If you are interested: University of Michigan-Flint starts online doctoral program in nursing aimed at health care provider shortage - Flint Higher Education

The University of Michigan-Flint is offering a new online doctor of nursing practice program this fall to help address a reported shortage of primary health care providers in the country.

The four-year, part-time program is offered through UM-Flint's school of health professions and studies and is taught online along with clinical courses. Students will be educated to be independent licensed health care providers and learn skills for advanced nursing practice in primary health.

UM-Flint will no longer offer its master of science in nursing.

Nurse practitioners, who serve as primary care providers and consultants for individuals and families, assess and manage medical and nursing problems in several specialty areas. Those include family, adult, pediatric, women's health, school health, occupational health, mental health, emergency and acute care.

Their practice highlights health promotion and maintenance, disease prevention and diagnosis and management of acute and chronic illness.

Recent government reports indicate a shortage of more than 250,000 registered nurses and 46,000 primary care physicians by 2025.