USF to Offer First Doctoral Program

The program is being led by Wendy Clark

The University of Saint Francis has launched its first doctoral degree program. The Doctor of Nursing Practice program will feature two tracks, including a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist option, which is the first of its kind in the state.

USF says it has already received approval from the Higher Learning Commission and is awaiting accreditation by the Council on Accreditation of Nurse Anesthesia Educational Program, which it expects to be finalized this spring. The university is planning for the first CRNA cohort to begin this fall.

The 36-month program will include classroom and clinical elements, according to Program Director Marquessa Fisher. Students will perform a minimum of 2,000 operating room hours and log 600 cases in various specialty areas.

"The DNP in population health supports existing research in northeast Indiana," said Wendy Clark, director of the graduate nursing program and dean of the School of Health Sciences at USF. "Graduates of the program will apply innovation and best practices to improve the health of our community."

The university says nurses with bachelor’s degrees or master’s degrees will have the opportunity to further their education. You can find more information on the program by clicking here.