FW: Doctoral Degrees Gain Steam in Healthcare Industry (DPT's, DNP's, etc.)

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Primary care...opportunity? will we be left behind??

Vern Saboe

Doctoral Degrees Gain Steam in Healthcare Industry (DPT's, DNP's, etc.)

Doctoral Degrees Gain Steam in Healthcare Industry

Advanced studies are now de rigueur for pros from pharmacists to audiologists.

By s <http://www.usnews.com/topics/author/michelle_andrews>

U.S. News and World Report

March 20, 2012

Doctor of nursing practice student Bruner, right, consults with Rubia

Fowler at the Lake Medical Clinic in Florida.

As medicine has grown more complex and sophisticated, so have the skills needed

to practice it. Pharmacists don't just dispense pills any longer; they develop

medication regimens and counsel patients on how to follow them. And nurse

practitioners are now for many people the main source of primary care

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-med\

ical-schools/primary-care-rankings> , the experts who diagnose those aches and

pains and then write the prescriptions that relieve them.

Given the ballooning of their clinical duties, it's no surprise that the

education required of many health pros is expanding, too.

As of January 2012, students who want to be certified as audiologists must have

a doctoral degree. New advanced practice nurses—nurse practitioners, nurse

anesthetists, nurse midwives, and clinical nurse specialists, who work with

other nurses to improve patients' health outcomes in a range of

specialties—can anticipate needing or being strongly encouraged to get a

doctor of nursing practice (D.N.P.) degree beginning in about 2015. Physical

therapy grads are looking at stiffer requirements starting in 2018.

Those who are already practicing when the time comes generally won't have to

meet the new standards as long as they keep their licenses up to date, experts

say. And not all health professions are moving in this direction. There are no

plans at this time to add requirements for physician assistants or

speech-language pathologists, for example.

Unlike doctor of philosophy programs (Ph.D) that emphasize academic research,

the clinical doctoral programs that are becoming de rigueur in the health fields

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-hea\

lth-schools> emphasize skills and knowledge students will need to practice

their profession at its highest level. Advanced practice nurses who diagnose and

treat patients need not just to know the necessary medicine but also to be

familiar with " systems of care, and understand issues around quality and safety

measurement and leadership to be able to fully utilize their capabilities, " says

Kathleen Potempa, president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

Two tracks typically lead to a clinical doctoral degree: one for practicing

professionals who may already have a master's, and another for students just

getting started in the field. Someone coming out of college wanting a doctor of

physical therapy degree, for example, can enter the three-year program with any

undergraduate major as long as he or she has completed some prerequisites.

That's true for the four-year audiology program, too.

To enter a doctor of nursing practice program as a new grad, on the other hand,

you have to have a bachelor's in nursing and an RN license. Pharmacy students

must complete at least two years of targeted undergraduate coursework before

beginning a four-year clinical doctoral program.

Even if credentialing requirements won't change for a while, many students who

are entering these fields today aren't waiting. Indeed, some programs are

designed to allow the very early committers to earn both a bachelor's and

doctoral degree in one academic swoop.

" I knew I'd save money from tuition, room, and board for a whole year, and you

don't have to take the GRE

<http://www.usnews.com/education/best-graduate-schools/top-graduate-schools/gre>

" entrance exam, says Letizio, 24; she will graduate with a doctor of

physical therapy degree (D.P.T.) from College

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-hea\

lth-schools/simmons-college-167783> in Boston in August. Letizio began her

studies there as a freshman in 2006 in the school's " three plus three " program,

so she could pack seven years of study into six.

Of 210 accredited physical therapy programs nationwide, all but four offer

D.P.T. programs. Most of these three-year programs, including those at

Washington University in St. Louis

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-med\

ical-schools/washington-university-in-st.-louis-04060> , the University of

Southern California

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-med\

ical-schools/university-of-southern-california-keck-04013> , and Columbia

University

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-med\

ical-schools/columbia-university-04070> , are aimed at students who already have

their bachelor's degree. Thirty-five schools, including the University of

Hartford

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-hea\

lth-schools/university-of-hartford-129525> , Indiana University

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-hea\

lth-schools/indiana-university-bloomington-151351> , and Ithaca College

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-hea\

lth-schools/ithaca-college-191968> in New York as well as , also offer

the " three plus three " combined programs.

Unlike physical therapy doctoral students, who graduate with a generalist

degree, advanced practice nurses specialize in one of a number of areas, such as

nurse practitioner/family practice, nurse midwifery, and health management and

policy. There are currently 182 accredited doctor of nursing practice programs

in 42 states plus the District of Columbia. Thanks to the impressive and growing

demand for advanced practice nurses, an additional 101 programs are in the

planning stages, says Potempa.

Many D.N.P. programs now are conducted at least in part online; indeed, some

require only occasional visits to campus. This can be a boon, especially for

working students who live in states that don't have a D.N.P. program. According

to a 2011 survey by the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, 32 D.N.P.

programs were offered completely online, while 78 offered at least half of their

program that way.

Many D.N.P. programs incorporate online coursework even for students who live

near campus. That's what Bruner discovered when she enrolled at the

University of Florida

<http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-hea\

lth-schools/university-of-florida-134130> 's program in Gainesville in 2009

after getting her bachelor's in nursing there in 2006 and working for three

years in hospital and outpatient settings in the Washington, D.C., area.

" I like classroom interaction, but I've been pretty impressed with how they try

to facilitate online learning, " she says. " We end up having good discussions

even though nobody can see each other. " Bruner chose the family nurse

practitioner track because she prefers an outpatient setting to acute care and

hopes to work with all types of patients.

Since doctoral degrees won't be expected of nurses in her field until at least

2015, Bruner could have exited the three-year doctoral program with a master's

degree after five semesters rather than continuing for the additional three,

leaving the decision about getting a D.N.P. until later.

But " I have a long career ahead of me, " she says. " I wanted to be prepared. I

didn't want to go back to school when I was older and ready to start a family. "

And she thinks there's no doubt that a more demanding role is the future of

nursing.