Core Curriculum: building a strong professional foundation
The Advanced Practice Clinician (APC) Fellowships’ Core Curriculum is designed to foster growth in non-clinical competencies that are essential to becoming a well-rounded and effective clinician. In 2024, the Core Curriculum model was restructured to quarterly, full-day sessions to allow for deeper exploration of critical topics and more opportunities for community-building among APC fellows across disciplines.
Each session supports HealthPartners’ values and focuses on personal and professional skills needed to thrive in today’s complex healthcare environment. Utilizing guest speakers, small group discussions, and simulations, key topic areas include:
Partnering with the HealthPartners Institute Clinical Simulation Center, APC fellows practice realistic patient care scenarios in a safe space with feedback from content experts.
• Communication skills: Providing patient-centered care, approaching goals of care conversations, navigating difficult patient encounters, and giving and receiving feedback. APC fellows also participate in medical improvisation, a creative and experiential approach to improve communication, adaptability and comfort with ambiguity.
• Cultural competence: Understanding how social factors affect health, recognizing and addressing implicit bias, standing up against discrimination, and utilizing trauma-informed care practices.
• Well-being and resiliency: Implementing tools and strategies to stay balanced, prevent burnout, and build a healthy, long-term career.
• Safety and quality improvement: Learning how high-reliability organizations work, practicing root cause analyses, understanding healthcare finance, and navigating mistakes as a clinician.
Each session concludes with a team building or volunteer activity that reinforces community, collaboration, and a commitment to service. Through this updated model, Core Curriculum equips APC fellows with reflective insights, practical tools, and a supportive network, laying the foundation for meaningful and sustainable careers.
APC fellows volunteered at the West 7th Community Center helping to plant their food-shelf garden, which grows fresh produce offered to the community for free.
APC fellows volunteered at Catholic Charities, which provides shelter and medical respite beds for community members experiencing homelessness.
APC Fellowship retention
In 2024, 89.5% (17/19) of the graduating APC fellows were hired at HealthPartners. 400+ Educators 72 Unique rotations
19 Graduating fellows
17 Fellows hired
New program spotlight: Neurology
Elizabeth Moses, DNP
Graduated APC Fellow
Why did you choose to do the Neurology APC Fellowship at HealthPartners?
I chose the fellowship because it provided further training within neurology. I did not have a dedicated neurology rotation during grad school, and with so much to know about the specialty, the thought of entering the field without additional training was daunting. When I saw this opportunity through my job searches, I jumped at the chance. When interviewing, it was very clear that this program was well thought out with buy in from all the subspecialities within neurology.
What did you find most valuable in your training?
Hands down, being able to train within all the subspecialties, including neurosurgery, neuro-ophthalmology, epilepsy, movement, neuromuscular, headache, vascular neurology, PM&R, and spine medicine. I also gained a good understanding of both inpatient and outpatient management. This training allowed me to make connections across neurology that may have been difficult to make otherwise.
How is the transition to practice going for you?
Very well! It has been smooth since my patient load was the same at the end of the fellowship as when I transitioned to full staff practice and I continue to have the support of my colleagues. Neurology is very collaborative - there is always a neurologist around to bounce cases off as needed. I find the fellowship allowed me to create good time management skills, while growing my knowledge base which has assisted with my smooth transition to practice.
Carla Klassen, PA-C Program Director
Why did the Neurology department decide to implement an APC Fellowship?
Neurology is a particularly challenging specialty for APCs to enter. There is so much to learn under the umbrella of neurology that it can feel overwhelming, and for many, it’s a recipe for burnout. The medicine itself is complex, and with all the pressures on health systems, it can be hard for new APCs to find a dedicated mentor who has the time to truly train them. The fellowship felt like the perfect solution. It gave us a way to offer structured, dedicated training so APCs entering the field could feel confident in their skills and ready to care for patients with autonomy. Our first year really proved that this model works.
What benefits have you seen for the department?
Liz, our first fellow, has been a phenomenal asset to the neurology department. Because she trained within our system, she already understood our workflows, tools, and team dynamics by the time she joined full-time. Her transition was seamless. Liz stepped into a full panel of patients and was ready to go from day one. The level of independence and integration she demonstrated right away speaks to the strength of the fellowship model. Another significant benefit is her familiarity with our subspecialists, which is incredibly helpful when complex cases come up and a quick curbside is needed. We have been so pleased with the outcome; it is hard to imagine a stronger start to the program.
What has been your favorite part of being a program director?
Watching Liz grow and advance the profession has been the best part. She came in with excellent instincts, a solid foundation, and she took to neurology so naturally. Her patients love her, and our whole team appreciates the positive, kind energy she brings. It has been such a privilege to be a part of her journey. I’m excited to continue supporting future APC fellows and to see how the program helps shape the next generation of neurology providers.
Welcome Kristina Jelacic!
The Cardiology APC Fellowship welcomed a new program director in 2024, Kristina Jelacic, CNP.
Kristina brings a wealth of experience in cardiology to her role, having worked in general cardiology, cardio-oncology, heart failure, structural heart, and most recently, electrophysiology. She enjoys providing mentorship for the next generation of health care providers and helping them find their true passion in the profession.
We’re happy to have her on the APC fellowship team!
Words of appreciation
The APC Fellowship programs are made possible by the dedication of educators and colleagues who generously share their time and expertise – and by our fellows, who bring curiosity, humility, and a drive to grow. Thank you!
From the fellows
“Every single preceptor I encountered was fantastic. I feel like I was exposed to such a variety of medicine, which I wouldn’t trade for anything. Really nothing but great things to say about this program.”
“This fellowship has been an amazing opportunity to deepen my knowledge, refine my clinical expertise, and build meaningful connections... I am deeply grateful to everyone who has been part of my journey.”
“Everyone was so kind, helpful and made me feel really supported. You can tell HealthPartners values education. I would definitely recommend this fellowship to new providers.”
“I want to thank you all for the opportunity to learn and grow alongside seasoned mentors! I had a good experience and I am glad I did it!”
“My preceptors provided constructive feedback when asked and support when needed. All were very approachable, which made it easy to ask questions.”
If you’d like to learn more about the APC Fellowship programs, please visit our website. https://healthpartnersapcfellowship.org.
From the educators
“It was an absolute pleasure precepting [APC fellow] during this fellowship. I will forever be grateful for this opportunity... The corner of our care unit will never be the same.”
“[APC fellow] was a joy to work with. She communicates effectively, her clinical reasoning is spot on, and her documentation is excellent. She would be an asset to the team.”
“[APC fellow] has impeccable work habits and a great attitude. I had several patients and nurses tell me how much they enjoyed working with them (unsolicited).”
“There’s already a clear sense that [the APC fellow] is a great fit for the team and is off to a very strong start.”
“[The APC fellow] is a mature provider with an excellent background. Their humility and dedication to learning has been refreshing.”