Clinical Collaborations
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Experience Matters
Clinical placements enrich the learning experience for students by giving them a real-world experience with patients in a health care environment. At Emory, we are dedicated to guiding our students through the clinical placement process.
Where We Train
Our students gain hands-on experience across a diverse network of clinical sites—both locally and around the world—spanning a wide range of clinical settings.
Through the Lillian Carter Center for Global Health & Social Responsibility, students have opportunities to engage with partner institutions in Peru, Haiti, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Ethiopia, expanding their global perspective on care delivery.
These immersive clinical experiences ensure you graduate with strong, real-world skills—prepared to lead in nursing practice, research, and healthcare innovation.
Clinical Compliance and Credentialing
School of Nursing students are required to provide documentation of all required immunizations using the Emory University Student Health Services (EUSHS) Immunization Form. This form must be signed by a healthcare provider and returned to EUSHS prior to matriculation.
To attend clinicals, you must also be clinically compliant with Emory University School Health Services (EUSHS) and complete your clinical site-specific credentialing requirements. Click here to access the onboarding documents required within the ACEMAPP credentialing application. An invitation will be sent to you upon enrollment for your initial login. Students cannot participate in clinical or service-learning experiences without completing all requirements.
Students who are not in compliance by outlined deadlines, or who fall out of compliance during their program, will not be allowed to participate in clinical experience. Please note that exemptions are not accepted by our Clinical Partners.
An updated medical history and physical examination are required for re-enrollment after more than one year of attendance lapses. For re-admission after withdrawal for medical reasons, medical clearance by designated University health officials is required.
BSN, MN, MN Pathway Students
Your clinical placement and simulation experiences work together to build the skills, confidence, and leadership foundation you need to become a world-class Emory nurse. Throughout your journey, a dedicated team of Clinical Placement Specialists is here to guide and support you every step of the way.
BSN, MN, MN Pathway (pre-licensure) students participate in group clinical experiences across a variety of clinical and community settings. A clinical group is a cohort of nursing students learning side by side in a shared clinical environment, building hands-on skills and real-world experience. Each group is led by a master’s-prepared Clinical Instructor who provides mentorship and support throughout the experience.
In the fourth semester, students complete a senior practicum—a preceptor-led clinical experience offered in diverse healthcare settings. During this immersive experience, students are paired one-on-one with a BSN-prepared Registered Nurse (preceptor) who provides individualized mentorship, guidance, and real-time supervision as they transition into professional practice.
Most clinical experiences take place within a 75-mile radius of Emory’s campus, providing access to a wide range of healthcare environments across the greater Atlanta area. Students are responsible for arranging their own transportation to and from assigned clinical sites.
Clinical placements are coordinated through Core ELMS (Education Learning Management System), a centralized platform that keeps the process organized and accessible. Within Core ELMS, students can view clinical schedules, access placement details, track requirements, and indicate general location preferences, while our team thoughtfully aligns placements based on program needs and site availability.
Policies and Overviews
Students are responsible for their transportation to clinical sites. Many clinical sites are located across the metro area and may require travel outside of the Emory network. Travel and parking costs are not reimbursed. Those without personal transportation are not guaranteed priority clinical placement.
This overview outlines each step of the clinical placement journey—from preparation to post-experience reflection. The process begins with compliance, followed by your placement request and site placement approvals. You’ll then move into placement matching and receive your clinical assignment, complete credentialing and ongoing compliance requirements, and begin your clinical experience. The process concludes with clinical evaluation and follow-up to support your continued growth and success.
FAQs
Depending on the clinical course you take, clinicals can be on either the weekday, weekend, day, mid-day, or night shift.
A group of nursing students placed together in a clinical setting. This experience is led by a master’s prepared Clinical Instructor.
6-8 students
An Emory SON faculty member assigned to serve as your Point of Contact (POC) for your academic progression and provide clinical instruction during your clinical rotation. This is your instructor during your group rotation.
Registered Nurse (RN) assigned via partnering hospital/unit for you to work with/shadow during your clinical rotation. This is a one-to-one experience
The Clinical Placement Specialist is your partner in ensuring that you have a valuable clinical experience and helps you to navigate through the clinical placement process.
Lab for first 7 weeks and hospital for 6-7 weeks.
1st Semester: 8-10 hour days
2nd-4th Semesters: 8-12-hour days
Clinical assignments are released and accessible to students through Core ELMS.
3-4 weeks before clinicals start
Clinical Instructor information and clinical site credentialing requirements
Yes, each hospital has additional paperwork you will need to complete. This information will be communicated to you after you’re assigned to a clinical group.
We cannot accommodate personal travel needs. Per the SON Handbook, Students are responsible for their transportation to clinical sites. Many clinical sites are located across the metro area and require travel outside of the Emory network. Travel and parking costs are not reimbursed. Those without personal transportation are not guaranteed priority clinical placement. There are free shuttle services that serve the Emory University Hospital, Emory University Hospital–Midtown and Grady Memorial Hospital. The schedule can be found at http://transportation.emory.edu or by calling 404.727.PARK (7275).
Your clinical practicum requires work experience in a hospital or healthcare setting to provide hands-on experience in various fields of nursing.
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and contracted clinical partners require several documents to ensure clinical readiness. These documents are provided through processes know as Compliance and Credentialing.
Here is a quick guide to recognize the difference:
Compliance:
- Requirements prior to initial enrollment
- Emory School of Nursing requirements to ensure clinical readiness
Credentialing:
- Requirements needed before beginning clinical
- Standards come from the clinical site
- Provides documented proof to the clinical site
- Uploaded to site preferred system (ACEMAPP, SYMPLR, etc.)
Compliance MUST be maintained throughout the duration of the program. Credentialing MUST be completed prior to beginning each clinical rotation. In order to continue clinical rotation, both compliance and credentialling must be up to date
Tip: While you are uploading items to ACEMAPP, you can update student health at the same time. As the two systems are separate, keep everything together and update together.
Questions about Credentialing? Contact your clinical placement coordinator.
Questions about Compliance? Contact son-compliance@emory.edu.
APRN Students
APRN students require specialized clinical placements to gain clinical skills as a nurse practitioner. Securing placements is a collaborative effort between students, faculty, and our Clinical Placement Team. We encourage all students to develop a list of sites that they may be knowledgeable of or reach out to personal networks and connections that may be available to precept. If any clinical site is arranged by the Specialty Director and placement office but is declined by the student, this will result in an interruption of the plan of study and the placement office and Specialty Director will not seek a substitute rotation for the semester. Students who have declined their clinical placement will need to request a leave of absence until the course is offered again.
As an APRN student, you have the opportunity to complete your clinical education near your home and may identify preferred clinical sites and preceptors in accordance with program standards. Please note that you have an active and required role in securing your clinical placements, with support from the Clinical Placement Team.
Given the large number of health profession students in the Atlanta Metro Region and the competition for sites, agencies and providers, we ask that all local student placements be coordinated with our clinical placement team. Students are not authorized to reach out independently to the placement offices at these facilities: Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Community Advanced Practice, Emory Healthcare, Grady, MedLink, Northside, Peachtree Immediate Care, WellStar, and Winship Cancer Institute. You can, however, reach out directly to the preceptors at those facilities, excluding Emory Healthcare. Please connect with your Clinical Placement Specialist for further instructions.
Policies and Guidelines
Step 1 – Review the current guidelines for your specialty.
Step 2 – If you have a preceptor, review the affiliation agreement to verify whether an agreement (contract) is already on file for that preceptor’s site. Active Agreement Search
Step 3 – If you do not have a preceptor and need ideas, review the Active Agreement Search to explore existing site contracts. From there, you may look for potential preceptors online using personal network, social media such as Google, LinkedIn, or other platforms, or use one of our preferred third‑party vendors.
Step 4 – If an active affiliation agreement is not found for your desired preceptor, submit the information through the ELMS tool (for currently enrolled students) using the Clinical Tracking Form for Special Director (SD) Approval. Please include your preceptor’s CV.
Step 5 – Once you receive SD approval, your Clinical Placement Specialist will proceed with affiliation agreement processing (if needed), credentialing clearance, and updating your schedule.
Step 6 - If despite all efforts in securing a preceptor, and the team has exhausted all their viable options, the students may use third party placement agencies to secure preceptors and placements for a fee paid by the student directly to the third-party placement agency. The school can connect you with an agency if needed and will reimburse students for fees up to $1,000 per rotation.
Note: This does not include the Nell Fellows Program, CRNA, Perfusion, Nutrition, or any other scholar programs.
Please note: Due to Board of Nursing regulations, clinical placements may not be accommodated in all areas of the country.
Clinical placements cannot be completed in:
New York, Tennessee
State Board of Nursing approval is needed for the following states:
Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Delaware, Idaho, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Washington DC, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.
An active, unencumbered license is required in the state where you plan to complete your clinical education. We highly recommend obtaining a multistate license to allow you the flexibility to complete clinical rotations in other states if needed. Board of Nursing approval for the states listed above will be required. This process can take anywhere from 2 to 6 months; therefore, we encourage you to connect with your Clinical Placement Specialist to begin the placement process as soon as possible. A list of our coordinators can be found on the Meet The Team tab on our website: Clinical Collaborations (emory.edu). The Board of Nursing will require the following at a minimum: Proof of active RN licenses for both the student and the preceptor, a letter of support or an approved preceptorship from the clinical site or preceptor. There may be other state-specific requirements or documentation needed. The Clinical Placement Team will notify you if there are additional items that are needed.
FAQs
We encourage all students to develop a list of sites that they may be knowledgeable of or reach out to personal networks and connections that may be available to precept.
We understand that finding a clinical placement can be challenging and overwhelming task. Our commitment to you is to be a valuable resource and collaborator in this process. Emory has an extensive network of healthcare facilities, preceptors, and institutions. Connect with your Clinical Placement Specialist for additional information.
A licensed MD, DO, NP, CNM or PA can precept our NP students. Please refer to your specialty program's guidelines for additional information. The Specialty Director must vet all preceptors. You can also provide your preceptor’s CV as well.
Emory does not pay preceptors. In the event a preceptor has this request, please refer to your Clinical Placement Specialist. If you contact with a third-party company to find your preceptor, they will collect a fee for their business costs and to pay the preceptor. Discuss further with your Clinical Placement Specialist prior to contacting any third-party vendor.
Please refer to your state's Board of Nursing to ensure that you have the appropriate licensure. Please also discuss with your Specialty Director.
Please refer to your state's Board of Nursing to determine requirements. Additionally, please discuss with your Specialty Director. We highly encourage you to have a compact license.
Finding a preceptor can be a lengthy process. We strongly encourage you to identify your preceptor and submit your Clinical Placement Request as early as possible in ELMS.
Yes, you may change your clinical placement request by informing both your Specialty Director and Clinical Placement Specialist prior to making any changes. Please be mindful this may affect your clinical rotation clearance and hours for the semester.
Login to ELMS and navigate to the Research Center for the Student Online Resource Tool Outline document.
You may submit a clinical placement with most healthcare facilities. However, you may not request a clinical rotation in New York, Louisiana, Tennessee, or Oregon.
If you have a preceptor, who you have identified, you only need to complete the Clinical Placement Request form in ELMS.
Absolutely not! We have available resources to aide our students. There are certainly geographic areas in the U.S. that are more saturated with other nursing students or that have fewer facilities. It is wise to also consider suburban areas in addition to metropolitan areas. However, you will be partnering with your Specialty Director and Clinical Placement Specialist to brainstorm possibilities.
If you are considering relocating, we strongly encourage you to first consult your Specialty Director and Clinical Placement Specialist to identify any factors like state licensure that could possibly cause a delay in the start of your clinical rotation and clinical hours needed for the semester. Your Specialty Director can help you navigate all the different facets of a relocation.
The Clinical Placement Specialist is your partner in ensuring that you have a valuable clinical experience and helps you to navigate through the clinical placement process.
Yes! There will be on-campus intensives required for each specialty.
Click the following weblink to see requirements on Becoming a Preceptor.
It is vital that students use their Emory email address when reaching out to healthcare facilities or preceptors via email. This demonstrates placement opportunities. We highly recommend all students to use the provided scripts, which outlines key details such as your nursing background, resume, specialty, and anticipated clinical dates. Here is a Preceptor Letter outline.
Communicate with your Clinical Placement Specialist about your needs. They may be able to connect with an AHEC provider in the state that you are planning to complete clinicals.
Reimbursements can take up to 30 days or more from the time all documents are received and submitted to the Finance Department.
Most programs do not allow clinical hours from paid employment to count toward clinical placement requirements. Be sure to check with your Specialty Director and Clinical Placement Specialist for specific guidelines.
Some programs may allow clinical hours in non-traditional settings, provided that the experience aligns with your learning objectives and meets program requirements. Consult with your Specialty Director and Clinical Placement Specialist to explore this possibility.
If a clinical site is arranged by the specialty director and placement office (including rural placements, distance placements, and placements between semesters) but is declined by the student, this will result in an interruption of the plan of study and the placement office and specialty director will not seek a substitute rotation for the semester. Students who have declined their clinical placement and have not secured their own approved clinical site and preceptor the student will need to request a leave of absence until the following semester.
Your clinical practicum requires work experience in a hospital or healthcare setting to provide hands-on experience in various fields of nursing.
Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing and contracted clinical partners require several documents to ensure clinical readiness. These documents are provided through processes know as Compliance and Credentialing.
Here is a quick guide to recognize the difference:
Compliance:
- Requirements prior to initial enrollment
- Emory School of Nursing requirements to ensure clinical readiness
Credentialing:
- Requirements needed before beginning clinical
- Standards come from the clinical site
- Provides documented proof to the clinical site
- Uploaded to site preferred system (ACEMAPP, SYMPLR, etc.)
Compliance MUST be maintained throughout the duration of the program. Credentialing MUST be completed prior to beginning each clinical rotation. In order to continue clinical rotation, both compliance and credentialling must be up to date
Tip: While you are uploading items to ACEMAPP, you can update student health at the same time. As the two systems are separate, keep everything together and update together.
Questions about Credentialing? Contact your clinical placement coordinator.
Questions about Compliance? Contact son-compliance@emory.edu.
Meet the Team
Amjad Abdirahman
Post-Licensure Clinical Placement Specialist (Compliance & Credentialing)
aabdira@emory.edu
Melinda Batton, MPH
Clinical Placement Specialist: FNP
Melinda.batton@emory.edu
Karmorreya Brown
Post-Licensure Clinical Placement Specialist (Compliance & Credentialing)
kbro287@emory.edu
Twyla Grant
Pre-Licensure Clinical Placement Specialist (Credentialing)
twyla.grant@emory.edu
Cynthia Harris, MHA, BSN, RN
Director, Post-licensure Clinical Placement
cynthia.lorraine.harris@emory.edu
Shalanda Hunter
Post-Licensure Clinical Placement Specialist (Compliance & Credentialing)
Shalanda.hunter@emory.edu
Lakeitcha Jackson, MHA
Post-License Clinical Placement Specialist: AGNP-PC, Mental Health
lakeitcha.jackson@emory.edu
Tamera Jacobs, MSN, RN
Post-License Sr. Clinical Placement Specialist: NNP, PNP-AC, PNP-PC & WHGRNP
tamera.jacobs@emory.edu
Ashley Landers, MBA
Post-License Sr. Clinical Placement Specialist: AGNP-AC & ENP
ashley.landers@emory.edu
Cynthia McQueen
Clinical Placement Specialist (Affiliation Agreements)
cynthia.mcqueen@emory.edu
Jennifer Neely
Clinical Placement Manager (Affiliation Agreement, Compliance, Credentialing)
jennifer.neely@emory.edu
Kenya Summerour, MBA
Pre-Licensure Sr. Clinical Placement Specialist
kenya.summerour@emory.edu
Monica Stokes, MBA
Pre-licensure Sr. Clinical Placement Specialist, CRNA Credentialing Coordinator
monica.stokes@emory.edu
Ayanna Webb
Post-License Clinical Placement Specialist: FNP
ayanna.webb@emory.edu
Catherine William, MPA
Associate Director, Pre-Licensure Placements
catherine.stanback@emory.edu