![\"Nursing](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/1024x768_IMGEMaternalHealth.gif\" "\\"FAMU")
<\/p>\nWomen\u2019s Health and Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners align with state
\n and national workforce demands<\/p>\n
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.\u2014 Florida A&M University\u2019s (FAMU) School of Nursing (SON) is advancing healthcare
\n delivery across the state and the nation with the latest graduation of 26 Master of
\n Science in Nursing (MSN) students\u2014the largest cohort in recent program history. The
\n graduating class includes 13 Women\u2019s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP) and 13 Adult
\n Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (AGPCNP), reflecting the school\u2019s strategic
\n focus on workforce areas experiencing critical shortages.<\/p>\n
The graduates have completed a rigorous curriculum rooted in evidence-based practice,
\n advanced clinical training, and service to underserved communities. Their achievement
\n demonstrates steady growth within FAMU\u2019s advanced practice programs and the university\u2019s
\n broader commitment to strengthening workforce pipelines in healthcare.<\/p>\n
Florida Faces Significant Primary Care Shortages<\/p>\n
Florida is projected to experience one of the nation\u2019s most severe shortages of primary
\n care providers in the next decade. According to the Florida Agency for Health Care
\n Administration\u2019s Graduate Medical Education report released in July the state is expected
\n to face a shortfall of nearly 18,000 physicians by 2035, with overall physician supply
\n meeting only about 77 percent of projected demand. Primary care specialties, including
\n adult gerontology, are central to this gap.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese projections illuminate the essential role advanced practice nurses will play
\n in maintaining access to care,\u201d said Shannon Smith, Ph.D., DNP, dean of FAMU\u2019s School of Nursing. \u201cFAMU\u2019s MSN graduates are prepared to meet critical
\n workforce shortages, particularly in rural and underserved communities where gaps
\n in primary care and maternal health contribute to preventable complications and adverse
\n outcomes for mothers and infants.\u201d<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
National Data Show Widespread Gaps in Women\u2019s Health Access<\/p>\n
In addition to primary care shortages, access to women\u2019s health providers remains
\n a national concern. Released in September 2024, the March of Dimes Maternity Care
\n Desert report finds that more than one-third of U.S. counties lack adequate maternity
\n care resources. KFF similarly reports that nearly half of U.S. counties have no practicing
\n OB-GYN. These shortages contribute to persistent gaps in maternal health outcomes
\n and preventative care.<\/p>\n
FAMU\u2019s cohort of 13 WHNP graduates will help mitigate these shortages, particularly
\n in medically underserved and rural communities.<\/p>\n
Provost Watson: \u201cA Legacy of Nursing Excellence with Community Impact\u201d<\/p>\n
Provost Allyson L. Watson, Ph.D., said the achievement of the MSN cohort reflects the strength and consistency of
\n FAMU\u2019s nursing education.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese graduates enter the profession prepared to assume advanced clinical roles at
\n a critical moment for healthcare,\u201d Watson said. \u201cTheir training reflects the rigor,
\n discipline, and purpose that define FAMU\u2019s approach to graduate education.\u201d<\/p>\n
Graduate Perspective: Prepared to Lead and Serve<\/p>\n
Members of the graduating class say the program provided rigorous preparation, mentorship,
\n and community engagement experiences required for modern-day nurse practitioners.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis program challenged me to grow as both a clinician and a leader,\u201d said Katherine Harris, AGPCNP, an MSN graduate who plans to work as a nurse practitioner in geriatric care. \u201cFAMU
\n prepared me to serve communities that need compassionate, evidence-based care, and
\n I am ready to make a meaningful difference.\u201d<\/p>\n
Harris\u00a0is pursuing opportunities with local hospitals and the Veterans Affairs medical
\n system. She is interested in specializing in dermatology, wound care, or diabetic
\n care.<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n
Continuing a Longstanding Tradition of Workforce Impact<\/p>\n
Founded in 1904, the FAMU School of Nursing became the first baccalaureate program
\n in Florida in 1936 and is one of the most respected nursing programs in the state.
\n SON continues to expand academic pathways into advanced practice roles and contributes
\n to FAMU\u2019s broader goals in research, graduate education, and community impact.<\/p>\n
Graduates of the SON MSN program will continue their careers in hospitals, women\u2019s
\n health practices, primary care settings, community clinics, and specialty practices
\n across Florida and the United States.<\/p>\n
For more information about the FAMU School of Nursing, visit nursing.famu.edu<\/a>.<\/p>\n Media Contact<\/p>\n Rachel James-Terry Deidre Williams
Senior Director of Strategic Communications
rachel.jamesterry@famu.edu<\/a><\/p>\n
Director of Communications
Office of the Provost
deidre.williams@famu.edu<\/a>\u00a0<\/p>\n