Primary Care Nurse Practitioner Residency Program

This is a cohort-based training program that is federally funded and completed under protected time (residents are not included in facility staffing). It is a comprehensive, competency-based training program that incorporates multiple learning modalities and is structured to ensure that residents gain essential clinical experiences to refine advanced assessment, diagnostic reasoning, pharmacological / non-pharmacological management, and interdisciplinary collaboration skills. 

A total of 2080 hours is required for successful completion of the program. Clinical rotations will fulfill approximately 80% of those hours (roughly 32 hours / week), while approximately 20% (roughly 8 hours / week) is dedicated towards didactic activities designed to supplement graduate education, promote personal growth and accelerate professional development beyond entry-level competency. The program also encourages exploration of specific areas of interest and development of unique career paths.

Upon successful completion of the residency, a certificate of completion is awarded that is recognized throughout the Veterans Health Administration and residency graduates will be recognized locally during an awards ceremony.

Adam Benjamen Jr Veterans’ Administration Outpatient Clinic

9301 Madison Street
Crown Point, IN 46307-7745

*Please note that residents may obtain additional experiential experiences at other VA clinic locations throughout the year. 

• Must be a U.S. citizen or a naturalized U.S. citizen  
• Must be proficient in written / spoken English
• The residency must be your first position serving as a PMHNP
• Have current, full, active, and unrestricted registration as a Registered Nurse in a State, Territory, or Commonwealth (i.e., Puerto Rico) of the United States, or the District of Columbia.
• Must have graduated from an advanced practice Family NP or Adult-Gerontology Primary Care NP Program (accredited by CCNE or ACEN) within 12 months preceding the residency start date
• Posses current national certification as a Family Nurse Practitioner or Adult-Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioner from ANCC or AANP prior to the start date
• Posses current / active BLS Certification
• Nurse Practitioner state licensure, with prescriptive authority, must be obtained prior to the program start date

Residency acceptance may also be contingent upon:

• Successful passing of background / security investigation, as required by the Veterans Health Administration
• Successful passing of pre-employment health screening / tuberculosis skin testing / up-to-date vaccinations for healthcare workers as recommended by CDC and VA (or applicable waiver in accordance with VA policy)

• Competitive stipend
• Benefits package that includes paid annual leave, sick leave, and health benefits (4 hours of sick leave and 4 hours of vacation/annual leave per 2-week pay period)
• No holidays, weekends, or night shifts.
• Hiring preference for open positions within Veterans Health Administration on successful completion of the residency program

When submitting your application into the portal, please be sure to upload the following required documents:

• Updated Resume / Curriculum Vitae
• Proof of current state licensure (RN / APRN)
• Personal statement (250 words to 1 page) describing your aspirations for the residency program, your short-term and long-term career goals, and your interest in working with Veterans
• Three professional letters of recommendation, on letterhead, with contact information (1 must be from a faculty member from your graduate program; the remaining 2 can be from your clinical preceptors or employer / supervisor who can speak on your clinical abilities). Letters can be submitted either as part of the application itself or emailed separately from the letter author to the program contact (in which the applicant must identify this within the body of their application email).

Application dates

• Accepted until May 31st, 2026

Program Start Date

• September 2026

All application materials must be submitted via the following secure portal: Click here to apply

Jesse D. Herron, DNP, APRN, PMHNP-BC, PMH-BC

Jesse.Herron@va.gov