By Deidre Williams
The Florida A&M University (FAMU) School of Nursing (SON) advances health care delivery statewide and nationally with the recent graduation of 26 Master of Science in Nursing (MSN) graduates—the largest cohort in recent program history. The graduating class includes 13 Women’s Health Nurse Practitioners (WHNP) and 13 Adult Gerontology Primary Care Nurse Practitioners (AGPCNP), reflecting the school’s strategic focus on critical shortage workforce areas.
Graduates complete a rigorous curriculum based on evidence-based practice, advanced clinical training, and service to underserved communities. Their achievement demonstrates FAMU’s continued growth within its advanced practice programs and the university’s broader commitment to strengthening the healthcare workforce pipeline.
Florida Faces a Significant Primary Care Shortage
Florida is projected to experience one of the nation’s most severe primary care provider shortages over the next decade. According to the Florida Health Administration’s Graduate Medical Education report released in July, the state is expected to face a shortage of nearly 18,000 physicians by 2035, with the overall physician supply meeting only 77 percent of projected demand. Primary care specialties, including adult gerontology, underpin this gap.
“These predictions highlight the important role advanced practice nurses will play in ensuring access to care,” she said. Shannon Smith, Ph.D., DNPDean of the School of Nursing at FAMU. “FAMU’s MSN graduates are prepared to address critical workforce shortages, particularly in rural and underserved communities where gaps in primary care and maternal health lead to preventable complications and adverse outcomes for mothers and infants.”
National Data Show Wide Gaps in Access to Women’s Health
In addition to primary care shortages, women’s access to health care providers remains a national concern. Released in September 2024, the March of Dimes Maternity Care Desert report shows that more than a third of US states lack adequate maternity care resources. KFF similarly reports that nearly half of US states have no OB-GYN practices. These deficiencies lead to persistent gaps in maternal health outcomes and preventive care.
FAMU’s cohort of 13 WHNP graduates will help reduce these shortages, particularly in medically underserved and rural communities.
Provost Watson: “A Legacy of Nursing Excellence Through Community Impact”
Provost Allyson L. Watson, Ph.D.The achievement of the MSN cohort reflects the strength and consistency of FAMU’s nursing education, he said.
“These graduates are entering the profession ready to take on advanced clinical roles at a critical time for healthcare,” Watson said. “Their teaching reflects the rigor, discipline and purpose that define FAMU’s approach to graduate education.”
Graduate Perspective: Ready to Lead and Serve
Members of the graduating class say the program provides the rigorous training, mentoring and community engagement experiences required of today’s nurse practitioners.
“This program has challenged me to grow as both a clinician and a leader,” she said Katherine Harris, AGPCNPMSN graduate who plans to work as a nurse practitioner in geriatric care. “FAMU has prepared me to serve communities in need of compassionate, evidence-based care, and I am ready to make a meaningful difference.”
Harris is seeking opportunities with local hospitals and the Veterans Affairs medical system. She is interested in specializing in dermatology, wound care, or diabetic care.
Continuing a long tradition of workforce impact
Founded in 1904, the FAMU School of Nursing became the first baccalaureate program in Florida in 1936 and is one of the most respected nursing programs in the state. SON continues to expand academic pathways into advanced practice roles and contributes to FAMU’s broader goals of research, graduate education, and community impact.
Graduates of the SON MSN program will pursue careers in hospitals, women’s health practices, primary care settings, community clinics, and specialty practices throughout Florida and the United States.
