Pediatric Nurse Practitioner, DNP

Nurse examining patient

Now accepting applications for Fall 2025

Application Deadline: May 1, 2025

Program Overview

Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (PNP) are advanced practice registered nurses that specialize in the care of children from pre-natal through 21 years of age. This program prepares students in pediatric primary health care, providing knowledge and experience in well childcare and the prevention and management of common pediatric acute illnesses and chronic conditions. Students will learn how to provide high quality care to children within the context of their family, community, and environmental setting.

Track Highlights

  • PNPs will be prepared to demonstrate the mastery of pediatric competencies through clinical practice, consultation, advocacy, and professional leadership activities.
  • In-depth knowledge, skills, training and experience in pediatric primary care will allow the PNP to be an expert in this field to meet the specialized needs of children and their families in various primary care and specialized settings in the community.
  • Upon completion, our graduates are eligible to sit for certification through the Pediatric Nurse Certification Board.

FAQs

Discover answers to commonly asked questions about the College of Nursing, admissions, and academic programs.

Meet Your Lead Faculty, Dr. Amy Williams

Amy Williams
DNP, APRN, CPNP-PC
Lead PNP Track
williamy@musc.edu

Amy Williams is an Associate Professor in the Doctorate of Nursing Practice program at The Medical University of South Carolina. She received her BSN, MSN to become a pediatric nurse practitioner, and DNP from The Medical University of South Carolina. She is a certified pediatric nurse practitioner.


Dr. Williams has practiced pediatric nursing since beginning her career, first as a bedside nurse in an infant and toddler unit, then as a nurse practitioner both in pediatric pulmonology and pediatric primary care, where she still maintains an active practice. Dr. Williams is certified by the Pediatric Nursing Certification Board (PNCB). She currently provides primary care for pediatric patients at MUSC University Pediatrics- Northwoods in North Charleston, South Carolina. The clinic has a large Spanish-speaking population; Dr. Williams speaks Spanish in her practice. Dr. Williams serves on the board of PASOs, a statewide Latinx advocacy organization. She weaves her clinical and advocacy knowledge into her teaching in the DNP program.

Dr. Williams is known for being active in healthcare policy work at the national level through her professional organization, the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners and at the state level, in early childhood care. She holds a Governor’s appointment as a trustee for South Carolina First Steps to School Readiness and the Early Childhood Advisory Council where she fills the only healthcare provider seat, working alongside members of the South Carolina General Assembly and state agency heads to ensure all of South Carolina’s children are as prepared for Kindergarten as possible through available, evidenced-based early childhood educational programs. She is the recipient of a Duke foundation grant to promote school preparedness in the Latinx community and the site Administrator for Zero to Three’s Healthy Steps initiative in her clinic.

She is interested in healthcare policy and advocacy, childhood obesity, childhood asthma, infant, child and adolescent development, health equity and promoting culturally effective healthcare. She is a recipient of the DAISY award for extraordinary nurses, the Palmetto Gold Award, an I am an MUSC Innovator Award and is a JONAS scholar.