7 News Belize

Marjorie Parks Now Dr. Parks
posted (November 11, 2011)
Marjorie Parks is the Deputy Director of Health Services and Chief Nursing Officer - meaning she's one of the most senior public officers in the Ministry Of Health. But, even though she's just about reached the apex of the public service ranks, she's not content to rest on her laurels.

Parks did a double major in Organizational Leadership and Higher Education Leadership and has successfully completed a Doctor of Education Programme from Nova Southeastern University in Florida, U.S.A - and in so doing, becomes the first Belizean nurse to obtain a doctorate degree in her field.

She was honoured for that singular accomplishment by the Nurses' Association of Belize today - and we spoke to her before the ceremony about why she did it:..

Marjorie Parks, Deputy Director of Health Services and Chief Nursing Officer
"Acquiring this doctorate degree is an accomplishment for me, but it is also one for the nursing profession. The whole thing about nurses being more educated and moving on and being more involved, in health as you said I have reached the point of my career, where I have contributed a whole lot and I can continue doing so, and I serve as a trail blazer, a roll model for other nurses to see that they can accomplish this level of education also."

Jules Vasquez
"How hard was it meeting the requirements of the program?"

Marjorie Parks
"ahi, Jules that was something, because the program, it was really part time. It was a program where we did some face to face and a lot of online, a lot of assignments a lot of written assignments, research and the first two years I did it just Fridays Saturdays, Sundays when we had classes. I had to give up a lot of activities with family, my commitment with work I had to give up all that, so it was kind of difficult but I usually try to finish what I start. James Alderly use to have a saying that quitters die. I said well I am not going to quit this I am going to see it to the end and it's a sense of self-actualization, but it's also as a sense to bring some recognition too, more recognition for nurses."

Dr. Parks is one of thirty-one Belizeans professionals who enrolled in the first doctorate program to be offered by Nova University in collaboration with the University of Belize.

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