The Johns Hopkins School of Nursing (JHSON) announces a new Doctor of Nursing Practice/Doctor of Philosophy (DNP/PhD) dual degree program that combines the competencies and practice opportunities of the DNP degree with the clinical research and scientific rigor of the PhD. The program is the first in the country where students can receive both degrees simultaneously from one school, and graduates will be prepared at the highest level to conduct clinical research, teach, mentor, and implement innovations to enhance patient outcomes.
“This is an opportune time in health care for nurses to receive such a degree,” says Patricia Davidson, PhD, MEd, RN, FAAN, dean of JHSON. “Nurses are at the forefront of leadership and the demand for more highly qualified nurses is evident with the rise of chronic diseases, aging populations, and complex health system issues. This new degree meets the demands and will prepare nurses to find and implement solutions that will improve the future of care.”
The program—known as Clinical Research Intervention Scientists (CRIS)—is aimed at developing nurses whose research and practice are intimately interconnected. Students will receive both the terminal degrees for practice and research and be positioned to innovate through the development of clinical intervention science. They will develop, evaluate, and advocate for health care policy that shapes financing, regulation, access, and delivery of care across all continuums. Through the five-year curriculum, students will have the opportunity for mentorship from both DNP- and PhD-prepared faculty, guidance in clinical placements and development of an evidence-based practice project, and residencies in teaching, clinical competency, and research.
As a hallmark of the program, students will work with clinical preceptors to manage the health care of more than 25 patients over a 12-month period. This extended time will facilitate mastery of clinical content while allowing students to collect, analyze, and disseminate research directly within the clinical practice setting.
“There are so many unique facets and advantages to this degree,” says program director Jason Farley, PhD, MPH, ANP-BC, AACRN, FAAN. “The coursework takes five years to complete, which is significantly shorter than most current courses of study for both degree programs, and it speaks directly to national needs for clinical investigators and the Institute of Medicine’s [now the National Academy of Medicine] recommendations for more doctorally prepared nurses.”
As clinical scientists, students will also graduate with competencies to integrate nursing science with ethics and public health sciences, leverage interdisciplinary collaboration for the improvement of individual and population outcomes, implement strategies for illness prevention and health promotion, and easily transition into leadership roles in nursing and the broader national and international health care arenas.
JHSON’s DNP program is ranked No. 2 by U.S. News & World Report, and the PhD program helps advance the theoretical foundation of nursing practice. JHSON is No. 1 among schools of nursing for total federal research grants and National Institutes of Health funding.
“We are excited for the opportunities this will bring on many levels of health care,” says Davidson. “Having clinician-scientists on the ground and at the table will be tremendous for the profession.”
The application process is set to open in late August for Summer 2018, and those with a prior nursing degree are eligible to apply.
***
Located in Baltimore, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing is a globally-recognized leader in nursing education, research and practice and ranks No. 2 nationally among graduate schools of nursing and No. 2 for DNP programs in the U.S. News & World Report 2018 rankings. In addition, the school is ranked by QS World University as the No. 2 nursing school in the world and is No.1 by College Choice for its master’s program. The school is No. 1 among nursing schools for total Federal Research Grants and National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding. For more information, visit www.nursing.jhu.edu.
Media Inquiries
Danielle Kress
410-955-2840