Doctoral Education Pathway for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses

Doctoral Education Pathway for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses

The American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population experiences some of the most serious health disparities in the U.S., yet there are very few AI/AN nurses, especially those with graduate degrees who can serve as advanced practice nurses and nursing faculty.

The University of Minnesota School of Nursing’s Doctoral Education Pathway for American Indian/Alaska Native Nurses supports AI/AN nurses in completing a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) or PhD degree at the University of Minnesota.

Students can earn a DNP degree preparing them to be a nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist, nurse-midwife, nurse anesthetist, nurse leader and innovator, nurse informaticist, or specialist in integrative health and healing. Students can also earn a PhD degree preparing them to be a nurse researcher.

The holistic support provided for AI/AN nurses enrolled in the DNP or PhD program includes:

  • Financial support for tuition and fees (amount will depend on funding received from the HRSA grant)
  • Mentoring from AI/AN/Indigenous faculty
  • Cultural community created through connections with other AI/AN/ Indigenous faculty, staff, and students across UMN campuses
  • Peer support and mentoring
  • Promote cultural identity through traditional gatherings and celebrations

Both the PhD and DNP programs enable students to complete degree requirements from a distance. On-campus requirements for each program will vary, but can be as little as one time a year.

 

Wilkie

Misty Wilkie
PhD, RN, FAAN

Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa/Métis
Clinical associate professor

Martin

Lisa Martin
PhD, RN, PHN, AHN-BC, FAAN

Lac Du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians
Clinical associate professor

Margaret Moss

Margaret P. Moss
PhD, JD, RN, FAAN

Mandan, Hidatsa, & Arikara Nation/ Dakhóta First Nation
Professor and Associate Dean for Nursing & Health Policy

Rowan

Jillian Rowan
MA

Lac Courte Oreilles Band of Ojibwe
American Indian/Alaska Native Pathways recruiter and advisor

Indigenous enrollment in DNP program leads the nation

Indigenous enrollment in DNP program leads the nation
Our school enrolled the largest number of American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students in a Doctor of Nursing Practice program ever. Read more

Misty Wilkie in front of Niganawenimaanaanig logo

Setting the path for more American Indian nurses
As the 14th American Indian nurse to earn a PhD, alum Misty Wilkie says representation matters. Read more