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ENP student with group ventilating a manikin at a disaster drill.

Emergency Trauma Care

Learn to care for patients in fast-paced emergency departments through Texas’ only Emergency Nurse Practitioner specialty track at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston.

Two Pathways to Emergency/Trauma Care Education


Concurrent Enrollment – Students in the last semester of Cizik School of Nursing’s Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) specialty track may request admission to the Emergency/Trauma Care (ETC) concentration. The ETC didactic courses are taken concurrently with the other FNP courses. The ETC clinical component will be taken the semester after graduation from the FNP track. 

Post-graduate Completion – FNPs may apply to the ETC track on a post-graduate basis. Upon completion, students will receive a recognition of achievement issued from Cizik School of Nursing. A transcript noting the courses taken will also be available.


Emergency/Trauma Care Specialty Track at a Glance

UTHealth Houston has been leading the way in ENP education since 1994. Students from across Texas learn to assess and care for patients in emergency departments and acute ambulatory care settings, including high-acuity presentations such as resuscitative trauma and chronic disease exacerbation.

When you graduate, you will be eligible to take the Emergency Nurse Practitioner certification examination offered by the American Academy of Nurse Practitioners Certification Board (AANPCB).

    • Admit Terms: Spring and Fall
    • Average Completion: 3 semesters
    • Credit Requirements: 12 credit hours
    • Educational Mode: Mostly online with some in-person requirements
      Academic program: Post-graduate only
    • Estimated Tuition: Among the lowest in the state
    • Admission Requirements


Sample Curriculum


Future Emergency Nurse Practitioners

Family Nurse Practitioner students Laurie Martin and Dalila Garcia discuss how the Emergency/Trauma Care track at Cizik School of Nursing at UTHealth Houston is preparing them to better serve patients in their communities.

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Flexible, Online Emergency/Trauma Care Education

Students from all over Texas study remotely to become Emergency Nurse Practitioners through Cizik School of Nursing’s ETC specialty track. They also get to know faculty and build relationships through on-campus didactic instruction three or four consecutive days each semester. 

(Note: Students must physically reside in Texas before the first day of class.)

Careers in Emergency/
Trauma Care

Completion of the ETC concentration open doors to emergency departments, urgent care centers, and fast-paced primary care settings in urban and rural areas. 

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First EMS NP program in the U.S.

Beginning in Summer 2026, Cizik School of Nursing will offer the nation’s first subspecialty designed to prepare emergency nurse practitioners for advanced practice within Emergency Medical Services (EMS). It provides specialized training in prehospital care, disaster response, and mobile healthcare, equipping NPs to deliver high-acuity care in dynamic field environments. Graduates will be prepared to expand system capacity, enhance patient safety, and strengthen care delivery across EMS systems. ETC students may apply in their last semester. Get the details about the EMSNP subspecialty.

Apply Today

Concurrent Enrollment – If you are a currently enrolled FNP student who is interested in the Emergency Nurse Practitioner specialty, please speak to your advisor and contact Assistant Professor Janice Lee for application details.

Post-Graduate Completion – Family Nurse Practitioners seeking admission to the nondegree post-graduate program must meet the minimum admission requirements and submit the online application.

Need Help?

Our enrollment coaches can help you navigate the application process.

Call 713-500-2145, or email [email protected].