A Marriage Between Epidemiology and Nursing?

[yotakagirl]

I'm very close to completing my prerequisites for entering a BSN program and more than ever I am excited to continue my path down the healthcare career path. However, I find myself falling in love with epidemiology and clinical research. Truly, how much opportunity is there available for nurses to be involved in research and to what extent? I was almost considering changing paths and becoming a scientist instead but there are so many appealing things about the nursing field (flexibility, good growth in industry, pay) and so many negative things I have heard about becoming a scientist (pretty much the opposite end of those three things).

So, any advice as to if I can satisfy all my appetites by continuing with nursing? I want to at minimum comfortable pay, good job prospects, mobility, and the chance to work in research eventually. Is this realistic or pie in the sky?

[Meghan Davis]

This is a super old post - I'm curious to hear which direction you went. This is me, btw, I practiced as a CNM for 8 years, did my MPH, have worked in clinical research for the last 3 years and am considering doing my PhD in Epidemiology now.