Find a DNP Preceptor
Near You
Post one placement request and doctorally prepared preceptors come to you. DNP preceptors across all 50 states. Sign up free and pay only after you accept an offer.
CA
C. Amari, DNP
TW
T. Walsh, DNP
IR
I. Rahman, MD
Why finding a DNP preceptor is so hard
Your program asks for more hours than an MSN, and more students are chasing the same providers.
1,000 hours to place
BSN-to-DNP programs often require more than 1,000 total clinical hours. That means several rotations across different settings, each needing its own qualified preceptor, and self-placement becomes a second job alongside your coursework.
More programs, same providers
DNP programs have multiplied, especially online ones, so thousands of students now search the same areas. Providers get asked constantly, and many have stopped taking students at all.
Doctoral credentialing is stricter
Some DNP rotations require a doctorally prepared preceptor rather than any qualified NP. That requirement alone rules out much of the pool your MSN classmates can use.
How to find a DNP preceptor
Post one request and let qualified DNP preceptors come to you.
1
Sign up free
Create your account in about 2 minutes and submit a placement request with your full program requirements: clinical hours across your specialty track, whether your program requires a doctorally prepared preceptor, and any setting requirements it specifies.
2
Receive preceptor offers
We notify matching DNP-level preceptors in your area, and interested preceptors send you offers directly. When your program requires a doctorally prepared preceptor, we filter for DNPs specifically rather than leaving you to check credentials yourself.
3
Start your rotation
Compare offers, message preceptors and choose the best preceptor. Pay nothing until you accept an offer. We handle the paperwork between you, your preceptor and your school. You're protected by our Money Back Guarantee if your school rejects the preceptor or the preceptor cancels.
DNP preceptors are joining our network every week.
Takes 2 minutes. No credit card required.
What to look for in a DNP preceptorship
A DNP preceptorship works differently from a master's-level rotation. You'll usually want preceptors aligned with your project focus: evidence-based practice implementation, quality improvement, systems leadership, or deep specialty expertise.
A strong doctor of nursing practice preceptor holds the credential your program demands and practices somewhere your hours will count. Check the credential requirement first, because some DNP rotations accept only a doctorally prepared preceptor and finding that out late costs you a semester.
If your program needs a specific setting, we filter for it. We handle NP preceptor placement with your school directly, including the paperwork. Your specialty rotations run through the same process, whether that's FNP hours, PMHNP rotations or AGACNP placements. For hours and settings by track, see NP clinical placement across specialties.
Why DNP students choose Clinical Match Me
Built for programs that need more hours than anyone else.
One account for every rotation
DNP programs demand more clinical hours than MSN programs. Find preceptors for each phase of your program from one account instead of starting a new search every rotation.
Coverage where online students need it
Many DNP programs run fully online, which means you need a preceptor where you live rather than where your school is. We cover all 50 states, and our AI preceptor outreach recruits providers in your specific area rather than waiting for them to sign up.
$0 until you accept an offer
Sign up, submit placement requests and message preceptors for free. Pay only after a preceptor sends you an offer and you accept it. The $1,995 NP preceptor cost is the flat rate most preceptors charge, and payment plans are available.
Money Back Guarantee
If your school rejects the preceptor, or the preceptor cancels at any point, choose a full refund or a new preceptor. Any reason counts.
DNP preceptors in all 50 states
Many rural and small-town providers want to teach and almost never hear from a student. Our outreach finds them, which matters most for online DNP students living far from any academic medical center.
You choose from multiple offers
More than one DNP preceptor can offer you a placement. Compare their credentials, settings and locations side by side, then accept the one that fits your schedule and your program.
Thousands of NP students found their preceptor through us
We've placed students since 2014, and anyone can check our ratings.
Many DNP students find us after weeks of cold calls. Some students receive their first offer within 24 hours. Read Clinical Match Me reviews on Trustpilot and Google, or watch their student testimonials on video.
Students post their reviews on Trustpilot and Google once they know whether the preceptor showed up, whether the school signed off, and whether we did the paperwork we promised.
As a DNP student, you'll need several rotations, not one, so the reviews worth your time come from students who've found preceptors for several rotations.
How DNP clinical hours add up to 1,000
DNP programs follow the AACN Essentials, which set a minimum of 1,000 post-baccalaureate clinical practice hours for the degree. How those hours break down decides your rotation strategy.
A BSN-to-DNP program counts from your BSN, so your master's-level clinical hours and your doctoral hours both feed the total. Most programs structure it as 600 to 800 hours in your specialty rotations plus project hours. An MSN-to-DNP program counts from where your master's stopped: if you finished 600 hours then, you need roughly 400 more post-master's hours to reach the AACN minimum.
Direct and indirect hours aren't the same thing, and many students miss this. Direct patient care means face-to-face time under preceptor supervision. Indirect hours cover program-approved work such as chart review, case conferences and quality improvement activity. Your program sets the split, and assuming the wrong one leaves you short at the end.
Project hours are the scholarly practice hours attached to your evidence-based project: literature review, data collection, stakeholder engagement and implementation. They count toward the 1,000-hour minimum and usually need a project mentor rather than a clinical preceptor. We place those too: choose Doctorate Thesis Advisor as the specialty and submit it as its own request.
DNP preceptor questions students ask
Common questions from doctor of nursing practice students.
Do you place both BSN-to-DNP and MSN-to-DNP students?
Both. BSN-to-DNP students need the same clinical rotation preceptors as MSN-level NP students, and we place across every NP specialty. MSN-to-DNP students who still need clinical hours use the service the same way. We verify preceptor credentials before matching.
Do you place DNP project mentors as well as clinical preceptors?
Yes, both. Choose Doctorate Thesis Advisor as the specialty on your placement request and we'll match it the way we match a clinical rotation. Plenty of students run the two in parallel on separate requests, one for the rotation and one for the advisor.
I'm in an online DNP program in a rural area. Can you still help?
Yes, and it's one of the most common situations we handle. Online DNP students are spread across the country and many live where providers are scarce. Our AI preceptor outreach contacts qualified providers near you, even when there are no matching preceptors in our network.
How much does it cost to find a DNP preceptor through Clinical Match Me?
Registration is free and you pay nothing until a preceptor sends you an offer and you accept it. Most preceptors charge a flat rate of $1,995 for rotations up to 250 hours. That price includes our fee and the preceptor's honorarium (their compensation for teaching you). A smaller group of preceptors charge hourly rates, which vary by individual. If you'd like to spread out the cost, payment plans are available. See the full NP preceptor cost breakdown.
My program needs more than 1,000 hours. Can I use you for several rotations?
Yes, and many DNP students do. Each placement request can cover up to 350 clinical hours, so submit a separate request for each rotation your program requires. If those rotations span different specialties or settings, say so on each request and we'll match them independently.
What clinical settings are available for DNP rotations?
Our DNP preceptors work across primary care offices, specialty clinics, hospitals, community health centers, public health departments and leadership roles inside healthcare organizations. What your rotation needs depends on your track and project focus, so tell us both when you submit.
Will my school accept a preceptor I find through Clinical Match Me?
Yes. We verify preceptor credentials before matching, so schools approve most of our preceptors. We also handle the paperwork between you, your preceptor and your school. If your school rejects the preceptor, you're protected by our Money Back Guarantee. Choose a full refund or a new preceptor.
How many clinical hours do DNP programs typically require?
It varies more than any other track. DNP programs require at least 1,000 post-baccalaureate hours, which may combine direct patient care with project or practicum hours. A post-master's DNP counts from where your master's ended rather than from zero. Our flat rate applies to rotations up to 250 hours each.
When should I start looking for a DNP preceptor?
Earlier than an MSN student would. DNP programs often set stricter credentialing requirements, and some rotations accept only doctorally prepared preceptors. Although many students are placed within days, try to submit your placement requests as early as possible. The sooner you do, the sooner we can place you. Registration is free and you owe nothing until you accept an offer.
Find your DNP preceptor and get back to studying.
Free to join and no credit card required. Pay nothing until you accept an offer.