A Ph.D. in nursing will give you access to many of the top careers in medicine. You and your doctoral colleagues are not only experienced nurses, but expert educators, researchers and evaluators who are ready to work for government departments, leading healthcare organizations and in private practices. If you’ve ever wondered what can you do with a PhD in nursing, but are worried you don’t have the time to study, there are online options. For people who are already working in the profession, Wilkes University has Ph.D. programs that you can study remotely. The fees are competitive, and they offer a range of financial aid packages to help fund your program. Graduates can choose from the following popular career paths.
Managing your own nursing practice
Nurses who work autonomously get to set their own schedule, but still need to invest a huge number of hours in their business. You will be the one who decides how much you earn and what to charge your patients, but the early years could be especially tough. A business plan is essential, as is experience of working in a similar environment and the ability to manage a small team. For people who prefer this kind of independence, the sacrifices are worth it, and a health practice can be a rewarding business.
Educating the experts of tomorrow
Ph.D.-level nurses who are prepared for a teaching role, and passionate about inspiring the next generation of medical professionals, can become faculty members at schools and universities. From Ph.D. programs to undergraduate courses and master’s degrees, you can select the type of qualification you want to deliver and where you’d like to work. Like other faculty members, you’ll be expected to create and implement programs of study, as well as evaluate the success of each course and the students who enrolled. Most educators report their findings in medical journals or at conferences.
Directing a nursing research program
As a research director, you will oversee the administration of data collection and evaluation in health care departments or medical facilities. At the start of your directorship, you could be responsible for supervising a handful of colleagues in their research work, but as your experience grows, you could move on to the management of every nursing research project that is being conducted. Directors field questions concerning how a research plan is developed and eventually applied. As with educational roles, program directors are often responsible for collating and publishing the company’s findings.
These are some of the most common post-doctorate careers, but they are by no means the only options open. After completing the program, Ph.D. -prepared nurses can find employment in virtually any medical organization where educational, research or evaluation-based work is carried out. These could be publishing companies, charities, health advocacy groups or businesses that are part of the pharmaceutical industry. An achievement as impressive as a Ph.D. will always make an impression on employers, allowing you to cherry-pick roles that appeal to your interests.
Leave a Reply