The Clinical Affiliations Program at MGH is managed through the Institute for Patient Care. All requests for graduate and undergraduate nursing student placements are made by contacting Rosalie Tyrrell, RN, MS, Professional Development Manager @ rtyrrell@partners.org. The Clinical Affiliations Program exemplifies our mission “to educate future academic and practice leaders of the health care professions”; our vision “to create a practice environment that is built on a spirit of inquiry"; our professional practice model; and the Department of Nursing philosophy “to educate ourselves and to educate others”.

Annually over 1300 students from 28 schools of nursing obtain clinical placements at MGH. The Student Group Placements with Faculty Program provides clinical placements for groups of students from local and regional schools. Over 1,000 students from 10 schools are placed in groups with instructors.

The Precepted Clinical Placement Program provides MGH staff preceptors for graduate and undergraduate nursing students. Over 300 students from approximately 28 schools obtain student preceptorships at MGH and affiliated health centers. Students may be precepted by Staff Nurses, Advanced Practice Nurses, Nursing Directors, Associate Chief Nurses, the Senior VP for Patient Care and Chief Nurse, and Primary Care Physicians. Preceptors may be rewarded and recognized for their precepting activities through vouchers for payment for courses or continuing education programs at several of our affiliating schools.

MGH staff may hold faculty appointments at local colleges and universities, teaching in graduate and undergraduate programs. Staff who teach students on site at MGH bring an added value to the teaching/learning experience, bridging the gap between what is taught in the academic setting and the realities of the complex patient care environment. Staff are also invited to be guest lecturers or visiting scholars.

Many staff seize the opportunity to positively influence care through education. MGH values mutual contributions by service and academia in the education of future health care practitioners.

There are a number of benefits of the Clinical Affiliations Program. These include providing leadership in patient care, excellence in practice, establishing a sense of good will in the greater healthcare and academic community, providing a community service and contributing to a pool of potential recruits.