MUSC College of Nursing Launches LIFT Program to Strengthen Future Nursing Faculty Pipeline

As nursing programs across the country work to prepare more nurses for a growing workforce need, many are facing a challenge that reaches beyond the classroom: a shortage of qualified faculty. Without enough educators, schools have less capacity to teach, mentor and graduate the nurses needed to care for communities.

The program comes at a critical time for nursing education in South Carolina, where schools are preparing future nurses while also developing the educators needed to teach them. By giving doctoral students structured exposure to academic roles, Faculty LIFT helps address both priorities at once.

MUSC College of Nursing is helping address that gap through the Faculty LIFT Program, a statewide initiative that introduces doctoral nursing students to academic careers before they officially take on faculty roles. Short for Leadership Instruction for Faculty Training, LIFT pairs participants with experienced educators and gives them an early look at faculty life.

The initiative brings together three of South Carolina’s nursing schools, with MUSC partnering with the University of South Carolina and Clemson University to offer fellows supervised academic placements within participating institutions.

At MUSC, three Faculty LIFT fellows are participating on campus, while additional MUSC students are completing placements at the two partner institutions. Through these experiences, fellows develop teaching skills, learn the responsibilities of academic careers and build relationships with faculty across the three universities.

For Phillips, that early exposure is what makes the program especially important.

"What makes Faculty LIFT innovative is that it introduces nurses to academia while they are still completing their doctoral programs, allowing them to gain experience, build confidence and begin developing as future educators before they officially step into those roles," said Shannon Phillips, Ph.D., RN, professor and director of nursing science. "That early preparation is important because the nursing faculty shortage directly affects our ability to respond to the broader nursing shortage."

That early integration helps fellows see themselves within an academic environment, build confidence as emerging educators and connect with mentors who can support their growth beyond the program.

"What excites me most is seeing how grateful the fellows are to have been selected and watching them become part of the faculty community," Phillips said. "I'm honored to be part of their growth and development."

Catherine O. Durham, DNP, FNP, FAANP, FAAN, dean of the MUSC College of Nursing, said the program reflects the kind of long-term investment needed to prepare nurses for academic leadership.

"The Faculty LIFT Program represents exactly the kind of innovative thinking our profession needs right now. As nursing continues to face workforce challenges, we must be intentional about developing the next generation of nurse educators. LIFT creates a pathway for talented nurses to explore academic careers, grow as educators and discover the impact they can have on shaping future nurses. I am especially excited about the long-term potential of this program to strengthen the nursing faculty pipeline in South Carolina and beyond. When we invest in aspiring educators, we are investing in the future of health care itself," Durham said.

Through their placement within the statewide partnership, Faculty LIFT fellows can begin envisioning themselves as educators while gaining the skills, confidence and connections to pursue that path. As they grow, their development will help expand nursing education in South Carolina and prepare more nurses to meet the state’s workforce needs.