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Taking the DHSc plunge...


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so after a long run today thinking over life options I decided to apply for a Doctoral program with an emphasis in global health.
I've been taking a global health and tropical medicine course at the local university over the last month and it reminded me how much I like being a student.
my options came down to these:
1.MD/DO: costs big bucks, move across country, still have to take ochem, never see my kids. 6 yr commitment. not in the cards I'm afraid.
2.MPH: already have a masters. getting a second one seems silly. also costs as much as a doctorate.
3.EM or Critical care residency: none local so move, and 50%+ salary cut(still an option for after kids go to college)
4.Move across country or work internationally at a better job with broader scope of practice: family not ready for this life yet, maybe in a decade or so
5.Doctorate: stay at same job, no move needed. 1 class/semester x 4 yrs + internship and practicum. allows increased opportunities for future teaching domestically or internationally. keeps my mind busy so I don't get bored. can probably use Haiti trips or free clinic work for internship and practicum project. not a consideration in my decision but a DHSc also makes me competitive with dnp's...

started sending out transcript requests.. 6 universities with coursework going back to 1986. took a few hrs. fortunately it's all doable online now.

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Good for you E. As you know I went back and forth on this quite a bit. As it turned out I just didn't have the passion for the DHS. My sister (who just finished all her prelims for Ph.D. in Nursing at U of AZ) said to me when I was bemoaning this last year: "Are you a clinician or a researcher?" For me that cinched the deal. I am NOT a researcher, although I appreciate research. I am first and foremost a clinician, and having the opportunity to further my opportunities as a DO made the most sense to me...now, I know you are also a clinician, but you can spin the DHS in a direction that works for you, and I think the Global Health angle is just what you should be doing. You're passionate about it, you've had good experiences, and you have something to teach us. Go E!

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  • 2 months later...
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just finished the first week of my first class. I've had to do a lot of time management months in advance to make this work.

step 1 cut down my hrs at work to full time from !@#$%( this means saying no to a lot of folks who want me to pick up a shift so they can do something fun. I still will cover folks with family emergencies, etc but not for " I wanted to go see a movie with my girlfriend".)

step 2 calendar for the next 3 months with all due dates, assignments, start times, etc penciled in

step 3 less internet. mostly less sdn(which is a good thing anyway)

step 4 sleep management -working on a consistent work/sleep cycle with no more than 7 hrs/night

step 5 making time for family/running/etc- I've designed my school schedule so I can do everything m-f while the kids are at school ( I work nights) so when they are home I'm not locked away studying. I can do a lot of my reading while I work night shifts if it is slow.

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Great Job E...

 

Personally... I'm considering either PsychoPharm or PharmD.

 

Like you... I see NO reason to collect Masters Degrees so if I do another... it MUST be a Doctorate.

 

how about PsyD? gets you to the same place as a PhD in psych but practical requirements, not research as grad requirement.

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how about PsyD? gets you to the same place as a PhD in psych but practical requirements, not research as grad requirement.

 

I thought about PsyD... but the thought of writing all those BS touchy-feely, Tree-hugging, Granola papers repels me...

I wouldn't even consider a Psychology PhD... actually not any/many "PhDs" unless they translated to added marketable skills.

 

I also see NO reason to simply collect non-paying degrees simply for a title. The average PhD would likely be just that for me.

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Graduating with my DHSc on August 6 after 3 years with emphasis in global health from AT Still. Hooray. It was one of the best things I've done and has opened all kinds of doors for my passion of working as a PA in the developing world. Besides, a DHSc is not about being a researcher - we work on applied research projects (ARP) which will help PAs be more involved in research that matters to us - clinical studies. Good luck to you e - you'll do fabulously well.

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congrats! I think I will probably take closer to 3.5-4 yrs as I intend to just take 1 course at a time and do 3 summer institutes instead of 2. with my work and family schedule taking 2 courses at a time would be very difficult. with just a single class I am spending 2-4 hrs/day 5 days week on discussion section postings and writing papers.

what kind of new options did you discover in the global arena from getting the DHSc?

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So he can give a hard time to uppity PAs who think they know how to prescribe medications......

 

Yeah... that or just going to Law School so I can get rich real quick off of these young cavalier PAs... :=D:

 

btw... sat and shot the ish with Paul this afternoon... he is getting "antsy" and starting to feel like a pre-release "hebrew Israelite"...

 

some states allow phd/psyd folks to rx psych meds independently. this trend will likely continue and spread to other states.

what does a pharmd do for you if you don't want to work as a pharmacist?

 

It will feed my intellectual curiosity concerning the drugs we prescribe daily.

It will allow me to function in a inpatient or outpatient pharmacy.

It will keep abrasive pharmacists outta my face.

It will allow me to open a in-clinic/onsite pharmacy in any medical practice.

 

I get to insist that PAs call me "DOCTOR" while I nit-pick and assail their prescribing habits... :heheh:

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I'd love to hear about your experience as I am considering A.T. Still or Nova Southeastern for the DHSc. Good luck and God speed :-)

I'm doing the program at nova because it has a stronger global health emphasis than atsu, although I have 2 friends at atsu who are almost done and enjoying the program there.

I'm gradually adding things back into my schedule that I took out to make time for the program. I went for a long run yesterday and hope to be able to continue doing that every week.

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  • 3 weeks later...
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around 33K( 61 credits at 550/credit). program catalog:

http://www.nova.edu/cah/healthsciences/forms/dhs_brochure.pdf

 

many other programs I was looking at were 600-800/unit and most of those would have given me a second masters so less money for a higher level degree from an accredited school with a good reputation was a no brainer for me

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E- what is workload like from day to day and week to week?

 

discussion sections weekly which require research into the topic of the week and postings. you also need to respond in a substantial way to the postings of others with sources to back your opinions. weekly readings from textbook(s) plus internet articles and videos. several major projects/papers per course. most folks spend 12-15 hrs/week per class. 1 class is considered full time if working. 2 at a time can be done but hard to work full time on that schedule. I'm going to stick to 1 at a time. grading scale: 80% or more =pass. less than 80%=fail.

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As of today, I am Dr. Terri Clawson, DHSc, PA-C from AT Still University with emphasis in global health. Not certain where it will take me yet, but I'm certain it will be a wild, fulfilling ride. It has been a marvelous experience . . . one I will never regret. Take the plunge! I think the profession will benefit in the long run.

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