NP program advances health equity

The Leonard A. Lauder Community Care Nurse Practitioner Program promotes community-engaged primary care NP education. Announced in February 2022 with a $125 million gift to the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing, full-time primary care NP students receive free tuition in exchange for practicing in community-based centers caring for the underserved. Students graduate on an accelerated timeline without debt. The program strives to recruit students living and practicing in under-resourced areas. It also has formed partnerships with non-health organizations to address social determinants of health systematically in communities. A National Academy of Medicine commentary calls for policymakers to replicate components of the program and for public and private investment in primary care workforce development. (NAM commentary, 2/13/23)