Education, in some form, touches every aspect of medicine. Whether health professionals are providing one-on-one education to patients, creating educational resources for a broad patient population, precepting students during clinical rotations, participating
in interdisciplinary rounds, or discussing evidence-based practices amongst peers, some form of learning is embedded in nearly every medical situation.
Because of this, most clinicians are naturally skilled educators. So making the decision to transition into an instructional role after years of clinical experience makes perfect sense. Not to mention the extreme demand for health professional educators.
If you’re intrigued by the thought of leveraging your years of experience to help equip and empower future generations of health professionals, keep reading to learn more about this rewarding opportunity.
Understanding the demand for health professional educators
It’s no secret that the healthcare field as a whole is experiencing extreme growth. In fact, it’s projected to add more new jobs in the coming years than any other occupational group, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). This is largely due to an aging population requiring more access to healthcare services.
In order to help meet this demand across the board for healthcare practitioners, there is a parallel need for qualified educators to train them. This is where the opportunity lies for seasoned practitioners to step up and build upon their existing abilities
as natural educators in a new way.
Many health professions such as nursing, respiratory therapy, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and medical laboratory sciences are experiencing a high demand for qualified educators. Regardless of your precise area of practice, there’s a need
for experienced professionals like you to help equip the future of your field.
Consider nursing as an example. The American Association for Colleges of Nursing (AACN) reported that 75,029 qualified applicants were
turned away from baccalaureate and graduate nursing programs in 2018 due to faculty shortages, amongst other academic resource insufficiencies. Additionally, a separate AACN survey revealed that 1,715 nursing faculty vacancies were identified in a survey of 872 nursing schools with baccalaureate and/or graduate programs across the country.
This predicament exists in other health professions as well. The healthcare field is in need of a faculty pool skilled in pedagogy and meaningful learning; faculty who are prepared to maximize limited resources to effectively prepare future healthcare
professionals for clinical practice.
Appreciating the importance of health professions education
If you have experience in health care, including any of the fields mentioned above, and have the desire to pass along your passion and wisdom to others, you’re an ideal candidate for the Bellarmine University Ph.D. in Health Professions Education
program. Now you’re probably curious about the details of the training.
This is a 48-hour cohort-based program with a fully online, asynchronous delivery format to provide convenience for working practitioners. In addition to professor availability during office hours, courses may offer optional synchronous class meetings during the semester.
All of these instructional opportunities depend on individuals trained in health professions education. Keep reading to find out how you can be part of the solution by taking this next step in your healthcare career.
Advancing your career through health professions education
Much like healthcare is built upon science, education also comes with its own growing body of evidence-based practices. The practical knowledge and experience you’ve gained in the field are half of the equation. But in order to effectively train
aspiring practitioners, you’ll also need to acquire skills specific to the practice of educating.
This is why graduate education is essential to a career in health professions education. Bellarmine University’s Ph.D. in Health Professions Education was designed specifically for working professionals like you who desire to expand their impact
in the healthcare field.
The program is geared toward experienced practitioners with diverse healthcare backgrounds, equipping them with the educational theories and strategies needed to complement their existing clinical knowledge and skills. Graduates are prepared for college
and university teaching, leadership, and research careers.
The Health Professions Education program meets regional and professional accrediting body requirements in healthcare-related fields, including, but not limited to:
- Nursing
- Physical therapy
- Respiratory therapy
- Occupational therapy
- Athletic training
- Speech-language pathology
- Medical laboratory sciences
- Imaging sciences
- Pharmacy
- Physician assistants
- Radiation therapy
- Dental hygiene
- Healthcare Administration
What to expect from the Health Professions Education program
If you have experience in one of the fields mentioned above and have the desire to pass along your passion and wisdom to others, you’re an ideal candidate for the Bellarmine University Ph.D. in Health Professions Education program. Now you’re
probably curious about the details of the training.
This is a 48-hour cohort-based program with a fully online, asynchronous delivery format to provide convenience for working practitioners. This means that there are no required class meetings, although courses may offer optional class sessions to provide students with additional discussion, collaboration, and interaction with the professor. Allowing seasoned educators to hone their craft and less-experienced educators to learn new teaching skills, students will collaborate with a preceptor to complete a 90-hour teaching practicum during the program. For Ph.D. in HPE students, the typical program of study spans eight semesters with no more than two courses required per semester, with a research dissertation being completed during semesters nine and ten.
The Health Professions Education curriculum covers essential elements such as student development theory, the practice of teaching (pedagogy), curricular development, and assessment of learning outcomes.
Here’s a sampling of the courses included:
- Pedagogy in Health Professions Education
- Diversity in Healthcare Education and Workforce
- Principles of Student Assessment and Evaluation
- Statistics in Health Professions Education Research
- Qualitative Research Methods in Health Professions
This well-rounded training will help you acquire the leadership and education skills needed to effectively pass along your existing knowledge to the next generation of healthcare practitioners.
Increase your impact on the future of healthcare
As the American author Leo Buscaglia once said, “Change is the end result of all true learning.”
Rapid advancement in healthcare makes health professional education a critical element to the continued growth of the clinical practice. Opportunities are mounting for healthcare professionals with experience and knowledge in the science of teaching and learning.
If you feel compelled to take advantage of the opportunity to leverage your experience in a new, impactful way, learn more about how Bellarmine University can help you prepare. Visit the Ph.D. in Health Professions program page for more info, or email program chair, Dr. Barbara Jackson, at bjackson@bellarmine.edu.