The American Association of Nurse Practitioners announced on July 14 that its Mentorship Program has been updated for 2026, with changes designed to broaden participation and improve the mentor-mentee matching process.
The AANP Mentorship Program connects Fellows of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners—recognized leaders in education, policy, clinical practice, or research—with current AANP members seeking guidance and professional growth. The program is now expanding its scope to include a more diverse array of mentees, such as nurse practitioner students, career starters, and early-career nurse practitioners. According to the organization, "NPs chosen to become AANP Fellows are tasked with continuing to support the NP role — and especially in guiding the next generation of NPs."
Beginning in 2026, mentors will take an active role in selecting their mentees by reviewing intake forms and choosing based on professional alignment and goals. Once selected by a mentor, mentees are responsible for defining the relationship’s objectives and action items. The organization said this approach aims to better align participants' interests while providing opportunities for leadership development.
The revised program emphasizes five domains—Practice, Education, Advocacy, Research, and Leadership (PEARL). Each mentor-mentee pair will select one PEARL domain as their focus area. Within each domain are expanded interest areas; for example, Practice includes topics such as billing and coding understanding or addressing health equity in nurse practitioner care.
Technological enhancements have also been introduced into the online platform supporting the mentorship initiative. Features now include algorithm-based matching suggestions for mentors selecting mentees; a workspace portal with suggested monthly milestones; online orientation materials; frequently asked questions; and other resources intended to streamline participation.
Applications for the updated AANP Mentorship Program are open until July 31 at 5 p.m. Central Time. Eligible applicants must be AANP members in good standing with at least six months’ membership as of July 1.
