Dr. John Barrett, DNP Faculty, First Nurse Practitioner Awarded Fellowship
Penn Medicine’s Division of Emergency Ultrasound is at the forefront of promoting the use of bedside ultrasound. On July 1st, Dr. John Barrett, senior lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing and faculty for the Penn DNP program, made history by becoming the first nurse practitioner to join the fellowship in its 22-year history. This significant milestone marks the beginning of a new era in ultrasound training.
Dr. Barrett received a BSN from Duke University and MSN from University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing’s Family Nurse Practitioner program in 2016. He completed Duke’s DNP Program in 2018 and became a lecturer for Penn Nursing in 2017. He has been a nurse practitioner in emergency medicine at Penn Medicine since 2020.
“Penn School of Nursing’s DNP program leadership team is thrilled that Dr. Barrett has been recognized for his exceptional clinical and practice leadership acumen with this fellowship appointment. says Dr. Amy Sawyer, Director of the Penn DNP program. “I am not at all surprised by Dr. Barrett’s fellowship appointment because John is truly the epitome of leadership in practice. He is an exceptionally brilliant, expert nurse practitioner with a remarkable ability to address systemic practice challenges with innovative, evaluable solutions. Recognition of Dr. Barrett’s practice leadership by Penn Medicine with his appointment as the “first-ever” APRN to the Point-of-Care Ultrasound Training Fellowship truly distinguishes Dr. Barrett as an impactful leader in everyday practice. We look forward to John’s continued exemplary teaching and mentorship of Penn DNP student scholars as they too develop as quintessential practice leaders.”
Bedside ultrasound has been extensively proven to reduce diagnosis time, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and facilitate prompt decision-making in emergency medicine, primary care, and critical care settings. This fellowship places a strong emphasis on developing expertise in clinician-performed ultrasound, conducting groundbreaking research, and sharing knowledge, thereby paving the way for unprecedented growth and impact.
About receiving the fellowship, Dr. Barrett states: “My experience as a student and faculty member at Penn School of Nursing has fueled my confidence and capabilities as a clinician and educator. Now, as the first nurse practitioner in Penn’s Point of Care Ultrasound fellowship, I’m determined to expand nurse practitioner practice nationwide. My goal is to inspire and empower fellow nurse practitioners, fostering a new generation of leaders and expert practitioners.”