Nurses to become ‘Doctors’: First PhD Nursing Programme approved in Punjab

LAHORE – The Nurses in Punjab will now be able to earn a Ph D degree in their own discipline as the University of Health Sciences (UHS) has approved the province’s first Ph D Nursing programme. The approval was given by the Specialty Advisory Committee in a meeting chaired by UHS Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Ahsan Waheed Rathore. The university is expected to advertise admissions for the programme in the first week of July. The UHS spokesperson said that only 20 seats will be offered in the first batch, while candidates will have to secure at least 75 percent marks in the UHS entrance test to qualify for admission. Officials said the programme has been developed to prepare nursing professionals for careers in teaching, research, healthcare management and policy development. Graduates will be trained to serve as nursing faculty members, researchers, healthcare administrators and health policy experts. The curriculum has been designed under the NURTURE Framework and includes advanced research methodologies, nursing education and curriculum leadership, health systems and policy studies, 500-hour supervised clinical practicum and elective specializations. A teaching residency component has also been included to strengthen the academic and educational skills of future nursing faculty. Addressing the meeting, UHS VC Prof. Dr. Ahsan Waheed Rathore said the healthcare sector requires highly qualified nurses who can contribute in education, research, administration and policymaking. He said the programme would help produce nursing scholars and leaders capable of improving healthcare services and nursing education in Pakistan. The committee reviewed the curriculum structure, programme outcomes, assessment strategies and research requirements prepared by the Department of Medical Education in collaboration with expert nursing faculty. Participants appreciated the integration of research, clinical practice and teaching within a single doctoral programme. The meeting was attend