Christine Macias and Douglas Wilson are among the first students in the Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP) program at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, a concentration within the Doctor of Nursing Practice program. Both entered the first PMHNP cohort in the fall after completing the Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program at UTC, with Macias and Wilson among the first ABSN students when they enrolled in January 2024. According to Dr. Jason Peter, coordinator of the PMHNP program, their pathway highlights UTC’s response to urgent healthcare needs. “With the rising mental health concerns in our society, coupled with the retiring of psychiatrists, mental health nurse practitioners are going to be in great need—and it’s just going to continue to increase,” Peter said.
From Career Transition to Clinical Practice
Macias’ path to the PMHNP program was shaped by 24 years working in the beauty industry, where she built relationships with clients and witnessed the connection between mental health and quality of life. Her motivation deepened when she learned her 4-year-old son has attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. “I was like, ‘This is going to be a good opportunity for me to learn how to deal with this and to help others have access to the right resources, whether it be medication and/or behavioral therapy,’” she said. Working third shift at Parkridge Valley Hospital’s child and adolescent campus has deepened her understanding of children dealing with behavioral and emotional issues. She hopes to pursue a fellowship in child and adolescent psychiatry.
Stability and Opportunity in Nursing
Wilson’s decision to join the PMHNP program stemmed from a long-standing interest in psychology and curiosity about people. Born and raised in New Jersey, he previously worked in clinical research, including as a project manager overseeing National Institutes of Health-funded studies at Mount Sinai Hospital and in financial operations at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In 2021, a cross-country road trip brought him to Chattanooga, where he discovered the UTC ABSN program. “Nursing is more flexible and there’s a wide variety of things you can do quicker,” he said. The accelerated pace of the ABSN program prepared him for graduate study expectations, and being in the first PMHNP class “feels like the right next step.”
This article is an AI-assisted summary. All facts and figures are drawn from the original report: https://blog.utc.edu/news/2026/01/answering-the-call-in-mental-health/