Published Dec 5, 2016
elephantlover, BSN, RN
59 Posts
I really loved studying pharmacology and pathophysiology. I tutor those topics now. What areas of graduate study would put me in the best position to one day be able to teach one of these courses in a nursing program?
AliNajaCat
1,035 Posts
Get at least a non-online BSN followed by a master's (and a doctorate would be better) nursing with a physiology or pharmacology focus. Many programs won't hire you as clinical faculty without a master's in nursing, or as full faculty without a doctorate.
What sort of doctorate or master's program offers physiology or pharmacology focus? CNS? PhD? DNP? I am assuming there are many routes to achieve this end goal.
Where I took my MN you could take extra courses in anything. I took extra courses in physiology, curriculum design, teaching, and med/legal concepts.
HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD
9,051 Posts
PP is correct re: credentials required for academia. My MSN (CNS - Critical Care / Education) required 6 hours of Advanced PathoPhys along with (strongly recommended) 3 hours of Specialty Patho as an elective. I loved it... was even able to take a special Gross Anatomy course because my school was part of the Texas Medical Center collaborative. I learned about fetal pathophysiology & the pathophys of cancer - fascinating stuff. We had instructors shared with the med schools - all PhD with post-doc qualifications.
Only the NP students had to take advanced pharmacology... but there was a fair amount included in the pathophys courses. A PharmD taught the advanced. pharm classes.
Thank you for your post. Do you work as a CNS? If so, what are your thoughts on the job market, how satisfied are you, and what does a typical day look like for you?