Over the past few decades in the United States, clinical doctorates (also referred to as professional practice doctorates) have been created in multiple fields. This brief outlines the transition to clinical doctorates in four health care fields: audiology, nursing (including midwifery), physical therapy, and pharmacy. We discuss the potential impacts of these transitions on key health care workforce objectives, as well as common trends across the four professions. Based on our literature review, we suggest that a transition to a single-entry clinical doctorate is expected to have a negative impact on supply, diversity, access to education, and cost, and a neutral impact on geographic distribution and retention.
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