What is a clinical educator and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Michelle Hampton Ph.D.

A clinical educator trains and mentors healthcare providers to improve their clinical skills and knowledge. They work in healthcare settings such as hospitals, clinics, and universities. Clinical educators use lectures, simulations, and hands-on practice to develop clinical competencies in healthcare providers. They also design and implement educational programs. Clinical educators collaborate with healthcare professionals to provide up-to-date and evidence-based training. They can impact the ability of healthcare providers to deliver high-quality care to patients.

What general advice would you give to a clinical educator?

Michelle Hampton Ph.D.

Associate Professor, San Jose State University

For a reason stated above, students graduating during the pandemic are doing so with less clinical experience than students usually do. Nurse educators have worked to supplement with simulation training, but the fact remains that new graduates in the COVID-19 era will require more on-the-job training and support. They will need mentors and resources in the early months of their new positions - this is required, even outside of the pandemic, to provide safe and effective care and continue the learning process. I would advise students to ask about the availability of resources and mentorship if interviewing for a position.

And, if they accept a job with limited resources, I would encourage them to find informal mentors outside of the clinical setting to support them. One of the biggest challenges for new graduates is figuring out what you don't know - and the potential risks if you don't get help in those circumstances. For that reason, I hope that every new graduate RN will be able to identify a mentor that they feel comfortable enough to ask questions and consult if they are unsure about how to interpret physical assessment findings, lab or diagnostic test results, and what to do when the results are concerning to them.

It sounds simple enough, but finding a resource person like this is not a given. Considering how busy the rest of the staff must be at this point, and lateral and interprofessional incivility, new graduates might feel isolated and uncertain about their skills and practice competency. Supporting them can bolster staffing capacity and save patient lives.

ScoreClinical EducatorUS Average

Salary

5.2

Avg. Salary $65,929

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.44%

Asian 8.99%

Black or African American 10.78%

Hispanic or Latino 9.21%

Unknown 4.28%

White 66.31%

Gender

female 80.56%

male 19.44%

Age - 43

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43

Stress level

10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a clinical educator?

Pros

Flexibility in scheduling and location of work
Competitive salary and benefits packages
Opportunities for professional growth and development
Ability to work with diverse groups of learners
Opportunity to work in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

Cons

May require long hours, including evenings and weekends
Can be stressful, especially when dealing with high-stakes assessments
May require extensive travel or relocation for job opportunities
May involve navigating complex institutional systems and policies
Can be isolating, as much of the work may involve one-on-one interactions with students.

Key steps to become a clinical educator

Explore clinical educator education requirements

Most common clinical educator degrees

Bachelor's

50.7 %

Associate

21.2 %

Master's

20.8 %

Start to develop specific clinical educator skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	15.21%
Patient Care	10.35%
Excellent Interpersonal	9.56%
BLS	6.72%
Educational Programs	5.40%

Complete relevant clinical educator training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New clinical educators learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a clinical educator based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real clinical educator resumes.

Gain additional clinical educator certifications

Clinical educator certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific clinical educator certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for clinical educators include Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS) and Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE).

More About Certifications

Research clinical educator duties and responsibilities

Develop and manage customer training materials and deliver in-service and technical training programs for new and existing customers.
Provide case management with physicians recommendations and assistance navigating insurance such as Medicare, Medicaid and manage care.
Demonstrate clinical competency and compassion in providing care, using technology, administering medications, performing procedures and managing emergencies
Provide education within the community for cardiac health, CPR and ACLS.

Prepare your clinical educator resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your clinical educator resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a clinical educator resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable clinical educator resume templates

Build a professional clinical educator resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your clinical educator resume.