Global engagement competencies for PhD nursing students

The following question was posed to work groups at an invitational summit of educators, policy makers, and funding agencies involved in PhD nursing programs from Canada, the Caribbean, Latin America, and the US: Should global engagement competencies be included in PhD program curricula of research-intensive universities?" While the need for global engagement competencies ranked low among participants, our perspective is that there may be benefits from development of global engagement competencies. Many of the concepts identified for global engagement competencies are also important for US-based research. Nurses and midwives with PhDs are well positioned to conduct research that will impact the global burden of disease and close the health equity gap.