Doctorate in a field other than nursing?

Specialties Doctoral

Published

Specializes in Family Practice, Primary Care.

I am torn about in what direction to further my academic knowledge. I am currently an FNP and work in primary care (just graduated in May). Going for a doctorate has been my plan all along, but DNP programs seem so watered down near where I am and I don't want to relocate to get a more hard-scienced or clinically based degree. Has anyone here pursued doctorate education in another discipline or think another discipline would add to practice knowledge?

I am considering getting a PhD in biological anthropology, and there are some very good programs in my city focusing on genetics which would greatly add to my clinical knowledge and allow me to do future research. There's also a PhD in kinesiology and nutrition which is clinically oriented, and I've found numerous MA programs in nutrition and fitness which would help with educating patients, but that would be repeating masters level education.

What do you guys think? My colleagues seem to think any doctorate would make me a more attractive candidate if I ever wanted to go elsewhere.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.
I am torn about in what direction to further my academic knowledge. I am currently an FNP and work in primary care (just graduated in May). Going for a doctorate has been my plan all along, but DNP programs seem so watered down near where I am and I don't want to relocate to get a more hard-scienced or clinically based degree. Has anyone here pursued doctorate education in another discipline or think another discipline would add to practice knowledge?

I am considering getting a PhD in biological anthropology, and there are some very good programs in my city focusing on genetics which would greatly add to my clinical knowledge and allow me to do future research. There's also a PhD in kinesiology and nutrition which is clinically oriented, and I've found numerous MA programs in nutrition and fitness which would help with educating patients, but that would be repeating masters level education.

What do you guys think? My colleagues seem to think any doctorate would make me a more attractive candidate if I ever wanted to go elsewhere.

What do you want to do with your Doctorate or more specifically what do you want it to do for you?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Family Practice, Primary Care.

I want to still be a clinician, but also dabble in academia and do my own research, teach and publish. I'd like it to give me more scientific knowledge and be useful clinically.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Anesthesia.
I want to still be a clinician, but also dabble in academia and do my own research, teach and publish. I'd like it to give me more scientific knowledge and be useful clinically.

You would definitely need a PhD, but you also need to look at what type of research would be reasonable for you to do. If you are going to participating in mostly clinical studies a PhD in nursing maybe more beneficial, but if you are going to participate in bench research a natural science PhD would probably be better.

I was looking at a Translational Science PhD that combines both clinical and bench research into one degree.

National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS)

What is Translational Science? | Tufts Clinical and Translational Science Institute

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Med/Surg, International Health, Psych.

I say go for it! I have a MPH and have been considering a doctorate in public health as opposed to nursing. Looks like you are interested in Anthropology. You may want to take a look at CONAA--the Council of Nursing and Anthropology. They have a conference coming up next month.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

How about medical anthropology?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment