The role of the advanced practice nurse (APRN) is expanding, and with it, the number of APRN training programs. New graduates practice largely in environments that require all of their skills, including hospital-based roles, specialty roles, and primary care roles. In many states, APRNs practice almost entirely independently, which requires that their knowledge and skills be honed to an exceptional degree. The proposed solution to this gap in the literature is to undertake an exploration of the perceptions and expectations APRN students have at multiple time points in their clinical education. Additionally, this project will seek to elicit information from students across all APRN certification tracks about their interest in a future career in a rural setting, and how to better understand what characteristics influence this interest.