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Published in final edited form as: J Prof Nurs. 2022 Feb 11;39:187–193. doi: 10.1016/j.profnurs.2022.01.004

Strategies for Success in a Nursing PhD Program and Beyond

Marlena C Fisher a, Tamryn F Gray b,c,d, Melissa K Uveges e, Katherine E Heinze f, Tiffany P Pellathy g,h, Elaina Parrillo a, Marilyn Hravnak h, Marie T Nolan a
PMCID: PMC8943909  NIHMSID: NIHMS1775843  PMID: 35272827

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to inform newly enrolled PhD students of program expectations, strategies for success, and next steps in the career of a nurse scientist.

Methods

We used empirical evidence and insights from the authors to describe strategies for success during a nursing PhD program and continued career development following graduation.

Findings

Measures of success included maintaining health, focus, integrity, and a supportive network, identifying mentors, pursuing new knowledge and advancing research to transform health outcomes.

Conclusion

Nursing PhD programs help to shape future researchers and leaders. Choosing to obtain a PhD in nursing is an investment in oneself, the discipline, and the science.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing PhD programs offer opportunities to advance science, impact healthcare and health outcomes, and prepare for a variety of career opportunities. Informing newly enrolled PhD students may better prepare them for what lies ahead and facilitate student retention.

Keywords: Nursing PhD programs, nursing science, career development, mentoring, nursing education, post-graduate education

Introduction

Globally, nations have identified the value of PhD educated citizens to advance national objectives through research and innovation (Hancock, 2021). A research doctorate, or PhD, in nursing enables an individual to generate new scientific knowledge to guide and transform the nursing profession and advance the health of individuals, communities and populations. Moreover, the digitalization of healthcare through innovations in data science, artificial intelligence and robotics is creating unprecedented opportunities for those with a PhD in nursing to advance the quality and access to health care to be responsive to underserved populations. However, there are barriers to increasing the nurse scientist workforce that include the current shortage of nurse scientist mentors, finances to educate the next generation and the 22.7% attrition rate specific to nursing PhD students after approximately 4 years of study (Broome & Fairman, 2018; NINR, 2020; Fang & Zhan, 2021; AACN, 2021). Additionally, many students report that aspects of their PhD studies were unexpected and stressful, including the transition from expert clinician to novice researcher and the rigorous critique of their work as part of the research process (Tyndall et al., 2020). Some wish that they had been better prepared for their doctoral studies and future career. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to prepare students newly enrolled in a PhD program in nursing for their doctoral studies, a possible postdoctoral fellowship, and a career as a nurse scientist by providing information on PhD in nursing programs and strategies for success in doctoral studies.

Main Elements of a Nursing PhD Program

PhD programs differ on whether they require coursework, the number and format of examinations, the composition of the dissertation, and whether additional research or teaching experiences are required. Despite differences in program curriculum, the overall goal of nursing PhD programs in the U.S. is to prepare students with the foundational knowledge and skills to critique and conduct research throughout their career, not just for the dissertation. . Coursework commonly includes statistics, philosophy, research methods, and measurement (AACN, 2010; AACN, 2021). Students may also pursue complementary coursework and research residencies that allow for greater depth of understanding about a particular research area and the responsibilities and activities of scientists. Key skills that students will develop include analytic skills, the ability to communicate ideas clearly and conduct rigorous research in a manner that is reproducible. Ideally, graduates are then prepared for entry into several different types of careers with some degree of independence. These can include academic appointments, healthcare systems leadership, foundation research positions, policy analysts, a variety of government positions and industry research positions.

Common milestones in a PhD program include examinations that may cover the content of several core courses and/or the content of the dissertation proposal and a final oral exam that is a defense of the dissertation research. The specific milestones and their timing depend on the program and the scope of the dissertation research. Programs may also differ on the required format of the dissertation. A common option involves multiple manuscripts that make a new contribution to the science addressed by the dissertation.

Research residencies, sometimes called research assistantships, may also take on several forms, such as mentored research opportunities and internships under the direction of the dissertation advisor or another faculty member to provide the student with a variety of mentored research experiences that may be related to but are not the student’s dissertation research project. Through participation in these residences, PhD students gain many skills, including grant writing, navigation of institutional review board (IRB) applications, systematic reviews, data collection, different research methodologies and a range of analytic methods, manuscript writing and dissemination. If the student is enrolled in a school that does not conduct a wide range of research, there may be opportunities to seek additional research experiences with mentors in other schools or universities or through internship programs. Since graduates of nursing PhD programs commonly pursue academic faculty appointments, many PhD programs also require or offer voluntary teaching assistantships in which the student is assigned to assist a faculty member in teaching a clinical or didactic course or may teach a course independently (Dunbar-Jacob & Hravnak, 2021). This assistantship may include grading course assignments, developing a course, teaching a course section, hosting office hours, or leading test review sessions. Research residencies and teaching assistantships provide very valuable experiences that will enable graduates to function with greater confidence as a new researcher and teacher. Examples of these experiences are presented in Table 1.

Table 1.

Examples of Research/Teaching Assistantships of the Authors

Teaching Assistantships (TA)
Class Degree Program Responsibilities of TA/RA
Professionalism for Nursing in Health (3 Credits) MSN (Entry into Nursing) Grading, Class Attendance, Discussion questions for synchronous breakout sessions
Data Mining (3 credits) MSN/DNP Grading, Office Hours
Intro to Machine Learning (3 credits) MSN/DNP Moderating discussion boards, grading
Research Assistantships (RA)
Research Focus Year of Program Skills/Products
Secondary Qualitative Analysis Year 1 Qualitative analysis, Leading a research team, Manuscript preparation
Data annotation Year 2 Data annotation, collaborating with research team, abstract and manuscript preparation
IRB application Year 2 Initiating IRB application for a research study and responding to questions from IRB staff until approval reached
Focus Group research Year 4 Assisted with recruiting for, conducting, and then data analysis of focus group study
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*

Meaning of abbreviations: TA – Teaching Assistant, RA-Research Assistant, MBA – Master’s in Business Administration, IRB – Institutional Review Board, DNP Doctor of Nursing Practice

Preparing to Begin the Nursing PhD Program

Upon PhD program acceptance, students may take satisfaction in reflecting on this accomplishment and know that faculty believe in the students’ promising future as a successful nurse scientist. Doctoral studies will differ significantly from the undergraduate program and any other studies that were not at the doctoral level. Embarking on the nursing PhD program demonstrates commitment to a research career that includes a strong interest in research and scholarship aligned with the expertise of one or more faculty researchers at a chosen institution (AACN Pathways to Excellence, 2010). When students first enter the PhD program, there is a bit of an “iceberg illusion”, meaning that what is apparent on the surface may not reveal the full context. For instance, first-year PhD students will become aware that students in the years ahead of them are securing grants to fund their dissertation work, publishing papers, and securing leadership opportunities, and may feel daunted by these achievements. However, the first-year PhD students may not be aware that grants may have been submitted more than once prior to funding or that manuscripts may have been rejected initially. Similar to an iceberg, the effort that happens beneath the surface is an often-unseen iterative building of knowledge and skills to achieve that success. Notably, over time, the culture of learning, writing, welcoming critique, revising and re-writing for a successful outcome is a process that the faculty model and students practice until it becomes second nature.

Enrolled PhD students can use the time prior to starting the program to explore the biography pages of faculty in the School of Nursing and other schools at the university, such as medicine or public health, to identify faculty who have a program of research that matches their research interests. For example, reviewing faculty members’ publications allows students to gain insight into research projects that faculty members lead. This knowledge is the beginning step in building a mentorship team.

Prior to beginning the PhD program, students can prepare by bolstering existing stress management and relaxation techniques such as through new hobbies, walking, dance, yoga, etc. If students are moving to a new geographical area, it may be beneficial to plan a move early enough to explore the area and the options available for recreation and stress relief. The transition into a doctoral program can be stressful as students navigate new roles as student, researcher, and teacher (Dewa et al., 2020). In addition to these new roles, doctoral students may experience stress from finances, outside demands, and the program itself (Volkert et al., 2018). It is important to recognize these potential stressors and have strategies for mitigating problems arising from stress. Specific financial stressors may include securing additional income to support housing, food and transportation during the program and identifying funding to support tuition and dissertation research (Volkert et al., 2018). Understanding available financial support is part of the application process and the decision to enroll in the chosen PhD program. Having a clear understanding of all anticipated costs, as well as funding through scholarships and grants, can help doctoral students feel better prepared as they enter the program. Smith and Delmore (2007) provide resources for financial aid, scholarships, and dissertation expenses such as NIH, American Nursing Foundation, Sigma Theta Tau International and others.

During the Nursing PhD Program

In countries where nursing PhD coursework is required, content typically includes nursing theory, statistics, and research methods to support development of foundational scientific knowledge. In contrast to BSN and MSN programs, doctoral education is often a highly individualized program of study, designed in collaboration with mentors to build content expertise, research skills, and additional skills that are unique to the student’s career goals (Conn et al., 2014). Thus, PhD students will need to identify elective courses that complement their required coursework, help achieve education and research goals, and support current and future research. Additional coursework in education or a teaching certificate should also be considered if their goal is an academic position. It is important to determine what courses are required to meet specific program milestones and negotiate with faculty to guide independent studies if needed. Developing a term-by-term and year-by-year curriculum plan early on is helpful, even if it is amended over time as interests and goals change. The coursework in PhD programs is designed to systematically advance research skills. Doctoral course work assignments may serve as a foundation for scholarly productivity, including development of such assignments into abstracts, presentations, and/or manuscripts. Specific strategies for achieving this include reviewing announcements related to conference abstract submissions, engaging with an advisor on course assignments that might be published, working with a librarian to update and format references to meet journal or conference guidelines, and planning how such course and research residency assignments may provide an opportunity to gain new research skills, as well as advance the work of the dissertation. It may be beneficial to discuss these topics during ongoing meetings with advisors. Demonstrating scholarly productivity is essential for securing competitive pre- and post-doctoral awards, and other positions. An overview of goals and strategies to aid in progression throughout the PhD program are presented in Table 2.

Table 2.

Goals and Strategies by Year

Year Goals Strategies
1

  • Develop expertise in core research content and area of research interest

  • Continue to advance research knowledge and skills while refining dissertation research

  • Begin scholarship and dissemination

  • Review grey literature

  • Engage in discussions with peers, near peers, mentors, and advisors on area of research interest

  • Identify additional near-peer mentors and meet with them 1–2 times a semester.

  • Conduct a literature review in research area of interest

  • Complete the comprehensive exam

  • Submit abstract(s) for presentations or professional conferences
2

  • Gain experience in grantsmanship

  • Map out research and career goals

  • Plan research study(s)

  • Begin preliminary research work

  • Continue scholarship

  • Engage in research residencies that will provide experience in areas that will aid in dissertation completion.

  • Engage in elective coursework

  • Engage in a teaching residency

  • Prepare and defend preliminary oral examination

  • Submit abstract(s)for presentation

  • Begin to draft dissertation-related manuscripts

  • Submit intramural/extramural grants to fund dissertation research
3+

  • Conduct research, statistical analyses, dissemination of results

  • Receive IRB approval for dissertation research

  • Consider additional research opportunities

  • Prepare and defend final oral exam

  • Submit abstract(s) for presentation

  • Develop/finalize dissertation manuscripts
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Relationship with Advisor and Mentorship Team

Doctoral students will need to navigate their relationship with their advisor throughout the PhD program. Students can promote the success of the advisor-advisee relationship by being prepared for meetings, remaining motivated, committed to improvement, and asking thoughtful questions (Ferreira et al., 2009). Creating an agenda for mentor meetings is important for staying focused and achieving meeting goals. It is important to note that there is variation in the advisor and mentorship team’s capacity and involvement in the various aspects of doctoral education. Therefore, open communication about expectations and achievable milestones in the mentor-mentee relationship is important to establish expectations at the beginning of the PhD program.

Research is a collaborative process and there is value in having formal, informal, interdisciplinary and “near-peer mentors” (students a few years ahead). Networking is an important skill to hone that requires intentional effort to find mentors and peers with similar research or methods interests who can aid in advancing their knowledge of research, design, and data interpretation. If the school where a student is enrolled has limited faculty involved in the specific research or methodological approach in which the student is interested, the student might consider seeking additional mentors and peers outside of the school or institution who can collaborate on projects.

Students commonly develop a strong, central mentorship team concentrated on their research topic, but also have mentors for other areas of development outside of research. Investing time in opportunities that allow them to improve their ability to critically appraise research, gain experience navigating the peer review process, and understand different grant mechanisms and the application process is essential. Proficiency in dissemination, both written (abstracts, manuscripts, dissertation thesis, professional writing) and oral (presentations to science and non-science audiences, articulating research focus, lectures), is critical for success as a scientist (Conn et al., 2017). This developmental work requires an ongoing investment of time by both student and mentors to cultivate and advance these skills (Schrager & Sadowski, 2016; Kwok, 2020). Time management, planning, organizing projects and budgets and navigating conflict are also skills that are fundamental to leading a research team. Students can identify mentors inside and outside of their school, university or health system who can model these skills and provide insight into these processes.

Communicating openly and often with the student faculty advisor, faculty mentors, and with “near peer mentors” to confirm understanding of program expectations, design an individual development plan (IDP) to facilitate success during matriculation and prepare for building a program of research following graduation (Thompson et al., 2020) is beneficial. Thompson and colleagues (2020) present guidelines, resources, and a template of what could be included in an IDP. Reviewing and revising the IDP at least annually with student advisors and other mentors is recommended.

Challenges may arise in the student’s relationships with a peer, mentor, advisor, or committee member, and not all relationships work out. When this occurs, it is important to take time to individually reflect on what is difficult or unhelpful about the relationship and determine if or how the challenge can be remedied. This can be particularly difficult when there is a history of discordant viewpoints on the student’s education or grant preparation between the student and the primary advisor. In these situations, when conflicts are intractable, it may be important to consider whether there is a need to change advisors by engaging in personal reflection and having discussions with trusted family, friends, peers, mentors, and/or the PhD program director. Some universities have an ombudsman for PhD students and Postdoctoral fellows who is a confidential source for consultation and advice for issues such as this. During this process, it is important to have iterative conversation about the issues that are arising. If the student and advisor decide that the best course of action is to change advisors, it is important for the student to outline why this change would be beneficial and identify potential new advisors that are better aligned in terms of focus and capacity for mentorship. Each institution has a different process for changing advisors, but the key in any mentorship relationship is to have an open, honest, and respectful dialogue.

Building and Maintaining Research Integrity

Nursing PhD programs educate students in the responsible conduct of research and provide formal instruction and demonstration of ethical principles through scientific mentorship. Given the potential for the demands of doctoral study to be stressful (Ganske, 2010), an environment of trust and collaboration and continuous teaching about the ethical conduct of research is important (Fierz et al., 2014). Throughout the PhD program, students will naturally find opportunities to talk with their mentors about research integrity, ask questions about general ethical principles, and learn the importance of complying with institutional policies and legal requirements related to research. Mentoring relationships that are established early in the PhD program can result in long-lasting positive impacts on research performance. Maintaining scientific integrity in collaborative relationships requires a diverse community of scholars dedicated to excellence in scholarship and committed to meeting the ethical goals of research through transparent discourse, commitment to the goals of the collaboration, and preservation of the public’s trust (Ulrich et al., 2015).

In the PhD program, a number of virtues are central to being a “good” researcher. Virtues are defined as the intellectual and moral qualities to which scientists aspire; the qualities that take them to their natural ends, ultimately the qualities that make them good human beings (PérezñPinar & Ayerbe, 2017). Virtues develop over time, through practice and imitation (Resnik, 2012) and include courage, equity, respectfulness, resoluteness, sincerity, humility, and reflexivity (MacFarlane, 2010). PhD students can seek to develop these virtues, as they are a component of ethical excellence in research (PérezñPinar & Ayerbe, 2017). Also important is the PhD student’s development of ethical awareness, or the awareness of the inherent ethical nature of all nursing practice (Milliken, 2018) and research. The ANA Code of Ethics for Nurses is the profession’s normative guide for nurses’ behavior and conduct in whatever role they serve, including as a researcher (American Nurses Association [ANA], 2015). In particular, provision 7 of the ANA Code states the importance of nurses in all roles and settings advancing “the profession through research and scholarly inquiry, professional standards development, and the generation of both nursing and health policy” (ANA, 2015). This does not mean that all nurses must conduct research; however, all nurses interact with research, either as researchers or utilizers of research (Fowler, 2015). To gain research competencies, PhD students require education and experience in ethical principles, theories, and analytic frameworks, which in combination with virtues can help students navigate the moral intricacies of their own program of research (Grace, 2018). Finally, remaining grounded in personal values can further develop an individual’s moral compass so that research is conducted with integrity. Maintaining scientific integrity involves respecting not just the research participants, but also the well-being of the physical and institutional environments and wider communities (MacFarlane, 2010; Fowler, 2015).

Developing Leadership Skills

Nurse scientists require leadership skills to guide teams in policy, research, industry, hospitals, foundations, and become stewards of the discipline. During the PhD experience there are opportunities to gain leadership experience formally and informally. There are several opportunities to lead at the school level, such as the PhD student organization/student senate. Additionally, there are leadership opportunities within organizations, such as the Jonas Scholars program, AACN, and National League for Nursing (NLN). To increase representation of underrepresented and historically marginalized populations in leadership positions, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation created the Health Policy Research Scholars to develop future leaders in health. Leadership development programs may include personality tests that reveal individual strengths while demonstrating that others have different approaches to similar work with common goal achievement. Informal leadership skills can be developed by mentoring doctoral students who are junior to the student. Mentorship is a crucial tenet of being a nurse scientist because educating the next generation of nurses and researchers is how we can continue to advance the discipline (Morris et al., 2021, AACN, 2021).

Managing PhD Program Demands

PhD program demands, including research residencies, writing academic papers, and developing a dissertation topic, can be stressful for students. Instead of aiming for perfection, setting small achievable goals for each endeavor is recommended. Getting to the final goal is a process that is incrementally developed, implemented, and accomplished over time. PhD students should try to remember to have confidence in their work and to celebrate accomplishments instead of scrutinizing their own work as never quite good enough (Eleftheriades et al., 2020). Further, students may find that what may initially seem like failures are learning opportunities; rejected grants or manuscripts for publication often come with a treasure trove of in-depth critique from leaders in the student’s field of study and contribute to progress in their next iteration. Thus, illustrating that rejection can foster growth rather than despair.

Balancing PhD Program Demands with Personal Demands

As a PhD student, maintaining a healthy balance between studies, family, friends or personal needs is important. To achieve balance, consider defining important personal or family needs or priorities and organize other commitments around those needs. Essential PhD program requirements are demanding on their own and many students pursue coursework, research and teaching residencies beyond what is required. It is important for students to know what additional commitments they can take on without causing undue stress in their personal lives (Stott, 2019). Having a strong support system of family and friends can facilitate success (Volkert et al., 2018). If possible, it’s important to consider negotiating the distribution of household responsibilities and tasks. Maintaining friendships with people outside of the doctoral program and checking in with peers in the program, provides an excellent resource for ideas and support. Cultivating peer relationships within the institution and beyond is an active process that requires active listening, honesty, and respect. Peers can be a great support, but they can also be a stressor. It is important to set boundaries and practice the support you wish to receive in return. As a student, it’s important to have the capacity to recognize when individual physical, emotional or intellectual capacities have been reached and ask for help (Melnyk et al., 2016). Setting times that are dedicated to work and only completing work or answering emails within those times, and taking a vacation, or engaging in other activities that bring joy, can allow for needed breaks from work (Buettner, et al., 2011; Stott, 2019; “The Importance of Taking a Break,” 2018). Maintaining balance between program and personal demands is crucial to success, but it is also difficult to navigate, especially in the beginning of the program. Achieving balance is a process of understanding the program demands, identifying personal needs, and selecting effective self-care strategies, which will vary based on the individual.

Engaging in Lifelong Learning

PhD prepared nurses fulfill important roles in improving the health of individuals, communities and populations such as knowledge generation, theory development, education, translating research to clinical practice, and leadership (Driefurst et al., 2016). Developing skills to fulfill these roles is a lifelong process that unfolds over time through continuous education, mentorship, and career planning. A major facet of lifelong learning is the ability to be curious, dynamic, and open to new innovations. For example, emerging technologies in education and health care such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, machine learning and robotics have resulted in new innovations that have greatly advanced research, healthcare, and health outcomes (Buchanan et al., 2020; Roberts, 2019). Growth of scientific knowledge does not cease at the point of graduation. New areas of knowledge, methodologies, and interventions continue to become available, evolve, and are retired. The successful nurse scientist commits to a lifetime of following the literature, attending professional conferences, and engaging in coursework to keep knowledge current and innovative.

Preparing for Next Steps: Postdoctoral Fellowships

Defining the Postdoctoral Fellowship

A post-doctoral fellowship is defined as a formalized opportunity for individuals holding doctoral degrees to “engage in a temporary period of mentored research and/or scholarly education for the purpose of acquiring the professional skills needed to pursue a chosen career path” (National Postdoctoral Association, n.d.). A postdoctoral fellowship might involve educational components (i.e., coursework), research education, individual mentoring, and/or career training components (Lor et al., 2019; Reid Ponte et al., 2015; Miller, 2012). If moving directly to a faculty position, tenure generally must be achieved within a certain time period and securing significant external grant funding is expected within the first several years. Therefore, a PhD student’s funding, publication productivity, and preliminary findings by graduation will provide insight into whether a faculty position or a postdoctoral fellowship is more appropriate.

Choosing a Postdoctoral Fellowship

There are several factors to consider when choosing a postdoctoral fellowship. For instance, postdoctoral fellowships have traditionally been supported through federally funded training grants or the grants of faculty investigators in universities. However, increasingly, non-academic settings, such as industry, hospitals, governmental organizations, and even nonprofit organizations have established post-doctoral opportunities (Lor et al., 2019; Reid Ponte et al., 2015). While nursing-specific post-doctoral fellowships are available, nurses might choose to pursue a fellowship within an interdisciplinary setting, such as a Center for Bioethics where individuals come from various professional backgrounds, or in another discipline, such as public health or medicine (Nolan et al., 2009). The delivery format of the position should also be considered, and may include virtual, on site, or hybrid models. The fellowship setting the student chooses is dependent on specific career goals, but in any case, should lead the student to independence as a scientist.

Discerning Postdoctoral Program Fit

Postdoctoral fellowships can be evaluated by their fit to the fellow’s interests, research training needs, and career trajectory. The fellowship may involve a research project with a purpose and aims that aligns with yet is distinctly separate from the fellowship mentor’s research, so that independence can be achieved. Choosing a fellowship with a strong mentor match is extremely important since a significant amount of time will be spent working with this individual or the individual’s team. A mentor will provide individualized guidance and tailored training to the fellow’s research needs (Sherry et al., 2013; Conn et al., 2005). In addition to mentor fit, institutional fit is important for a postdoctoral fellowship. Speaking with other postdoctoral fellows and junior and senior faculty within the institution where the fellowship is located is one way to assess institutional fit. For example, those considering a particular postdoctoral fellowship might inquire about whether the institution specializes in areas important to their research, how mentorship support is structured within the institution, whether institutional staff will be available to assist with grant writing, submission, and data analysis, and what research or other academic resources are available to postdoctoral fellows (Lor et al., 2019). Hearing the experiences of others at the institution can help those considering a postdoctoral fellowship to assess their overall alignment with institutional strengths in subject content, methodological approaches, or access to other training experiences, which are necessary for launching an independent career.

Postdoctoral Eligibility and Application Process

Other aspects of postdoctoral fellowships to consider are the application criteria and eligibility requirements. Eligibility criteria for a post-doctoral fellowship might include being a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, holding an active clinical license (i.e., RN, APN), or having additional degrees (i.e., master’s degree) (Sherry et al., 2013; Lor et al., 2019). There are postdoctoral opportunities for non-U.S. citizens at various universities. The Fogarty International Center at NIH is one source of funding for international fellows (https://www.fic.nih.gov/Programs/Pages/scholars-fellows-global-health.aspx). Application requirements will vary, but common components of a postdoctoral application include essays conveying the applicant’s interest and fit with the fellowship, including their future research plans; submission of a curriculum vitae; and letters of reference (Sherry et al., 2013). Other selection criteria might include the applicant’s academic record, prior experience with research, publications, and match with a potential faculty mentor’s research focus (Lor et al., 2019). Many postdoctoral fellowship applications include an interview, and it is valuable to visit the institution to assess fit and compatibility (Lor et al., 2019). It is not uncommon to pursue more than one fellowship opportunity, as these positions are competitive, and a backup plan is needed.

Postdoctoral Funding and Lifestyle Considerations

Funding and life-style considerations are also important when deciding whether to pursue a postdoctoral fellowship. Most traditional fellowship positions receive funding through formal funding agencies, such as the National Institutes of Health, or non-federal organizations, such as the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (Lor et al., 2019). Identifying institutions, which have these funded postdoctoral fellowship positions can highlight regions where such opportunities exist. Non-traditional postdoctoral fellowships also exist and are funded through various means. Entry level faculty roles (i.e., Research Associate), which are intended to ease the individual into academia, have some similarities to postdoctoral fellowships although there may be expectations for teaching even if not to the extent of a ranked faculty position would require. At the conclusion of a postdoctoral fellowship, the individual will be in a good position to apply for a ranked faculty position (Lor et al., 2019). While post-doctoral fellowship salaries vary, the average range is substantially lower than salaries for entry tenure-track assistant professor positions (Lor et al., 2019) with smaller benefit packages. During a postdoctoral fellowship, there may be an opportunity to perform additional activities, such as teaching, for additional income, but consideration of the individual’s needed earnings is an important aspect of weighing the pursuit of a postdoctoral fellowship. Other factors, such as family obligations or inability to relocate, may take priority and thus prohibit consideration of a postdoctoral opportunity (Lor et al., 2019; Sherry et al., 2013).

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities Gained During a Postdoctoral Fellowship

A post-doctoral fellowship can advance an individual’s knowledge, skills, abilities and preparation for a future career in academia, research, or policy. Coursework may be part of the formal learning within a postdoctoral fellowship and can expand learning to include new methods, novel scientific content areas, or other disciplinary learning that can advance one’s research (Nolan et al., 2009). During a postdoctoral fellowship, an individual may have an opportunity to become a member of a larger research team, working together with researchers across nursing or various disciplines to conduct study investigations (Nolan et al., 2009).

For those who did not receive extensive teaching experience during their PhD education, but wish to pursue an academic career, a postdoctoral fellowship in universities may offer mentored and/or independent teaching experiences. Since teaching experience can enhance an individual’s ability to secure a faculty appointment, seeking to add some teaching to the postdoctoral research work can prove to be beneficial. Furthermore, a postdoctoral fellowship provides focused mentorship in strengthening writing for publication. A systematic review of fifteen studies concluded that there is a significant increase in the number of scientific peer-reviewed publications by those who have completed a postdoctoral fellowship (Hafsteinsdottir et al., 2017). Similarly, postdoctoral fellowship mentoring has been shown to make a significant difference in the number of competitive grants secured (Hafsteinsdottir et al., 2017).

Postdoctoral fellowships will ideally offer opportunities to advance grant writing skills and collect preliminary data to support an independent grant submission for a career development award (i.e., K01) or R level NIH grant. Finally, a postdoctoral fellowship can provide an important opportunity for early career scientists to form research networks and build valuable collaborations (Nolan et al., 2009; Reid Ponte et al., 2015). These collaborations further positively influence research productivity and career development (Hafsteinsdottir et al., 2017).

Conclusion

PhD prepared nurse scientists are in great demand to educate and mentor the next generation of nurses. For students enrolled in a PhD program, employing specific strategies to maintain their health, social network, and to develop as a researcher while advancing their knowledge, skills, and abilities to be a lifelong learner are imperative to successful progression throughout the PhD milestones and beyond. Choosing to obtain a PhD in nursing is a personal career investment, and an investment in the future of nursing and nursing science. Next steps after PhD graduation may include a post-doctoral fellowship to help with the transition to an independent nurse scientist, working as an academic researcher, policy analyst, consultant in industry, or a position within a government agency, among other opportunities.

Highlights:

  • Clear program expectations prior to enrollment prepare PhD students for success

  • Networking can identify mentors and advance the development peer relationships

  • Establishing career goals at the outset will guide plans for learning

Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the National Institute of Nursing Research of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number F31NR019211 “Informal Advance Care Planning with Family in Blacks with End Stage Renal Disease on Dialysis”. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. This work was also supported in part by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Future of Nursing Scholars Program Postdoctoral Research Award and the Cambia Health Foundation Sojourns Scholars Leadership Program.

Footnotes

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