pediatric nurse using stethoscope on a young boy

Pediatric Primary Care Nurse Practitioner

Use your expertise to provide holistic, long-term care for children and families — addressing physical, developmental and emotional needs and play a critical role in ensuring children grow up healthy, supported and ready to thrive.

At Ohio State, you’ll train within one of the nation’s top comprehensive health sciences centers, gaining clinically rigorous, evidence-based experience guided by world-class faculty and dedicated mentors. You’ll build skills across diverse settings — from community-based primary care agencies to The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center — and benefit from hands-on learning, interdisciplinary collaboration and the support of expert preceptors committed to your success.

U.S. News & World Report ranking

  • #6 (tied) through our DNP program

Apply through one of our programs

Visit the program page to learn more about admission requirements, curriculum and how to apply.

On campus

  • Post-Master's Study Option

    Certified advanced practice nurses seeking additional specialization.

  • BSN to DNP

    Nurses who want advanced leadership training and the highest level of clinical education.

What is a pediatric primary care nurse practitioner?

A pediatric primary care nurse practitioner (PNP-PC) is an advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) who specializes in providing comprehensive, family-centered primary care to children from birth through young adulthood. PNP-PCs emphasize health promotion, disease prevention, and the diagnosis and management of both acute and chronic pediatric conditions. They collaborate closely with pediatricians, specialists, therapists and school health professionals to ensure coordinated, developmentally appropriate care. PNP-PCs practice in a wide range of settings, including pediatric primary care offices, school-based health centers, public health clinics, specialty clinics and community health centers.

Take the next step

Attend an information session to learn more. 

Sign up

Our graduates enter the workforce with the skills and competencies to:

  • Provide direct healthcare services to children and families in multiple settings.
  • Apply evidence-based practice to care for children from birth through young adulthood in both clinical and community contexts.
  • Design and evaluate plans of care for well-child visits, acute illnesses, and stable chronic conditions.
  • Use leadership skills to advocate for children and families at local, regional, and national levels.
  • Contribute to pediatric nursing through innovative quality improvement initiatives and evidence-based interventions. Engage actively in professional organizations within and beyond nursing.