After relocating back to St. Louis, Missouri, Helen Halley, Ed.D. (’25), MS, RD, LD, was looking for a new opportunity in nutrition and dietetics. What she found at Logan University was not only a job that aligned with her passion for clinical nutrition and student mentorship, but also an opportunity to become a confident and effective educator through Logan’s online Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Health Professions Education program.
“Like many health professionals, I was never taught how to teach,” Dr. Halley shared. “I have the clinical experience, but I wanted to learn how to be a better teacher using proven methods, not just trial and error.”
Dr. Halley started her role as clinical coordinator for Logan’s Master of Science in Applied Nutrition & Dietetics (MSAND) when the program launched in 2019, and she began working with students once they entered their supervised experiential learning requirements. But when the pandemic hit, Dr. Halley found herself sitting around at home—something she was not used to doing.
“A friend once told me, ‘You’ll never regret more education,’ and it really stuck with me,” she said. “I decided to enroll in the Ed.D. program in 2021.”
From the beginning, Dr. Halley found the program very practical and began applying what she learned right away. “It’s a perfect fit for healthcare professionals who want to teach or are already teaching.”
One of Dr. Halley’s favorite parts of the Ed.D. program is the mix of students from other disciplines.
“I have classes with radiologists, physical therapists, nurses, doctors and so forth, and it’s expanding my understanding of healthcare and healthcare education,” she shared. “It’s interesting to hear other people’s perspectives and opinions.”
Another highlight was the program’s flexibility. “I started slowly with just one class at a time and when life got busy, I paused. I took two trimesters off and started up again when I was ready,” Dr. Halley said. “You can make the program work for your life.”
Dr. Halley graduated from the Ed.D. program in April 2025 and earned the J. Clay McDonald Student Excellence Award, which is voted on by Logan faculty and staff to recognize the most deserving graduate.
“I’m very honored to have received the award because creating the College of Health Sciences was Dr. McDonald’s legacy,” Dr. Halley said. “It paved the path for programs like MSAND and the Ed.D.”
For healthcare professionals interested in the Ed.D. program, Dr. Halley encourages them to take the leap.
“Not only are you learning how to teach, but you’re learning to teach with confidence. What you’re doing has been proven to benefit student learning and it’s our job to train the next generation of healthcare professionals as best as possible.”