Exploring the interplay of English academic reading and writing proficiency among international doctoral students.

Academic English is discipline-specific and requires a high level of linguistic knowledge as well as expertise in respective fields. Therefore, doctoral students with limited exposure to academic English tend to face challenges in dealing with its demands, especially when they come from non-native English-speaking (NNES) backgrounds. At the doctoral level, research students are expected to work independently. Therefore, the ability to critically engage with academic materials written in English and the ability to write a dissertation in English at an expected standard play essential roles in successful PhD completion for students studying in international PhD programs where everything is conducted in English. This study investigates the relationship between English academic reading (EAR) and English academic writing (EAW) abilities among NNES doctoral students. We conducted a survey by employing a 1-6 Likert scale, following Dörnyei and Dewaele (2022), in the 2021-2022 academic year. A total of 255 international doctoral students studying in 65 PhD programs across Hungary voluntarily participated in the study. The students came from 49 countries and represented 48 mother tongues. The analysis revealed that students were positive about their abilities in both EAR and EAW, even though there was a significant gender difference at the p < 0.01 level. Additionally, students with the highest English proficiency level (C2) were found to be the most confident about their EAR and EAW abilities. The most junior students from 1st-year PhD programs were less confident about their abilities compared to their peers from 2nd, 3rd, 4th-year PhD programs. The analysis showed a significantly positive correlation between EAR and EAW (r = 0.792, p < 0.001). This study highlighted the inseparable role of EAR in fulfilling doctoral requirements and submitting a dissertation within a contracted PhD time framework, indicating the importance of targeted language support in facilitating academic progression within PhD programs.

Perspectives and corrective processes: Evaluating social justice in a nursing PhD program.

Efforts to integrate tenets of social justice into PhD nursing programs are long-standing but have intensified in the past few years in response to civil unrest, threats to human rights, and health inequities exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. In this paper, we present an overview of our School of Nursing's efforts and processes to evaluate and ensure that social justice principles were reflected throughout the PhD program. Components of this initiative included (a) forming a Social Justice Taskforce, (b) conducting listening sessions with alumni and currently enrolled PhD students to understand student experiences, (c) surveying PhD students to aid in prioritization of recommendations for improvement, and (d) convening key stakeholders to connect student priority areas to institutional programs and practices. Lessons learned through these activities highlighted the importance of gaining the perspective of diverse constituents and stakeholders, acknowledging areas for improvement, engaging students in transformative action, and partnering with faculty, staff, and leaders in solution development as we work to eliminate systemic injustices in PhD nursing education.

Current state and future recommendations for faculty in PhD in nursing programs.

In 2020 the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) Board of Directors appointed a 9-member task force to revise AACN's 2010 position statement, The Research-Focused Doctoral Program in Nursing: Pathways to Excellence, with the goal of developing a vision for research-focused doctoral programs and graduates. This resulted in 70 recommendations in a new AACN position statement, The Research-Focused Doctoral Program in Nursing: Pathways to Excellence (2022). The new document is based on a review of the literature from 2010 to 2021 and 2 inaugural surveys sent to deans and PhD students in nursing. The new The Research-Focused Doctoral Program in Nursing Pathways to Excellence document focuses on the critical need for nurse scientists who can develop the science, steward the profession, and educate new nurse educators. Several manuscripts have been developed describing various components of the PhD Pathways document focusing on the role of faculty, students and curriculum, resources and post-doctoral education. This article focuses on the recommendations related to explicating the faculty role in PhD education and includes data from the AACN (2020) deans' survey, the current state of the professoriate involved in PhD education and the developmental needs of PhD faculty for the future.

Research focused doctoral nursing education in the 21st century: Curriculum, evaluation, and postdoctoral considerations.

The AACN position statement on The Research-Focused Doctoral Program in Nursing: Pathways to Excellence was revised in 2022 by an AACN Task Force charged with creating a new vision for the PhD and similar programs in nursing. This document, which was informed by hundreds of academic nursing stakeholders, yields expectations and recommendations for PhD program curriculum, program evaluation, post-doctoral competencies, and resources. Results of an AACN 2021 survey indicated increased enrollment in PhD programs 2017-2000. Fifteen percent of students were enrolled in BSN-PhD, programs, 70 % of schools reported external review, and overall average time to degree completion was 5 years. Considerations for the education for the research doctorate include development of curriculum that fosters the scholarship of discovery and scientific inquiry and implements systematic evaluation of program outcomes while advancing postdoctoral competencies and resources, including the post-doctoral fellowship. Comprehensive assessment of the PhD program promotes ongoing program analysis and quality. Postdoctoral fellowships advance the science of nursing via the creation of a culture and workforce for nursing research. Successful postdoctoral programs have mentors, resources, and infrastructure to adequately enable the fellow to progress in their line of inquiry and develop as an investigator.

Leveraging a funding collaborative to develop more PhD prepared nurse scientists and leaders.

BACKGROUND: Over its almost 50 year history, The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) has provided about $500M to nursing initiatives focused on education, practice, policy and leadership development. While RWJF was most often the sole funder of many of these initiatives, it has also joined with others to create a larger and more sustained impact on particularly challenging nursing, health, and health care issues. PURPOSE: The purpose of this article was to describe the challenges and opportunities of a unique funding collaborative developed to engage new partners, increase the visibility of doctoral nursing education and increase funding of the RWJF Future of Nursing Scholars program to develop more PhD prepared nurses and nurse faculty. METHODS: Interviews were conducted with several members of the FNS Funders Collaborative as well as the scholars they supported. The perspectives of three funders, a regional philanthropy (IBC Foundation) and two health systems (Cedars Sinai and Sharp HealthCare) are presented here. Together they supported 13 nurses to complete their PhD through the RWJF Future of Nursing Scholars program. FINDINGS: RWJF contributed $20 M and 13 other funders contributed an additional $3Mto the initiative. The additional funds supported 42 nurses to earn their PhD degree through the program. Six of the 13 funders are health systems, four are regional or health related philanthropies, and others include United Health Care, Johnson & Johnson, and the Care Institute. DISCUSSION: There were many lessons learned for RWJF and the other funders. Given the size of RWJF, some other philanthropies were concerned about how contributions would be represented, others wanted their funding to go directly to care improvement. Some health systems were not prepared for their nurses to decrease work time while pursuing further education. The nurse faculty and nurse PhD shortages have persisted now for over a decade. Although FNS made a significant contribution by developing over 200 new nurse PhDs (faculty and leaders), more funding collaborations that engage new and different partners must be developed so that nursing education does not have to focus on the same problems in the next decade.

Becoming scholars in an online cohort of a PhD in nursing program.

The goal of this descriptive qualitative study was to examine the views of students about their experience and development as scholars during the first two years of an online cohort nursing doctoral program. A secondary goal was to seek the views of faculty members very involved in the program. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 of the 13 students of the first two online cohorts and five faculty members. Four themes emerged from the data: adjusting to the program; the group as emotional and academic support; reflections on teaching and learning; and becoming a scholar. The findings suggest that the students were developing as scholars, and that the cohort model was a source of support for them. Similar to other PhD students, transition into doctoral education necessitated finding a new balance between other commitments and doctoral studies. Providing opportunities to engage with faculty outside of courses is important.

Leadership, health systems and policy: Doctoral education and integrated clinical application.

Scientifically rigorous and readily transferable nursing research as a foundation for development of sound local and national policy can be further delivered into the policy arena by PhD prepared nurse leaders. Core curricular elements in the preparation of nurse scientists to advance the profession must therefore include competencies in leadership, health care systems, health economics, and policy. We present a curriculum model from a university in the southern United States that includes both a theoretical and application approach to incorporate a Leadership in Health Care Systems Course and Field Experience. Implementation of this approach is thought to result in a nurse scientist to have better preparation to engage in and with the broader health care system, policy, and interprofessional collaboration more quickly. We then present a student exemplar of a doctoral student's leadership field experience in a national advocacy and legislative process and discuss educational and professional gains from this lived experience.

PhD programs and the advancement of nursing science.

Nurses are well-positioned to be groundbreaking researchers, scientists, leaders, and innovators to improve the health and well-being of individuals, families, and communities. Nurse scientists are needed to contribute to scientific discoveries that inform effective strategies to improve patient care and outcomes and to inform future policies. Thoughtful consideration is required about the preparation of nurse scientists to ensure they are equipped with the knowledge and skill sets to meet the needs of society. Evolving health needs and priority areas of inquiry along with an ever-increasing array of sophisticated methodologies and centrality of interdisciplinary teams to solve complex problems should drive how we prepare PhD students. This paper reflects a panel and subsequent dialogue with nurse leaders at the PhD summit held at the University of Pennsylvania in October 2019. Three aspects of PhD education and the advancement of nursing science are discussed 1) examining important elements to support nurse scientist development; 2) identifying key gaps in science that the discipline needs to address in educating the next generation of nurse scientists; and 3) preparing nurse scientists for the competitive funding environment.

What PhD competencies should guide the preparation of nurse scientists?

PhD Summit attendees, as part of moderated roundtable discussions, responded to two questions: What PhD competencies should guide the preparation of PhD prepared nurses to function in current and emerging roles? and How has innovation in programs and curricula changed the landscape to prepare and support PhD students for success? The purpose of this report is to summarize Summit discussion around these issues and assess the current relevance of 2010 AACN competencies and whether they are adequate to meet the needs of emerging nurse scientists.

Making explicit the development of PhD-prepared nurses to steward the discipline.

Leadership is a core curricular element of PhD programs in nursing. Our PhD faculty began a dialogue about being a leader, a steward of the discipline. We asked ourselves: (a) What expertise do PhD prepared nurse needs to begin to steward the discipline? (b) How do faculty engage PhD nursing students to assume responsibility for stewarding the discipline? Lastly, (c) How do we work with PhD nursing students to create their vision for how their work contributes to stewarding the discipline, from doctoral coursework throughout their career? We support the need for PhD graduates to have the skills to generate knowledge, conserve that which is important, and transform by disseminating new knowledge to a broad audience. Examples of nurses stewarding the discipline when pioneering research, critiquing traditional approaches to inquiry or trends in nursing practice, and developing policy, are highlighted along with examples of how PhD nursing students begin to steward the discipline.

Commentary: Challenges for PhD students during COVID-19 pandemic: Turning crisis into an opportunity.

COVID-19 results in the suspension of life all over the world. Universities suspended their academic activities except for online courses for undergrad and grad students. However, PhD students in both biochemistry and molecular biology fields must hold their experiments at the laboratories. Even under these extreme circumstances, the academic journey of a master's or PhD student should not be stopped; on contrary, they need to use these times to improve their knowledge related to their fields. Therefore, they can turn this COVID-19 crisis into an opportunity for themselves.

IUBMB/PSBMB 2019 Conference/Plenary: Mentoring in postgraduate training and the role of Organization for PhD Education in Health Sciences in European System.

A vibrant and sustainable research environment is essential to establish a thriving PhD program. Organization for PhD Education in Health Sciences in European System, a European platform to promote best practices in PhD education in health sciences, published a guideline entitled "Best Practices for PhD Training." The guideline includes comprehensive recommendations and suggestions on different components of the PhD program, of which supervision is an essential one. A working supervisor-student relationship based on mutual respect, responsibility, and participation is essential for the success of a PhD thesis. Supervisors should be active researchers and receive training to develop their supervising skills. They serve as role models in academic life, both scientifically and ethically. The appointment of a co-supervisor, besides the principal one, is strongly encouraged not only to increase the efficiency in monitoring the student progression but also to defuse interpersonal conflicts. Institutional regulations should include the duties and responsibilities of the supervisor. A contract prepared by the institution and signed by the supervisor and the student could help specify the task and may serve as a starting point. In case of a conflict, grievance mechanisms also need to be clear and explicit. Supervisors ought to assist the career development of the students and guide them to become independent researchers. Unfortunately, different surveys showed that there is widespread discontent among the students about their supervisors. Performance pressure on both students and supervisors create enormous tension. Students feel stressed about their career prospects. Institutional policies should consider these stress points to enhance the wellbeing of students as well as the faculty.

A model to evaluate data science in nursing doctoral curricula.

BACKGROUND: Building on the efforts of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, we developed a model to infuse data science constructs into doctor of philosophy (PhD) curriculum. Using this model, developing nurse scientists can learn data science and be at the forefront of data driven healthcare. PURPOSE: Here we present the Data Science Curriculum Organizing Model (DSCOM) to guide comprehensive doctoral education about data science. METHODS: Our team transformed the terminology and applicability of multidisciplinary data science models into the DSCOM. FINDINGS: The DSCOM represents concepts and constructs, and their relationships, which are essential to a comprehensive understanding of data science. Application of the DSCOM identified areas for threading as well as gaps that require content in core coursework. DISCUSSION: The DSCOM is an effective tool to guide curriculum development and evaluation towards the preparation of nurse scientists with knowledge of data science.

Preferencias de empleo de las estudiantes de doctorado en Ingeniería

Resumen Este artículo analiza las preferencias de empleo de las mujeres estudiantes de doctorado en Ingeniería. Estas preferencias oscilan entre la academia y la industria y se las compara con las de los estudiantes hombres. Trabajos previos de investigación sobre mujeres con doctorado se han enfocado en el clima laboral, las experiencias de acoso sexual, el impacto de los factores familiares en la trayectoria laboral y los ingresos salariales. El análisis está basado en información obtenida de una encuesta virtual aplicada a estudiantes de doctorado en ingeniería provenientes de una universidad en Colombia. Los resultados muestran que las estudiantes mujeres tienen mayor interés por espacios laborales en los cuales puedan realizar investigación y tienen una alta valoración por atributos laborales como la posibilidad de colaborar con otras instituciones /organizaciones. Una de las principales conclusiones del estudio es que las mujeres presentaron mayor inclinación por los atributos laborales que caracterizan a la academia mientras que los hombres evidencian una mayor por los relacionados con la industria y se mostraron menos interesados en optar por una carrera académica.

Abstract This paper analyses career preferences of women who are doing a Ph.D. program in engineering and compares them with those of men doing a Ph.D. program in engineering. Research on women with doctoral education has focused on exploring topics related to job climate, sexual harassment, the impact of family factors on job experience, employability, and salary earnings. The analysis is based on data collected from online survey administered to women doing a Ph.D. program in engineering at a university in Colombia. The results show that women have an interest in jobs in which they can do research as well as a high perception over job attributes, such collaboration with institutions/organization. One of the main conclusions of the study is that women show greater inclination for the work attributes of the academy while men show a greater tendency for those related to the industry and men are less interested in an academic career.

How to Conceptualize and Implement a PhD Program in Health Sciences-The Basel Approach.

OBJECTIVES: Over the past decade, several excellent guidelines have been published on how to enhance the quality of PhD education in Europe. Aimed primarily at preparing students for innovative roles in their fields, they include variously structured approaches to curricular offerings, as well as other program components applicable across specialties (eg: supervisor support, scientific conduct, transferable skills). Since 2012, the interdisciplinary PhD Program in Health Sciences (PPHS) at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Basel in Switzerland has focused on translating these guidelines into a 21st-century health sciences PhD program. RESULTS: The PPHS started in 2012 based on the European Union (EU) guidelines for PhD education. This article describes the resulting interdisciplinary PhD program's conceptual underpinnings, rationale, structures, and 10 building blocks, like student portfolios, thematic training, interdisciplinary research seminars, student-initiated interdisciplinary activities, financial support of course participation, top-up and extension stipends, PhD supervision, research integrity, alumni follow-up network, and promotional tools including a dedicated website. Students enter from Clinical Research, Medicine Development, Nursing Science, Epidemiology and Public Health including Insurance Medicine, Sport Science (all from the Faculty of Medicine), and Epidemiology (Faculty of Science). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The Basel PPHS exemplifies state-of-the-art PhD education in Health Sciences based on European guidelines and offers guidance to other groups from conceptualization to rollout of an interdisciplinary health sciences PhD program.

Again, What Is Nursing Science?

This article again asks, What is nursing science? Who knows? Who cares? The author describes the threat to the survival of nursing science grounded in nursing frameworks and theories. This threat is magnified by the proposal of the Council for the Advancement of Nursing Science (CANS) to change the curricula of PhD education. The aim of CANS is to prepare nurse scientists for lifelong competitive careers in interdisciplinary research, often focused on funding priorities of the National Institute of Nursing Research (NINR). Curricula would include preparation for conducting research in topics such as omics, e-science, translation science, biobehavioral science, symptom science, and team science. How can this be nursing science? It is argued that this focus might obliterate nursing's discipline-specific phenomenon of concern, the human-universe-health process.

Using a nursing theory or a model in nursing PhD dissertations: a qualitative study from Turkey.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to reveal experiences of nursing students and their advisors using theories and models in their PhD dissertations. METHODS: The study adopted a descriptive qualitative approach. This study was performed with 10 PhD candidates and their five advisors from nursing faculty. RESULTS: The results of the study were categorized into four. These are reasons for using a theory/model in a PhD dissertation, reasons for preferring a given model, causes of difficulties in using models in PhD dissertations, and facilitating factors of using theories and models in PhD of dissertations. CONCLUSIONS: It was also reported to contribute to the methodology of research and professional development of the students and advisors.