making them more marketable than most women’s health NP grads when it comes time to find a job. This unique program is also offered primarily online making it flexible for students who wish to continue working as they advance their education. Not only does the program offer a unique educational approach and confer flexibility, graduates have a 100% pass rate on the national nurse practitioner certification exam.

2. Boston College

Interested in becoming a women’s health nurse practitioner? Look no further than Boston College’s WHNP program. 100% of graduates from the school have passed that national NP certification exam for ten years running. Faculty at Boston College place students in clinical assignments easing the educational responsibilities of WHNP students. While faculty tell us it can take some time for women’s health NP grads to find a job in Boston proper, students willing to relocate land jobs quickly after graduating.

3. University of Pennsylvania

The University of Pennsylvania’s academic reputation is well deserved when it comes to the school’s women’s health nurse practitioner program. Not only is each student placed in clinical assignments by faculty lending to a low-stress education, students are given an academic advisor who helps to be sure they are getting the best learning experience possible throughout the program. Graduates of Penn’s WHNP program boast a 100% pass rate on the national certification exam and find jobs within a few months of graduation.

4. The Ohio State University

Ohio State’s got spirit and deservedly so. The school’s women’s health NP program is top notch. Graduates of the program enjoy a 100% pass rate on the national certification exam and most find jobs within just a few months of graduation. Faculty at the school place students in clinical assignments ensuring a timely graduation. If you’re up for braving a few cold winters, The Ohio State University’s women’s health nurse practitioner program could be the perfect place to continue your education.

5. Yale University

Yale’s prestige is certainly earned when it comes to the school’s WHNP program. Women’s health nurse practitioners graduating from the program pass the national NP certification exam at a 95 to 100 percent rate depending on the year, much higher than the national average. Faculty also tell us new grads son’t have a problem finding jobs post-graduation. The on-campus program is a dual degree educating students both as midwives and women’s health NPs.

6. University of Colorado Denver

We can’t think of a better grad school locale than the city of Denver. Sunshine and ski slopes aren’t the only thing the city has to offer. The University of Denver’s women’s health nurse practitioner program grads boast a 100% pass rate on the national NP certification exam. Part of the reason students fare so well after graduation is the school’s commitment to place students in clinical sites so aspiring NPs aren’t burdened by finding placements on their own.

7. Vanderbilt University

Delivered in what the university terms a “modified distance learning format”, aspiring WHNP’s are able to complete most of this program online traveling to campus just a few times throughout the program. Vanderbilt’s Women’s Health NP program is also available to students with a non-nursing bachelor’s degree in an accelerated format. The university assigns clinical assignments for students residing in the Nashville area eliminating the stress of finding one’s own clinical placement.

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