Each year the American Academy of Nursing inducts about 250 new fellows representing 40 U.S. states, the District of Columbia and 13 countries. This year, Dr. David Wyatt (‘92 & ’94), a proud MNU alum, joins the ranks of 2,900 fellows.  

Dave, the chief nursing officer at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, applied for the fellowship in 2022 and is thrilled to be selected. 

“It was a fairly rigorous and intimidating process,” he says. “When I first considered applying, I had to ask myself, have I really made a broad and lasting impact on the profession? That is an intimidating question. It requires a lot of self-assessment.” 

He chose to put himself forward for the award partly for the personal aspect of earning the distinctive honor and recognition. But more so, he says, becoming a fellow means a lot to his position at UT Southwestern. As past president of the National Association for Perioperative Nurses, he says it is important for subspecialties to have good representation in the academy.   

“It’s good for a subspecialty to have a voice within the academy since the academy directs many academic and policy decisions for the profession. Because of the work I’ve done in the industry, and my investment to the profession, it was a natural fit for me to apply.” 

Dave and his colleague Dr. Brad Goettl are the first at UT Southwestern to earn this prestigious honor, and their organization is delighted.  

“This recognition speaks a lot about our organization,” Dave says. “We are a fairly young hospital, and to be named fellows means a lot to us. We have an obligation to the profession in this role to ensure good policies and really move the science and profession of nursing forward.”  

Facts About Dave: 

• A pivotal meeting with Dr. Pam Smith, former chair of the Department of Nursing at MNU, led Dave to earn a second degree from MNU in nursing. 
• Dave went on to teach at MNU before serving as a director at a hospital. 
• Dave met his wife, Krista (Dunn ‘99), at MNU. She is a high school advisor, and the couple have three daughters: Kendall, also a nurse, and twins Emory and Avery, high school seniors.