UMSN Faculty Member Selected for Clinician Scholars Program Now Open to Nurses
Nurses have a new opportunity to strengthen leadership skills and make a greater impact in health care through the newly revamped National Clinician Scholars Program (NCSP). The new version of the program includes doctorally-prepared nurses training alongside physicians.
University of Michigan School of Nursing (UMSN) Clinical Associate Professor Sue Anne Bell, PhD, FNP-BC, was selected for the first cohort beginning in July 2016. “Health care is provided in a team based environment,” says Dr. Bell. “So it makes perfect sense that innovative solutions to pressing health problems are formulated in those same team based groups.”
The program fills the gap left after the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) ended several human capital programs. The NCSP expands on the RWJF programs by integrating the training of nurse and physician scientists to address new and emerging issues of health care delivery, community and population health.
“I want to be an expert in my field, and part of that is taking advantage of every opportunity to learn and to grow and to stretch boundaries professionally,” says Dr. Bell. “Being an NCSP scholar will allow me to focus specifically on my research in an intensive, mentored, interdisciplinary setting.”
Dr. Bell’s primary research area addresses health effects of disasters and the impact of climate change on human health. She also focuses on women’s health, global health care, and health disparities including policy and emergency response.
The Veterans Administration (VA) is also a partner in the new program. U-M, UCLA, Yale University, and the University of Pennsylvania are the four NCSP partnership schools. At U-M, the program will be run through U-M’s Institute for Healthcare Policy and Innovation.
UMSN Dean Kathleen Potempa, PhD, RN, FAAN, serves as one of the two U-M program directors. “We are pleased to welcome the new cohort of Clinician Scholars, bringing well-prepared doctoral nurse scientists and medical doctors together at last,” says Dr. Potempa. “Health services research training at University of Michigan will advance with their shared expertise in areas from emergency medicine to women’s health, and from clinical care guidelines to population health."
