PMHNP with Master's to PhD in Nursing? Worth it?

[priorities2]

Hello! I'm a new PMHNP. I had my schooling paid for by the NURSE Corps scholarship so I'm debt free and working in an underserved community for the next two years.

I did research assisting in college and really thought I wanted out of academia. I was so ready to be done with that environment.

However, I am realizing that I'm so passionate about so many issues, especially in addiction psychiatry. I'm not the best writer or the smartest person. I am also very fiscally practical when it comes to my career choices.

I'm in my early 20s still now. After the two years... I hate to say this... I am starting think about a PhD. This is because I'm so passionate about the field, advancing practice, being part of cutting edge research and educating the next generation of clinicians. At the same time, I know I could make more money in this field by going into private practice, which would also enable to me to provide a combination of psychotherapy and med management and get added training at workshops/courses in various psychotherapies. I know this would also be a pay cut from pure med management but ultimately I guess it's more important to me to do good in the world.

At the same time.. I don't want to blindly follow this PhD idea when I know it would be really challenging to be in an academic environment again. The pressures of school were hard for me.

Ehh.. I guess I'm asking if anyone can comment on the relative merits of getting a PhD vs. sticking with my MSN in psychiatry and maybe doing a bit of teaching. Specifically, what are the odds I could get a funded PhD? Would I make at least as much as a professor as I can as a PMHNP? Could I have a part-time practice?

Thanks for anyone's feedback on these topics!

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[pamac]

All the psyche NPs I know make above $140k per year. Academia is fairly well known for austerity, except the celebrity lecturers that grace Ivy League courses with their presence once a week or so. The rest of academia strives to publish and obtain tenure in return for decent benefits and the rich academic environment. The professors I know don’t seem to come near to what you could make as a psyche NP, but you have a distinct advantage in that the NHSC is covering your loans. That’s a huge deal. The way I see it, you have the freedom to pursue your passion and take advantage of the fact that your bills are paid and you are young. Both of those things make that a viable option for you.

I had an NP professor that had a PHD in addition to the DNP that they had. Was a terrible professor, but they had all the trappings of an academic. They also worked as an NP taking care of patients.i don’t imagine that landing a job was ever really an issue. You’ve done things the right way so far, so indulge in something you’d like to do. You’ll have options no matter what direction you take.