MSN or PhD when I already have an MBA

It is particularly important for PhD programs that you study under someone who is actively engaged in nursing research in your general area of interest (for example, reducing LOS, falls/safety, proper ways to train newbies, ethics in decision-making, effective staffing, leadership successions, etc). Do not pursue a PHD for PHD's sake -- find who you want to be mentored by.

Some states require that all nursing faculty have a MSN if you wanted to teach, others do not. So you might need a combined MSN/PHD (even though you have a MBA). Other programs will take your MBA, and you would progress directly to a PHD.

Most faculty write articles and do research. But who is doing THE best work on the subject that interest you. You should also look to see which schools and individuals are getting current AHRQ, NINR or IOM funding.

Check Medline or other resources, and see whose is publishing the latest, cutting-edge work in what interests you. This may very well be at another University.

If you are interested in consulting or teaching, it is important to start a research and publication trajectory. This will include getting your own funding stream for your studies, and publishing in national (or international) peer-review journals. Chances that those who are doing this funded research and publishing repeatedly in the top journals will help jumpstart your career.

http://crisp.cit.nih.gov/

You can check the CRISP database, to see what research in your focus area is currently being funded as well.

Sounds good - my point was just that the additional research into the best path for you is necessary before deciding what education will get you there. A PhD in and of itself doesn't give you credibility - like many things, it's what you do for it and with it that gives you credibility.

Sounds like you have a good starting point planned out. Good luck.

If it's just the health care field in general you want some experience/credibility in, and not nursing specifically, maybe a master's/PhD in Public Health would be more up your street. It's an option to discuss anyway.

I am not a nurse yet. I am applying to graduate programs, so I defer to people who know more.

If you're not REALLY into the patient part of it, it's not going to be a happy several years for you. You really have to be at peace with wiping butts, being placed in clinicals not of your choosing, not just for a few months, but for YEARS. I know you're not stupid, I am just making the contrast plain.

I'm not getting the vibe that this is what excites you about nursing.

And there is no time saved by jumping straight to the doctorate (I have an unrelated master's and I looked into it.) It's not an either/or, it's an and. For every program I have looked into, you must first get a master's in nursing, then a doctorate. And it doesn't sound like you have an RN, so there's that to acquire. (Please tell me if I'm wrong.)


So a PhD in Public Health could conceivably save you time as well, if you find it fits your needs.

As others have said, it's your needs that matter. The more people I ask about the PhD, the clearer that becomes.

Of course, you could get them all. Then, with an MBA, nursing PhD and PhD in Public Health, you'd be so cool-scary-smart you'd have to get your own private island!