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I have both a DNP and a PhD. I rarely use the title in any setting and prefer to be called by my first name.

Plan to attend a research focused conference at least once a year. Your program may pay for this. There are regional nursing research societies in most parts of the country. These offer great opportunities to see what others are researching and to network with faculty and students. I would also suggest that you give consideration early to your dissertation topic. You may not have a specific question at this point and that is okay. Deciding upon a research topic early will allow you to use various assignments throughout your program to hone your lit review. Consider incorporating use of a citation management software early in the program. I recommend Zotero as it is free.

Hello, The Ed.D. from Columbia would certainly be more reputable than any online "diploma mill" program. I think that the first Ed.D. was offered at Columbia Teachers College. I would advise avoiding the DNE. I have never heard of this degree. May I ask what university is offering it? I think there is real risk that you could finish this degree and it not be recognized. It certainly seems unlikely to have the same recognition as the Ed.D., Ph.D., or DNP. If you are certain that you do not want tenure, you would probably be okay pursuing a DNP for clinical track positions at most community colleges and universities. In my humble opinion, I think the most opportunities exist for PhD > EdD > DNP.

Agree with Bumex in that you should avoid for profit institutions. They are perceived as being of inferior quality. A PhD is a huge investment in time. If you are planning to pursue it, you want the investment to pay off and not be perceived as being sub-par. There are plenty of online nursing PhDs from reputable institutions (e.g. Vanderbilt). Personally, I would never choose an online program for a PhD. I think frequent face-to-face interaction with peers and instructors and research opportunities offered on campus are invaluable to the doctoral experience.

This sounds like someone with a personal financial stake in you enrolling in the school.

NP-C is the recognized credential for certification from the AANP. I have seen NPs use ANP-C, AGNP-C, or FNP-C and the AANP states that this is optional. When signing documents, I personally opt to just use NP-C and forgo degrees and other certifications as I think it simplifies things for the reader. I would probably just continue signing things as you have previously until you obtain an NP position. However, your state Board of Nursing may have recommendations on use of professional titles. https://www.aanpcert.org/faq-exam

Hi, A PhD will certainly provide you the broadest array of job opportunities but requires a substantially more rigorous investment in time, effort, and money. As you indicated in your post, you may find the MSN limits you to clinical track positions. If you have any desire (or think you will in the future) to conduct research, you should pursue a PhD. Some BSN to PhD programs are shorter in duration and credit hours than their post-MSN counterparts.

There are many online NP programs that will offer quality education for less money. Having been in a position of making hiring decisions for NPs, I immediately discarded applications from new graduates from for-profit online programs. I know other colleagues do the same. These schools have a reputation of producing subpar clinicians. Take a look at online programs at state universities.

I don't know specifics but salaries at state universities are often available to the public. https://salaries.texastribune.org/

I can understand that perspective. I have a DNP and am not a huge fan of the degree. However, it is my understanding that at the most recent AACN conference, the combined programs were discussed as a possible solution to the national decline in enrollment of nursing PhD programs in favor of DNP programs, of which the latter has increased almost exponentially in recent years. I think the proliferation of the DNP speaks more to the desire of nurses to grab the "low hanging fruit" when it comes to doctoral education.

I'll add that not all nursing PhD programs provide funding. I would also consider that maintaining a clinical certification as an advanced practice nurse can be a challenge while simultaneously pursuing a research career.

Prior research experience would certainly advantage you in both the PhD program and the admissions process. However, it is not necessarily required at many schools. However, you do need to demonstrate an aptitude for scholarly inquiry. There are some nursing PhD programs that are more or less theoretically grounded than others. However, you should know that theory really does guide the research question and methodology of any science. I too feel that there are some nursing theories that are a bit "fluffy" but it is nevertheless important to understand the foundation of the science of nursing and how this is likely to change over time. I took several theory classes through my BSN and MSN and DNP programs and it was not until my PhD that I realized the usefulness of theory in guiding the state of the science. Most of nursing research falls more in the realm of the social science. However, there are nurses that are involved in bench research. UPenn seems to have a fairly capable nursing lab equipped to handle biomarkers and other assays. https://www.nursing.upenn.edu/research/onr/nursing-research-lab/services-equipment/

Anecdotally, I just attended a conference and spoke with someone presenting a poster of their dissertation work from one of the large for-profit online universities. It was clear to me that the standards for the degree were substantially less than what you would find from a reputable university. This student could not cite (nor included on the poster) key details of their study that would have been required to ensure rigor. I am not sure that the dissertation actually required any type of defense.

As many others have stated, it is really advisable to select a school that has a quality PhD program. I don't know of any examples of for-profit online programs that produce quality research. Why do you want a PhD? Is it to pursue an academic career or prepare you to be a scientist? If so, you really want to select a program that has faculty that specialize in the areas of research that are of interest. Personally, I would not choose any online program for a PhD. I think a student benefits greatly from the exposure to research and dialogue that is required when you a part of a cohort that meets in person. A PhD requires a HUGE investment in time, money, and effort. I would recommend selecting a program that will give you the best return on this investment.

1. DNP is a degree, like the BSN or MSN. Specifically, the DNP is a practice doctorate. Many BSN to DNP programs allow specialization as an advanced practice nurse. A DNP program that offers a FNP track would prepare you to be a family nurse practitioner. 2. There are very likely programs that you can find that would accept you without any clinical experience. Unfortunately, not all nursing graduate programs have high standards of entry. However, I would strongly encourage you to consider some clinical practice as a nurse before pursuing graduate education. You will find that your experiences as a nurse will form a foundation upon which to develop as an NP. Also, most DNP programs require some type of capstone project. It will likely be challenging to create a project if you have no idea about the world of nursing. Graduate school is time consuming and expensive and you will want clinical experience to ensure that you are making the right decision. 3. Again, I would strongly encourage you to obtain a job as a nurse. You might be able to find a position working weekends, which allows you to work and go to school. This option might also allow you to pay out-of-pocket for your degree. 4. You will probably have to contact the school that interests you to get more information on the application process and timeline. If it is a reputable program, I would not be surprised if they will not look at an application for someone that has not graduated with their BSN, passed the NCLEX, and is licensed to practice nursing.

Completion of a DNP requires considerably less time and difficulty compared to a PhD. I would generally recommend the PhD if you want the most academic employment opportunities as some universities will not grant tenure to a DNP. However, a community college would probably be a great fit for a DNP. My experience with a post-masters DNP was essentially like a second, abbreviated MSN. The coursework was relatively easy to complete. The application will require an idea for a project but think more QI than actual research.

llg posted a great response to this question. I'll add just a few points. Some universities require a PhD to obtain tenure. Tenure track often pays more than clinical track and offers a pathway to rise through the academic ranks. If you want the most versatility, aim for a PhD over the DNP. However, you should know that the PhD will require substantially more time and effort to complete. Many state schools have salary data that is searchable online.

I don't think I could really recommend any particular program. The program you select should ultimately fit you and your future goals. There are nursing programs that are fully funded for the duration of your education. There are other programs that will cover tuition through assistantships if they are available. I will offer that I selected a small state R2 university that offered an incredibly student centric environment. When I was completing my MSN I was given some advice from one of my faculty who obtained her PhD from a large private R1 university. She suggested that if she were to do it over she would have chosen a smaller school because of the atmosphere and faculty. I am very happy with my selection. Ultimately, the faculty will make or break your experience. You will get an opportunity to interview during the application process. It is great chance to ask questions of the faculty and get a sense of how the school will nurture your development as a student and junior researcher. I would suggest steering clear from for-profit institutions for the obvious reasons.

Faculty and Dean Vacancies Looking at the first few vacancies, it seems that the requirement is for a PhD in nursing or a related field for the rank of assistant/associate professor. I would not think that a nurse that goes from BSN to PhD would be limited by the lack of an MSN. However, my state does require a certain number of credit hours in nursing education content to teach. I am not sure if this is common in other states but those classes are not typically part of a PhD curriculum.

It sounds like you have already realized that a PhD from either nursing or public health should adequately prepare you for research into the areas of social determinants of health and health inequity. Essentially, a PhD in either nursing or public health is training you to become a social scientist and as such, the difference really lies in the underlying theoretical lens that defines the respective field of study. I disagree that public health necessarily have more statistics courses. In my PhD program, the statistics courses were attended by both nursing and public health students. However, I public health concentrations in bio stats or epi would naturally be heavier in this subject matter than anything you would likely find in nursing. Regarding rigor, realize that there are nursing PhD programs in this country that vary significantly in both rigor and content. I was surprised to learn when I started that there are nurses with nursing PhDs doing bench science at some programs. It really does vary. You might also want to consider future sources of funding as you embark on your doctoral journey. Are you more apt to want to pursue funding from the NINR and other nursing organizations?

Hello Shay, Sorry I am late responding to your question. It sounds like the PhD is going to be well suited to meet your goals of research into health disparities. What is your final goal (academia, research, etc)? I am not sure how the DNP, even with a focus on public health, would translate into scholarly work surrounding health disparities unless you pursue advance practice. Even if you wanted to become an NP after your PhD, I would probably just encourage you to find a post-masters program that offered the degree in the fastest and cheapest manner possible. I do find merit in the MPH as I think it provides an educational pathway that does open some doors even for clinicians with many years of experience. Some MDs go back and obtain an MPH to shift their clinical focus more broadly to the macro health level. Public health education provides a unique worldview that differs from nursing and is well suited for health disparities.

Hello, The program should have faculty with active research that closely aligns with your interests. This is critically important. If this is not the case, you will likely not have the support needed during the dissertation phase of your program. Reputation matters some in that R1 schools tend to attract more NIH funding and might offer more exposure to that type of research. However, an R2 school might provide an environment that fosters learning in other ways (i.e. nurturing, small cohorts, etc). Do you intend to pursue a funded program? Do you intend continue working or pursue a part-time program? These are questions that will be important in your selection.

OP, I think all of what you want is obtainable as an NP. However, your standard of vacation, nice home, and income might differ from mine. Much of this also depends on the specific job, location, and cost of living.

I have a DNP and am in the process of completing my PhD. In my humble opinion, there is no comparison between the DNP and PhD in regards to the academic load, rigor, and scholarly intent. In my experience, the PhD is by far the more rigorous of the two. I do not regret obtaining my DNP and believe it serves a purpose. However, the DNP did not prepare me adequately to translate research to practice, which is the primary aim of the degree. To do this well, one really needs more exposure to the research process than what is typically offered in a DNP program. Additionally, many universities limit the career progression (e.g. tenure) of DNP faculty. At least in my area, DNP faculty are relegated to clinical track.