CONHI PhD research receives dual awards

Bettie Coplan, a doctoral candidate in CONHI's interprofessional PhD program is the recipient of two prestigious awards to support her dissertation research, which focuses on understanding factors that promote underrepresented minority (URM) student admission to health professions programs. She was named one of this year’s three research fellows funded by the American Academy of PAs and Physician Assistant Education Association and was awarded the PA Foundation’s 2018 Breitman-Dorn Research Fellowship.

As a PhD student, Bettie has explored a variety of research interests. IIn addition to her dissertation research, she is currently working with her research practicum advisor, Dr. Lesly Kelly, to complete an ASU-funded study examining ambulatory care team members’ perceptions of team dynamics. Bettie chose to focus her dissertation on URM admissions because she sees the enormous value that diversity brings to the classroom and clinical environment, where a more diverse health workforce is needed to reduce pervasive health disparities. She hopes that insights gained from her research will benefit educational programs in nursing, PA, and other health professions.

Since she started the PhD program, Bettie has authored or co-authored five articles accepted for publication, including a paper Dr. Liz Reifsneider encouraged her to submit after she wrote it for an assignment in the program’s Social and Contextual Issues in Nursing and Healthcare course. She credits her accomplishments during the program to the incredible support and guidance she’s received from CONHI faculty and her dissertation chair, Dr. Gerri Lamb, and committee members, Drs. Bronwynne Evans and Michael Todd. When describing her experience in CONHI, she reflects on the interdisciplinary nature of the PhD Program: “The perspective I’ve gained studying the discipline of nursing among students from different disciplines and learning from faculty with diverse professional backgrounds has been invaluable.”