Becoming a Nurse Scientist: The Critical Role of Mentorship, Collaboration, and Foundational Experiences as a Graduate Student

Abstract

This article is a narrative of my journey to becoming a nurse scientist, which began as an undergraduate student in nursing. Throughout this paper, I share the ingredients that have been critical to my success as a new scientist, how my past and present perceptions of the role of a scientist have evolved, and the personal benefits I have experienced in this role. I conclude with a summary of how I perceive the scientific work that I do contributes to knowledge and society. Overall, my mentors, collaborative networks, and foundational experiences as a graduate student have laid the foundation for my career as a new scientist and have prepared me to conduct multi-method intersectoral research, which I believe is critical to informing health policy.