MGH’s Doctor of Nursing Practice program opens doors to new career paths

The MGH Institute of Health Professions, an academic affiliate of Massachusetts General Hospital, is now accepting applications to its new Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program. Continuing the Institute’s nearly 30-year tradition of innovation, this program prepares advanced practice nurses for leadership roles in the increasingly complex management of health care delivery.

The DNP program builds on a master’s degree and provides nurses the scientific, business and technical knowledge they need to advance the evidence base of nursing and effect change in the health care system. Armed with these advanced skills, DNP-prepared nurses are prepared to seek senior-level positions in a variety of settings — whether as managers of quality initiatives, executives in health care organizations, directors of clinical programs, or faculty responsible for clinical teaching.

Candidates can complete their degree requirements in as little as three to six semesters of study. The curriculum includes 43 credits of instruction, with students awarded up to 18 credits for previous work through a post-admissions portfolio review process. The MGH Institute is unique in offering the choice of six elective concentrations — advanced clinical practice; teaching; global health; clinical investigation; informaticsand nursing administration.

During the clinical residency phase of the program, students complete an independent capstone project addressing a specific clinical problem. This provides an exceptional opportunity for students to work and learn at the world-renowned MGH, Brigham & Women’s Hospital, or any of the more than 600 acute care and community-based facilities within the Partners HealthCare system.

Designed for busy working professionals, the DNP program provides students the option of full- or part-time study, a mix of online and classroom instruction, and course schedules that accommodate the demands of career and family.

A progressive leader in developing comprehensive models of health care education, the MGH Institute of Health Professions offers graduate and certificate programs in clinical investigation, nursing, physical therapy, communication sciences and disorders, and medical imaging. The Institute is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.

For complete details about the MGH Institute’s new Doctor of Nursing Practice program, please visit dnp.mghihp.edu.