New DHSc Program Welcomes Diverse Student Cohort

The College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences (CPHS) in conjunction with the Campbell Office of Adult and Online Education recently welcomed the inaugural Doctor of Health Sciences (DHSc) cohort. There are 20 students in the charter class, each possessing a unique background including nursing, community health, management, academia, government relations, pharmacy industry, advocates, counselors, and even a diagnostic technician. Of the 20 students, 16 reside in North Carolina, three live in South Carolina, and one lives in Maryland.

Having completed her undergraduate studies at Campbell in 2016, Sue Ann Forrest is no stranger to the Campbell family. She completed her Bachelor of Arts in English and Communications with a minor in Marketing and served as Campbell’s Student Body President. Forrest is originally from Greenville, NC and admitted to loving Campbell's family atmosphere and commitment to serve rural communities. She claimed, “this program was particularly appealing to me because of the emphasis on helping full time professionals grow through interdisciplinary study and discussion. The online format allows me to continue working full-time which was a key factor for me in deciding on a post graduate program.” Forrest currently resides in Raleigh and works as a registered lobbyist for the North Carolina Medical Society (NCMS). NCMS is a nonprofit member organization that represents physicians and physician assistants across the state. She serves as the Director of Legislative Affairs. Her work encompasses a variety of areas including policy analysis, grassroots advocacy, state/federal lobbying, communications, and political fundraising. Forrest commented, “This program will allow me to learn and better understand complex health issues from a variety of perspectives due to the professional diversity within our cohort.”

Rachel Houston spent the past thirteen years living in Charlotte, NC. The Northeast native had struggled to find an advanced degree that married her previous education and passions. Campbell’s DHSc program combined those passions for her and is allowing her the logistical flexibility of completing her coursework online.

Houston formerly worked as a Certified Medical Assistant. Nine years ago, she was approached by one of her former instructors who said they needed a clinical lab instructor. The part time job allowed Houston an opportunity to test out her skill set in a new way. Little did she know that she would absolutely fall in love with teaching future medical assistants. Approximately eight months later, she became program chair of the Medical Assistant Program at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences. She has been one of the lead instructors in the program and the program chair for more than eight years.

Bringing yet another unique perspective to this cohort is Daniel W. Cross. Cross is a hospital pharmacy director with McLeod Health Clarendon, a hospital in South Carolina. He earned his BS in Pharmacy from the Medical University of South Carolina, his master’s degree in Health Administration from Pfeiffer University, and his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of South Carolina. He has 23 years of hospital pharmacy experience, 10 of which have been in management.

Having attended multiple pharmacy events at Campbell throughout the years, Cross was intrigued when he saw the DHSc. He hopes to use the knowledge gained in this program to move into a hospital administration role as either a COO or CEO. Cross shared, “I hope this coursework will help me achieve this career goal or to better serve in the management role I presently have with the hospital. Campbell's strong commitment to healthcare education and a deep commitment to academic excellence in a Christian environment led me to apply to and accept a seat in this doctoral program. I look forward to the journey!”

The DHSc program is an interdisciplinary doctorate that seeks to equip post-professionals with skills and expertise to positively shape the future of healthcare and health-related organizations. This is the first DHSc program being offered in North Carolina!

DHSc students can select a concentration in Health Administration, Interprofessional Education, or Rural Health. The DHSc core courses introduce students to a broad range of content in the following core areas: Modern Healthcare, Population Health, Organizational Improvement, and Doctoral Research.