American Academy of Nursing Cements Focus on Supporting Nurse Leaders in National Policy Partnership

AAN Invests in Endowment to Formalize its NAM Fellowship in Perpetuity

Washington, DC (October 14, 2025) — The American Academy of Nursing (AAN) announced today that it has expanded its partnership with the National Academy of Medicine (NAM) by transitioning its funding of the AAN Fellowship at the NAM from a term agreement to an endowment. The AAN NAM Fellowship program provides talented scholars in nursing with the opportunity to experience and participate in evidence-based public health studies that improve the care and access to care of patients in domestic and global health care systems.

Since 2022, when AAN and the NAM established its joint Fellowship program, it has supported two outstanding nurse scholars, Paule Joseph, PhD, MS, FNP-BC, CTN-B, FAAN, who was the inaugural Fellow, and Roxana Chicas, PhD, RN, FAAN, who is currently serving as the 2024-2026 Fellow.

“A cornerstone of my presidency has been to establish and nurture key partnerships now and into the future. The AAN NAM Fellowship further amplifies nursing expertise with one of the foremost and esteemed policy-making organizations at the federal level,” said American Academy of Nursing President Linda D. Scott, PhD, RN, NEA-BC, FADLN, FNAP, FAAN. “Nurses' impact and influence are pivotal to transforming health during a time of rapid innovation. When a collaborative approach is taken to reform the health care system, the patient, family, and community benefit.”

The goal of the AAN NAM Fellowship is to further facilitate the dissemination of nursing knowledge and expertise in key discussions that will impact health policy at the national level. This experience over a two-year period introduces the AAN NAM Fellow to a variety of experts and perspectives, including legislators, government officials, industry leaders, executives of voluntary health organizations, scientists, and other health professionals.

“The National Academy of Medicine is delighted to deepen its partnership with the American Academy of Nursing in establishing this fellowship,” said National Academy of Medicine President Victor J. Dzau. “Nurse leaders are vital experts to collaborate with the NAM, as they provide an important perspective to address complex challenges in health and health care and further our ability to make meaningful change.”

Learn more about the Academy. More details regarding the AAN NAM Fellowship are available here. Call for nominations for the 2026 – 2028 Fellowship will open next March.

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About the American Academy of Nursing
The American Academy of Nursing serves the public by advancing health policy and practice through the generation, synthesis, and dissemination of nursing knowledge. Academy Fellows are inducted into the organization for their extraordinary contributions to improve health locally and globally. With more than 3,200 Fellows, the Academy represents nursing’s most accomplished leaders in policy, research, administration, practice, and academia.
AAN Contact: Caroline Kane | 202-777-1170 | ckane@AANnet.org

About the National Academy of Medicine
The National Academy of Medicine, established in 1970 as the Institute of Medicine, is an independent organization of eminent professionals from diverse fields including health and medicine; the natural, social, and behavioral sciences; and beyond. It serves alongside the National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Engineering as an adviser to the nation and the international community.  Through its domestic and global initiatives, the NAM works to address critical issues in health, medicine, and related policy and inspire positive action across sectors. The NAM collaborates closely with its peer academies and other divisions within the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
NAM Contact: Dana Korsen | 202-334-2138 | news@nas.edu