UC Irvine to launch family nurse practitioner residency program this fall
Goal is to close critical gaps in O.C. primary care while advancing health equity
Irvine, Calif., Aug. 14, 2025 —In parts of Orange County, the number of primary care providers falls far below national recommendations, according to the California Health Care Foundation. To help boost their ranks,particularly in underserved communities, the University of California, Irvine’s Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing will launch a family nurse practitioner residency program in October.
The 24-month program pairs a year of immersive, hands-on training with a year of service commitment to CalOptima members. The first year includes interdisciplinary mentorship, observational clinical experiences and a rigorous didactic curriculum. During the next year, FNP residents will provide healthcare to some of Orange County’s most vulnerable populations.
“This residency will bridge the gap between graduation and clinical mastery,” said Nisa Zacharias, D.N.P., UC Irvine assistant clinical professor of nursing. “Our goal is to support early-career nurse practitioners as they transition into independent practice while improving patient outcomes and expanding access to high-quality care.”
With a strong emphasis on sustainability and health equity, the program aims to build a resilient, community-rooted workforce. By training nurse practitioners who reflect the populations they serve, the residency fosters trust, improves continuity of care and enhances culturally responsive practice, which are key components in addressing persistent health disparities.
Applications are now open for the inaugural cohort. The program welcomes recent graduates of accredited FNP programs who are passionate about advancing health equity and committed to serving vulnerable populations.
About UC Irvine’s Brilliant Future campaign: Publicly launched on Oct. 4, 2019, the Brilliant Future campaign aims to raise awareness and support for the university. By engaging 75,000 alumni and garnering $2 billion in philanthropic investment, UC Irvine seeks to reach new heights of excellence in student success, health and wellness, research and more. The Sue & Bill Gross School of Nursing plays a vital role in the success of the campaign. Learn more at https://brilliantfuture.uci.edu/sue-and-bill-gross-school-of-nursing.
About the University of California, Irvine: Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide. For more on UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.
Media access: Radio programs/stations may, for a fee, use an on-campus studio with a Comrex IP audio codec to interview UC Irvine faculty and experts, subject to availability and university approval. For more UC Irvine news, visit news.uci.edu. Additional resources for journalists may be found at https://news.uci.edu/media-resources.