By Laura Gasque
University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing alumna Lieutenant Colonel Tanekkia M. Taylor-Clark, PhD, MMAS, RN, CMSRN (PhD 2021), has been named the Consultant to the Army Surgeon General for Nursing Research. The role serves as primary adviser on nursing research to the Army Surgeon General and Chief of the Army Nurse Corps. Taylor-Clark also will be promoted to the rank of Colonel in September 2024.
“My vision for nursing research within the Army Nurse Corps magnifies the skill set of nurse scholars to significantly impact the future of Army Medicine at the expeditionary, operational and enterprise levels,” Taylor-Clark said. “This vision requires skillful collaboration among researchers, clinical nurse specialists and multi-disciplinary scholars to capitalize on data analysis, intervention development and the execution of innovative solutions to support military warfighters and families. Nursing research has systematically moved nursing practice forward since the days of Florence Nightingale. Now more than ever, researchers are well-positioned to conduct assessments of complex health care issues and offer evidence-based solutions and policy recommendations in real time. As operational settings become more ambiguous, nursing care in austere environments will become more complex and require rapid advancements in technology and care delivery processes.”
Taylor-Clark serves as Chief, Nurse Scientist, Center for Nursing Science and Clinical Inquiry at Womack Army Medical Center in Fort Liberty, North Carolina and is a 2021 graduate of the School’s Doctor of Philosophy in Nursing Program. Recently, she was selected to serve as the Deputy Director at Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command in Fort Detrick, Maryland starting in July 2024.
Taylor-Clark grew up in Jackson, Mississippi and was raised by dual military parents. From an early age, she set big goals.
“When asked the infamous question as a little girl, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ I used to say, ‘I am going to be a doctor nurse,’” Taylor-Clark said. “People would quickly respond with, ‘Well, you have to pick one. Do you want to be a doctor or a nurse?’ I would stubbornly reply, ‘I am going to be a doctor nurse!’”
Even though she could not have imagined what being a “doctor nurse” really meant at the time, Taylor-Clark said her passion for nursing and caring for others has always been deeply rooted in her core—from her days of pretending to patch up her dolls and practicing on her younger brothers to serving as a registered nurse, including one combat tour to Iraq, and now as a nurse scientist in the Army Nurse Corps.
“As a registered nurse at the bedside, it was extremely fulfilling to be able to offer patients one-on-one care in their most vulnerable time,” Taylor-Clark said. “As I grew in nursing, my desire to help thousands of patients through practice and policy changes cultivated my passion for nursing research. Through research, I can make a profound impact on the lives of others by contributing to health care and nursing practice by generating new knowledge and developing and testing innovative ways to improve care delivery.”
While earning her PhD, Taylor-Clark worked closely with her mentor, Retired Army Colonel and Professor and Rachel Z. Booth Endowed Chair in Nursing Patricia A. Patrician, PhD, RN, FAAN, whose leadership she says empowered and inspired her.
“The influence of my mentors has guided my career and facilitated my ability to grow in the nursing profession,” Taylor-Clark said. “Dr. Patrician has been instrumental in my growth and development as a nurse scientist. As a PhD student, she challenged me to dive into learning the research process through early involvement in active federally funded investigations as a co-investigator. She cultivates a tremendous work ethic in her students and mentees which sets the tone as we advance our own research trajectories. The UAB School of Nursing has an amazing team of faculty, scholars and academic resources that has contributed greatly to my journey as a nurse scientist.”
Taylor-Clark attributes her continued success to her zeal for lifelong learning, continuous engagement with my military and civilian mentors, access to world-class academic faculty and resources and a blend of clinical, leadership and research experiences.
