Earning a Doctor of Medical Science (DMS) degree can help you expand your career opportunities, strengthen your expertise, and stand out in a rapidly evolving healthcare field.
With a DMS, PAs can pursue advanced roles in clinical practice, leadership, healthcare administration, and academia. As more healthcare professions move toward doctoral-level education, this degree also helps PAs remain competitive and positioned for long-term career growth in the modern healthcare setting. Many graduates find it supports advancement into leadership roles and may enhance earning potential.
Our program offers two specialized majors so you can align your degree with your career goals:
In both majors, students complete a mentored scholarly capstone project, gaining practical experience in research, writing, and scholarly work that contributes to the advancement of the PA profession.
Where you take your DMS degree depends on your career goals, but both majors are designed to open doors to advanced, high-impact roles across healthcare.
Clinical Medicine Major
Graduates often pursue advanced roles in specialty practice, hospital medicine, urgent care, and critical care settings. The enhanced clinical depth also prepares PAs for opportunities beyond direct patient care, including roles as medical science liaisons, healthcare consultants, and clinical leadership positions within healthcare organizations.
Medical Education Major
Graduates are well-positioned for careers in academic medicine and PA education. Common roles include PA program faculty, higher-education leadership, including leaders and directors across PA programs. With training in curriculum design, assessment, program evaluation, accreditation, and leadership, graduates are equipped with the skills programs seek when hiring and promoting faculty.
Career Versatility Across Both Majors
Regardless of the major selected, all DMS students complete a mentored scholarly project, providing a publication-ready product and a strong foundation for ongoing work in research, education, quality improvement, or leadership.
Our program, which can be completed 100% online, is designed to offer flexibility without sacrificing connection. The coursework blends two types of online learning:
Complete readings, recorded lectures, and assignments throughout the week on a schedule that fits your life, while staying on track with structured weekly deadlines.
To foster collaboration and deeper discussion, students in clinical medicine modules will join scheduled Zoom sessions with faculty and peers on select Sundays from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST. Students in medical education courses typically engage in one to two high-impact, live, virtual sessions per semester.
Yes. This program was built by working PAs and physicians for working PAs. Program designers understood that you have a demanding career and a busy personal life. To help you balance it all, our courses are designed with a predictable weekly rhythm. Once you learn the flow and expectations of your first week, that exact same structure replicates throughout the rest of the program, making it much easier to plan your study time around your clinical shifts and personal commitments.
While the program is intentionally designed to be flexible and manageable, it is still a doctoral-level experience that requires consistent time, focus, and commitment each week. Students who stay organized and engaged find it very achievable alongside full-time practice.
Most students spend approximately 8-10 hours per week engaging with course materials, including readings, recorded lectures, and assignments.
The program is intentionally designed to be structured and predictable, so you can plan your study time around your professional work and personal commitments.
As a doctoral program, your time may vary slightly depending on the course, your familiarity with the material, and how deeply you choose to engage. However, students who stay consistent each week find the workload very manageable alongside full-time professional practice.
Yes! The program offers flexibility to accommodate different schedules. While the standard pace is designed for full-time engagement, students can adjust their course plan to fit personal or professional commitments. Keep in mind that a personalized schedule may extend the time it takes to complete the program, and all students must complete the program within four (4) years. We recommend discussing your plan with the DMS Admissions Coordinator to create a schedule that meets your needs while keeping you on track for graduation.
The DMS program is designed to be completed entirely online, giving you the flexibility to learn from anywhere. That said, we truly enjoy seeing our students on campus! At the end of the program, all students complete a scholarly presentation; students can present either virtually or in person.
The only in-person requirement applies to students who elect to take DMS 812: Medical Conference I. Students enrolled in this course are required to attend a one-week, in-person, hands-on point-of-care ultrasound training led by an expert radiologist. In addition to this unparalleled training, the experience also provides a valuable opportunity to visit your DMS alma mater and connect with faculty, staff, and peers.
While attending graduation on campus is optional, it is a wonderful way to celebrate your accomplishments alongside your peers and the faculty and staff who have supported you throughout your journey.
Don’t see your question listed? Contact us and we’ll be happy to help.
