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Kate Bykowski

Improving healthcare across Canada — both in terms of accessibility, especially in rural areas, and the quality of delivery, has been the driving force behind Kate Bykowski’s clinical practice as a Nurse Practitioner (NP) and academic goals as a doctoral student in the Faculty of Nursing.

Her research involved critical work examining the realities of specialty nurse practitioner (NP) practice to better inform the future of NP education, and to understand how NPs can be most effectively deployed to improve access to healthcare services.

Faced with a demanding workload, Kate drew on the guidance and expertise of her program supervisors and mentors, and . Their blend of encouragement, support and constructive feedback helped her to grow as both a researcher and a clinician.

“I had to remind myself that progress isn’t always linear - it’s full of twists, turns and lessons,” she says. “It really helped me stay grounded and keep moving forward.”

Now that her degree is completed, Kate is combining her clinical practice as an NP in women's primary care with a postdoctoral fellowship under . Her long-term goal is to bridge the gap between research and practice, actively contributing to improved care and shaping NP standards nationwide.

Congratulations Kate!

What led you to choose this area of study, and why the ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥?

I’m from a small Alberta town, and because I started my nursing career in rural settings,  I’ve always been passionate about rural healthcare. As a nurse practitioner, completing my PhD allowed me to combine my clinical experience with research in a really meaningful way. It gave me the opportunity to study the realities of NP practice and explore how nurse practitioners can be most effectively utilized to improve healthcare access across Canada.

The ÒÁÈËÖ±²¥ was the perfect place to complete my PhD. It has one of the top nursing schools in the world, with a strong reputation for research excellence and innovation in healthcare. What really stood out to me was the mentorship — my supervisors were incredible, supportive and genuinely invested in helping me grow as both a clinician and a researcher. The program gave me the flexibility to stay grounded in clinical practice while developing high-quality research that can influence how we educate and support NPs in the future.

Tell us about your favourite professor and/or class.

I was really lucky to work with and during my PhD. Both are incredibly smart, supportive and straightforward, which I really appreciated. They challenged me to think critically, but also gave me the kind of honest feedback and encouragement that helped me grow as both a researcher and a clinician. I really couldn’t have asked for better mentors.

Did you take on any leadership or volunteer roles while you were a student? If so, please share your experiences. 

During my PhD, I had the opportunity to work with and on discussions surrounding the upcoming changes to nurse practitioner licensure in Canada. Through summit meetings with provincial and national regulatory and educational organizations, we explored how the transition to a single, generalist NP license will impact NP education and clinical preparation. A key focus was how to ensure NPs in specialty areas like rural, emergency and women's health feel prepared when entering practice. It’s been a great experience to be part of these conversations shaping the future of NP education and workforce development in Canada.

Did you face any significant challenges while you were a student, and if so, how did you respond?

Like most PhD students, I definitely faced a few challenges along the way. The biggest one was managing timelines and expectations — things rarely go exactly as planned in a PhD. Recruitment takes longer, data analysis can shift directions, and sometimes your research questions evolve as you dig deeper. I learned to be flexible and adapt, which honestly made the final outcome stronger. Staying organized, keeping communication open with my supervisors, and reminding myself that progress isn’t always linear really helped me stay grounded and keep moving forward.

What advice do you have for current or future students?

Expect the unexpected and build flexibility into your plan from the start. Don’t get discouraged when timelines shift because they will. Surround yourself with supportive mentors, celebrate small wins along the way, and remember that every challenge you face is part of becoming a stronger researcher.

How do you plan on celebrating convocation? 

I’ll be celebrating with my family and friends...and maybe a glass of champagne!

What's next after graduation?

I am continuing my clinical practice as a nurse practitioner in women’s primary care while starting a postdoctoral fellowship with . Our research is focused on developing and evaluating a nurse practitioner–led women’s primary care clinic, a model that integrates clinical care and research to better serve midlife women. It’s a really exciting opportunity to continue bridging my clinical background with research, and to help build an evidence base for NP-led models of care.

My long-term goal is to build a clinician-scientist career where I can continue practicing, conducting research that directly improves care and helping shape nurse practitioner education and practice across Canada.