College Is Crossroads for Four Friends, New Nurse Leaders

Dr. Matthew Keathley, Dr. Wesley Gray, Dr. Robert Kirby, and Dr. Christian Stauffer graduated together twice from UT Health Science Center, earning both bachelor's and doctoral degrees in nursing. The College of Nursing, the largest producer of doctorally prepared nurses in Tennessee, is marking National Nurse Practitioner Week from November 10-16, 2024.

Four young men who earned their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degrees together in 2017 and their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degrees together in 2024 have taken their education and ethos into the world to make a difference in communities from Union City, Tennessee, to Dayton, Ohio.

Robert M. Kirby, DNP, CRNA, Christian Stauffer, DNP, CRNA, Matthew Keathley, DNP, FNP-C, and Wesley Gray, DNP, ACNPC-AG, RNFA, met in 2015 in the accelerated BSN program at UT Health Science Center. They graduated in 2017 from what was then an 18-month program as friends and colleagues.

The four men reunited in 2021 when they all decided to pursue their DNP at the college. Dr. Kirby and Dr. Stauffer entered the three-year program in nurse anesthesiology, while Dr. Keathley pursued the family nurse practitioner degree, and Dr. Gray began the DNP concentration in acute care. They graduated together again in 2024.

The Importance of Community

"I could not do this without my guys," Dr. Kirby said. "During the BSN program, Wesley, Mathew, Christian, and I spent many hours together studying. Being in an accelerated program is demanding, and we decided early on that we needed to do it together."

During the DNP program, Dr. Stauffer and Dr. Kirby were in the same specialty but also stayed in touch with Dr. Keathley and Dr. Gray. "We wanted to cross the finish line together. That applies to all aspects of life. Finding your community to accomplish challenging goals is essential to success," said Dr. Kirby, originally from Madison, Mississippi. As a participant in the Health Professions Scholarship Program, Dr. Kirby is serving three years of active duty in the U.S. Air Force, and in return, the military is covering his tuition. He is a certified registered nurse anesthesiologist (CRNA) stationed at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, Ohio.

Dr. Stauffer, 31, returned to his hometown to practice as a CRNA at South Sunflower County Hospital in Indianola, Mississippi. Dr. Keathley also has returned to his hometown of Union City, Tennessee, to work at the Stern Cardiovascular Foundation as a family nurse practitioner. And Dr. Gray, who grew up in Arlington, Tennessee, and now lives in Hernando, Mississippi, plans to practice in the Memphis metropolitan area in an acute care setting.

Dr. Gray, 28, said the peer support was important to his success. "The other guys were a little bit older and more mature in their young adult life. They were good mentors to me not only as an aspiring nurse and college student but also as a young adult."

As the men were progressing along the same professional path, they also were experiencing many of the same things personally. All are married, and several have recently started families.

"Going through everything together and being able to work through and talk through life related to school, as well as unrelated to school, with those guys was an invaluable support system to have," Dr. Gray said.

Dr. Keathley, 31, knew no one when he started the BSN program in Memphis. He had attained a bachelor's degree in molecular biology from the University of Tennessee at Martin and was working in Memphis as an emergency department scribe when he decided to become a nurse.

"The program and professors allowed me to quickly acclimate to my new environment. We had the opportunity to train and learn at some of the best hospitals in the country. I also had the pleasure of meeting some of the people who would become lifelong friends," Dr. Keathley said.

He returned to UT Health Science Center for his DNP because of his positive experiences in the BSN program. "With my experience, I knew that UT Health Science Center would provide every opportunity for success."

Moving Forward, Giving Back

All four friends said the caliber of the faculty was an outstanding attribute of the college. Dr. Stauffer said, "When I recall my BSN program, what stands out to me the most is the inspiration from my professors. They were truly admirable, and I wanted to do everything possible to emulate their characteristics in my own professional career." After earning his BSN, he began working in the cardiovascular intensive care unit at Methodist University Hospital, where he remained until beginning the DNP program.

The new graduates echoed one another in their commitment to giving back to their communities, a value they also saw reflected in the college. "I feel it is important to give back in all we do," Dr. Kirby said. "With my DNP, I can work in academic facilities to further influence the future of the CRNA profession and patient care. The faculty gave so much to us, and I feel it is my responsibility to continue to give back to the next generation of CRNAs."

Dr. Gray is particularly grateful that UT Health Science Center gave him the opportunity to become a nurse. He was admitted to the BSN program conditionally because one grade in a pre-requisite course was slightly below requirements, and he was retaking the class.

"They extended that leap of faith into me, and I got into a very difficult and challenging program and succeeded," he said. "They gave me a chance, and that really meant a lot."

This story was originally featured in the Fall 2024 issue of the College of Nursing Magazine.

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