Handbooks

Doctor of Philosophy in
Nursing Science Handbook

Professional Development

Developing a career plan: During the time that students are obtaining their doctoral degrees, they will be developing their career plans. This includes the focus of their programs of research; the relative emphasis they will place on research, education, and clinical and other services; and the types of organizations and settings where they hope to contribute (global or national; university or other organizations; professional organizations; care delivery; policy-setting groups ). Annually, students should reexamine their long- and short-term goals that were identified in their PhD application. They need to be sure that the program they develop meets their immediate goals of completing the doctoral program and builds the foundational skills they need to achieve their long-term objectives. Doctoral study is a time for discovery, and, as students are exposed to new ideas, their interests and opportunities may change, and, therefore, these goals need to be examined regularly. The annual progress review is an opportune time to do this .

The focus of students' programs of research is a key element of the career plan. Some doctoral students enter the program with a very clear and focused goal, while others have only a broad sense of their interests and special skills. It is also important that students' research interests are sufficiently broad for them to build a research career, not just complete a dissertation. Consultation with their advisor and other faculty can help to plan a program that is narrow enough to facilitate movement through the program and broad enough to sustain their long-term program of research. Additional knowledge and skills can also be obtained in a postdoctoral program and less formally throughout their careers.

Building a research portfolio: There are three areas where students should focus on documenting accomplishments related to research: hands-on experience in research projects, presentations and publications, and obtaining grant funding. Increasingly, doctoral students are expected to show beginning level competence in all of these areas.

Research experience: Being a research assistant on a project is an excellent way to have a mentored experience in conducting research. Even if the study's topic is not exactly in the students' area, students can learn skills that are relevant for a wide variety of studies. A research assistant position is an opportunity where students work closely with faculty on the faculty member's research.

One excellent venue for students to see other doctoral students' complete research is to attend other students' doctoral dissertation defenses. At the completion of the doctoral degree, all doctoral students present in an open forum the research they conducted for their degree.

Publications and presentations: Students need to look for opportunities to give research presentations and write manuscripts for publication . It is typical for research presentations to be expanded into manuscripts to be submitted for publication. Opportunities to engage in research presentations and publications arise from the student's work in the doctoral program or from their work as a research assistant (or independent study). Faculty recognize the need to foster these experiences for doctoral students and generally will try to make such opportunities available as part of the work experience. Publications and presentations can be generated from papers originally prepared for a class or the work that is part of the preliminary examination or dissertation. The work that is part of preliminary examinations and proposals may be publishable as a comparative literature review or a concept analysis. This time is ideal to begin to publish with an interdisciplinary group. The faculty advisor and committee members can identify potential publications and make recommendations for collaboration with other faculty members from the preliminary or dissertation committee. Ideally, students should have a few publications before completing the dissertation. Generally, people recommend that students publish two or three articles from their dissertation. Usually, these would include an overall summary of the results, a conceptual or literature review, and a methodological article on some aspect of the study.

Authorship issues: Authorship is often an issue for both students and faculty. The most important guideline is to have a joint discussion in advance to ascertain the order of the authorship (i.e. first author, second author, senior author, etc.) and the contribution that each individual needs to make to be an author. If an individual is not making the contribution that was previously agreed upon, then the order of the authorship may be changed or someone may no longer continue to be an author. This should again be discussed openly within the group. The type of contributions that are necessary for authorship should be substantive. For example, if a research assistant collects data as part of a research study, this may not warrant authorship (see APA Publication Manual 5th edition, pages 350-351; 395-396). If a faculty member reviews a student's paper and provides minimal critique, this may not warrant authorship. However, if a student develops a paper in a class where the faculty member provided material, creative direction, and substantive feedback on the paper, then this should be a co-authored paper. The order of the authorship should be negotiated.

Research funding: To be successful in a research career, it is necessary to obtain external funding. Writing a grant proposal involves many steps and is complex, students can gain experience in writing grant proposals by taking NuSc 593: Writing research proposals. Facu lty advisors can provide support and assistance in preparing a grant. In addition, the College's Office of Research Facilitation can provide some assistance (please also see http://grad.uic.edu/cms for funding your education).. One excellent opportunity for research funding is through the National Institutes of Health, National Research Service Awards (NRSA). Information regarding the NRSA application process can be found listed under F31 mechanisms at the following link: http://grants.nih.gov/grants/funding/funding_program.htm. An NRSA predoctoral fellowship is an excellent learning experience and is a good foundation for a career in research. Only US citizens and green card holders are eligible for these NIH awards. Students generally begin writing this application toward the end of the first year of doctoral study, but may do so earlier.

There are also a number of small grants that annually offer funding for dissertation expenses, including the American Nurses Foundation, the local and international Sigma Theta Tau organization, the College of Nursing Seth Rosen Research Award , and various other nursing organizations. International students should verify whether there is a citizenship requirement for a particular grant, i.e., NRSA grant.

Building your teaching portfolio: Some students will arrive with extensive teaching experience, while others will not have had this opportunity. Students can continue to develop their teaching skills by working as a teaching assistant, taking graduate coursework on teaching, and attending seminars that promote excellence in teaching. The College of Nursing offers many seminars by both local and national experts to promote excellence in teaching. These seminars are open to all individuals who are interested in attending. International students will be required to complete a university-required course for teaching assistants.

Service portfolio: Students often come into the PhD program with a variety of service activities in their background. The doctoral program should provide an opportunity for students to focus their interests and consider other appropriate organizations and opportunities. It is important that students limit their leadership responsibilities in large organizations that might diffuse their time in the program, such as holding an office in a large professional organization. Leadership opportunities can and should occur after completion of the PhD.

Students may want to consider joining organizations that have a significant research mission, such as the Midwest Nursing Research Society. This organization holds a yearly scientific meeting where students can see others presenting or present their own research. Other appropriate organizations may be the American Heart Association if the students' work is cardiovascular or American Public Health Association if their research occurs in the community. Attendance at these meetings should provide opportunities to network with other doctoral students and current leaders in the field. Ideally, students should attend with their academic advisor, who can introduce them to other researchers in their field of study.

Professional career development: Being a nurse scientist is the culmination of the interface of research skills, teaching expertise, and service commitment. Students should become knowledgeable regarding scholars both within and outside of the discipline of nursing who are leaders in their focused areas of science, education, and public policy (locally, nationally, and/or internationally) related to their selected programs of study. Students may want to consider joining organizations that have a significant research mission, such as the Midwest Nursing Research Society. This organization holds a yearly scientific meeting where students can see others presenting or present their own research. Other appropriate organizations may be the American Heart Association if the students' work is cardiovascular or American Public Health Association if their research occurs in the community (also please see http://allnurses.com/nursing_associations/nursing/USA for a listing of professional nursing organizations). Attendance at these meetings should provide opportunities to network with other doctoral students and current leaders in the field. Ideally, students should attend with their academic advisor, who can introduce them to other researchers in their field of study.

As students progress through their doctoral program, they should be communicating with their faculty advisor and other graduate faculty to explore opportunities to gain experience in professional presentations and publications, teaching through guest lectures, and participation in professional and community-focused activities associated with their specific field of study. Thus, as nurse scientists, students ultimately should become increasingly self-directed in seeking knowledge that assists them to continue to develop their expertise in a circumscribed area of science that enhances care delivery for specific populations, as well as the education of patients, families, and future students.