How To Become A Clinical Education Specialist: What It Is and Career Path

What is a clinical education specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Clinical education specialists are responsible for maintaining current knowledge and competency in nursing and professional development practice. They ensure that quality orientation and other learning opportunities meet the regulations requirements as well as manage care delivery systems. Clinical education specialists earn an average sum of $76,000 annually or $36 per hour.

Clinical education specialists are tasked with improving education among healthcare providers. They assist in designing curriculum for continuing education programs that health workers should take throughout their careers. They determine the type of education the coworkers need and design courses to provide them with the proper training and education. A great clinical education specialist possesses excellent analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Clinical education specialists mostly hold a nursing or medical degree. They are expected to have some years of experience in the profession and a teaching design role. Some employers also require candidates with a commitment to providing continuing education.

ScoreClinical Education SpecialistUS Average

Salary

5.9

Avg. Salary $75,695

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

10.0

Growth Rate 6%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.3

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.45%

Asian 8.90%

Black or African American 10.62%

Hispanic or Latino 10.11%

Unknown 4.34%

White 65.58%

Gender

female 75.99%

male 24.01%

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

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Key steps to become a clinical education specialist

Explore clinical education specialist education requirements

Most common clinical education specialist degrees

Bachelor's

47.4 %

Associate

23.3 %

Master's

22.9 %

Start to develop specific clinical education specialist skills

Skills	Percentages
Clinical Education	14.49%
Patients	10.42%
Patient Care	10.41%
Professional Development	6.33%
BLS	4.53%

Complete relevant clinical education specialist training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New clinical education specialists 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 education specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real clinical education specialist resumes.

Gain additional clinical education specialist certifications

Clinical education specialist 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 education specialist certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for clinical education specialists include Basic Life Support for Healthcare and Public Safety (BLS) and Nursing Professional Development (RN-BC).

More About Certifications

Research clinical education specialist duties and responsibilities

Provide case management with physicians recommendations and assistance navigating insurance such as Medicare, Medicaid and manage care.
Educate patients regarding the different type of pumps, infusion sets, and self-administration of medications.
Provide one-on-one supervision and crisis intervention-acting as an advocate and liaison for patients and their case managers.
Support guide wire and balloon dilatation catheter projects, requiring similar activities associate with development of stent delivery systems.

Prepare your clinical education specialist resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your clinical education specialist 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 education specialist 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 Education Specialist Resume templates

Build a professional Clinical Education Specialist 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 Education Specialist resume.

Apply for clinical education specialist jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a clinical education specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

Average clinical education specialist salary

The average Clinical Education Specialist salary in the United States is $75,695 per year or $36 per hour. Clinical education specialist salaries range between $58,000 and $97,000 per year.

Average Clinical Education Specialist Salary

$75,695 Yearly

$36.39 hourly

How do clinical education specialists rate their job?