Starting a successful career with Northwell’s ACP Mentorship Program

At Northwell Health, the goal of our Advanced Clinical Provider (ACP) Mentorship Program is to enhance the skills development process for nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) during their first few months as a new team member. Created four years ago with only 20 mentors and mentees in total — today, the program has more than quadrupled in size with participants developing clinical and non-clinical skills, essential to a successful career in healthcare management at Northwell.

Four team members from this year’s program, Annelisa Tucker (PA), Anthony Santos (PA), Jessica Darby (NP) and Noelia MaGowan (NP), shared their experiences about how valuable it was to participate in the ACP Mentorship Program at Northwell.

Annelisa Tucker – Mentee
Annelisa is an ENT (ear, nose and throat) physician assistant at Northwell Health. Before the start of the program, Annelisa shared that she was excited to connect with someone who can encourage her development and advise her through the beginning of her career. “I hope to not only learn ways in which I can advocate for myself in my current role, but also to learn how to advocate for the PA profession.” After completing the ACP Mentorship Program, she was paired with a senior PA in the same specialty and shared that being a part of this program exceeded her expectations and was instrumental for her career growth.

“I appreciate my mentor’s guidance and support throughout the onboarding process at Northwell. She was open to sharing stories from various challenges that she has faced throughout her career and how she managed to navigate and overcome them. I hope to apply her advice if I am faced with similar scenarios.” What surprised Annelisa the most about the program was seeing how many senior ACPs wanted to invest in the development of junior ACPs within the organization. “It was inspiring to see how many mentors wanted to give back and foster the career development of newer ACPs. I hope to become a mentor one day and pay it forward to future mentees at Northwell.” 

Anthony Santos – Mentor
Anthony is the senior physician assistant in otolaryngology at Glen Cove Hospital. Excited to have been a part of this program, he expressed, “this program is truly wonderful. It is a learning experience for both the mentor and mentee as we build our professional network, support and guidance. As once being a new employee myself, I can understand how tough it can be to join a new health system and not know the ins and outs of my responsibilities or have the direction to build my career. The relationship between me and my mentee is built to last and does not end after the program ends.”

Jessica Darby – Mentor/Program Coordinator
Jessica is a senior nurse practitioner (NP) care navigator with Northwell Health Solutions and the ‘Follow Your Heart’ team, which visits open heart patients at home after they have been discharged from the hospital. Before the start of the program, Jessica shared, “I want to help ease the transition for anyone entering our health system as an ACP.” After first completing the program as a mentor, she found it was valuable for her career growth within Northwell and wanted to continue to give back.

“In my role as a mentor/program coordinator, I am able to help fellow ACPs navigate their mentor/mentee relationship,” she shared. “It was rewarding to witness how dedicated the team of mentors are about ensuring a positive introduction for our new team members.”

Noelia MaGowan – Mentee
As a pediatric nurse practitioner for Cohen Children’s Medical Center, Noelia believes initiatives like the ACP Mentorship Program increases confidence, enhances leadership skills and provides networking opportunities. “Being a part of a mentorship program with a network of experienced professionals at Northwell builds valuable relationships, allows newer team members to gain exposure to different types of healthcare environments and grants us access to resources that enhance our professional growth.”

Mentorship is one of the many ways Northwell can provide an opportunity for team members to grow in their career and create their own success. Become a Health Raiser as an Advanced Clinical Provider at Northwell Health.