Assistant Clinical Professor (retired annuitant)

Michelle O’Rourke is an assistant clinical professor (retired annuitant) for the Master of Science – Nurse Practitioner and Master of Health Services – Physician Assistant degree programs at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis. Her career and research focus includes best practices in primary care and geriatrics, integrative case-based learning and the implementation of family practice clinic simulations for nurse practitioner and physician assistant students.

O’Rourke co-teaches the Advanced Clinical Skills series, spanning both years of the programs, where she co-leads the program’s unique integrative case-based learning component of the curriculum. She also co-teaches the Primary Health Care series spanning the first year of the master’s-degree programs, providing content expertise in women’s health, diseases of the neurological system and the special populations of pediatrics and geriatrics.

Motivated by her teaching and clinical experience in geriatrics, O’Rourke earned board certification as a gerontological nurse practitioner in April 2011 and set her research interests in advancing the health of older adults. She practiced as a family and gerontological nurse practitioner in the UC Davis Family Practice Clinic for five years and is highly interested in enhancing interprofessional education and practice as a member of the Family and Community Medicine Strategic Planning Committee on Interprofessional Education.

O’Rourke began her teaching career at UCSF in the Master’s Entry Program in Nursing. From 2003 to 2006, she taught the first of a three-year program as an assistant clinical professor in the Department of Family Health Care Nursing. She joined the faculty at UC Davis in October 2007. Prior to this, she worked as a family nurse practitioner in both a private and managed-care practice from 1999 to 2003.

O’Rourke received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1978 from San Jose State University and a Master of Science in Nursing and Family Nurse Practitioner in 1999 from USF. She is a member of several professional organizations, including the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, the California Association of Nurse Practitioners and the National Organization of Nurse Practitioner Faculties.

Contact Information: Phone: 916-734-5014 | E-mail: mlorourke@ucdavis.edu