Doctor of Medical Science
The Doctorate for PA Professionals
The Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) prepares physician assistants (PA) for leadership roles in clinical, administrative, and academic settings. PAs with active and unencumbered state licensure and/or NCCPA certification and a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree from a regionally-accredited institution are eligible for the DMSc program. The DMSc degree designator from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions helps set you apart as a PA, whether a new graduate or a seasoned practitioner looking for career advancement.
The DMSc curriculum is evidence-based and has been developed by PAs with significant clinical, academic, and administrative experience. The curriculum focuses on the healthcare knowledge and skills that are most applicable to advancing a PA’s career.
Important Dates
The semester begins May 3, 2021
Doctor of Medical Science News
RMUoHP Student Gives Everything to Establish COVID-19 Testing Drive-Thru Locations in Seattle
The Seattle area became ground zero of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S. after a nursing home there experienced widespread infection within its own building. There [...]
RMUoHP Launches Employee Wellness Initiatives
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) is working to improve overall health and wellness across the state and nation through its healthcare degree programs and [...]
RMUoHP Accepting Applications for New DMSc Psychiatry Concentration Track
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) today announced the addition of a new Psychiatry Concentration track. The track is part of the Doctor of [...]
Academic Model
Online Academic Model: Our online delivery model allows students to continue their education without having to uproot family and move across the country. The Doctor of Medical Science program allows students to keep working full-time while pursuing a doctoral degree from a well-respected institution, in as little as four semesters.
What is the DMSc Degree?
DMSc stands for Doctor of Medical Science, a clinical doctorate for licensed physician assistants who want to advance their career with a doctorate degree. The DMSc degree program is strictly for PAs and provides the continuing education and degree designator to advance their career within the clinic, administration, or academia.
RMUoHP Doctor of Medical Science Program Tracks
There are four elective tracks within the RMUoHP Doctor of Medical Science Program.
Details and curriculums for each track can be viewed by clicking track titles in the tabs below.
Healthcare Leadership and Administration
The DMSc Healthcare Leadership and Administration concentration track is designed for PAs who are interested in advancing their careers in the administrative setting. Students will complete core courses in Evidence-Based Practice, Professional & Scientific Writing, Healthcare Legal & Ethical Issues, and Healthcare Delivery. Students will also complete concentration courses in Healthcare Leadership, Organizational Behavior & Management in Healthcare, and Strategic Change Management for Healthcare Organizations.
The Healthcare Leadership and Administration concentration track will culminate in a practicum and applied scholarly project. In collaboration with the course director, students will design and propose an administrative practicum that will allow the student to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to healthcare leadership and administration. Students will be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of the scholarly project. This experience will prepare the DMSc graduate to continue to create and distribute scholarly work via presentations and publications throughout his or her career.
Students who choose the Healthcare Leadership and Administration concentration track will gain knowledge and skills that will prepare them to lead teams and organizations in the rapidly-changing healthcare environment. This DMSc concentration track will facilitate the advancement of highly-competent PAs into leadership positions to ultimately improve patient care.
Advanced Clinical Practice
The DMSc Advanced Clinical Practice concentration track is designed for PAs who are interested in advancing their careers in the clinical setting. Students will complete core courses in Evidence-Based Practice, Professional & Scientific Writing, Healthcare Legal & Ethical Issues, and Healthcare Delivery. Students will also complete concentration courses in Lifestyle Medicine, Patient Safety in Clinical Practice, and Population Health Issues.
The Advanced Clinical Practice concentration track will culminate in a practicum and applied scholarly project. In collaboration with the course director, students will design and propose a clinical practicum that will allow the student to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to clinical practice. Students will be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of the scholarly project. This experience will prepare the DMSc graduate to continue to create and distribute scholarly work via presentations and publications throughout his or her career.
Students who choose the Advanced Clinical Practice concentration track will become greater assets to clinic and hospital settings by advancing medical practice. Through this concentration track, students will develop practical skills beyond their current abilities that benefit patients and the settings they work in. PAs who complete this track will add value to their clinics by increasing access to specific procedures for their community of patients.
Healthcare Professions Education
The DMSc Healthcare Professions Education concentration track is designed for PAs who are interested in advancing their careers in the academic setting. Students will complete core courses in Evidence-Based Practice, Professional & Scientific Writing, Healthcare Legal & Ethical Issues, and Healthcare Delivery. Students will also complete concentration courses in Instructional Technology, Learning Theory & Design, and Learning Assessment & Evaluation.
The Healthcare Professions Education concentration track will culminate in a practicum and applied scholarly project. In collaboration with the course director, students will design and propose an academic practicum that will allow the student to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to health professions education. Students will be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of the scholarly project. This experience will prepare the DMSc graduate to continue to create and distribute scholarly work via presentations and publications throughout his or her career.
Students who choose the Healthcare Professions Education concentration track will learn how to prepare the next generation of physician assistants to deliver high-quality healthcare and enter the rewarding profession of healthcare education. This doctorate degree will help facilitate the entrance of PAs into academia and help advance the careers of current PA faculty members. This concentration track will prepare graduates to teach within both entry-level masters PA programs and doctoral programs for PAs.
Psychiatry
Students who choose the Psychiatry concentration track will become greater assets to clinic and hospital settings. Through this concentration track, students will develop practical skills beyond their current abilities that benefit patients with psychiatric disorders. PAs who complete this track will add value to their clinics by increasing access to care for patients with psychiatric disorders.
The DMSc Psychiatry concentration track is designed for PAs who are interested in advancing their careers in psychiatry. Students will complete core courses in Evidence-Based Practice, Professional & Scientific Writing, Healthcare Legal & Ethical Issues, and Healthcare Delivery. Students will also complete concentration courses in Advanced Clinical Science: Psychiatry, Psychiatry Diagnostics & Therapeutics I, and Psychiatry Diagnostics & Therapeutics II. The concentration courses are based on the content blueprint of the NCCPA Psychiatry Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ).
The Psychiatry concentration track will culminate in a practicum and applied scholarly project. In collaboration with the course director, students will design and propose a clinical practicum that will allow the student to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to the clinical practice of psychiatry. Students will also be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of a scholarly project that is focused on psychiatry. This experience will prepare the DMSc graduate to continue to create and distribute scholarly work in the field of psychiatry via presentations and publications throughout his or her career.
Healthcare Leadership and Administration
The DMSc Healthcare Leadership and Administration concentration track is designed for PAs who are interested in advancing their careers in the administrative setting. Students will complete core courses in Evidence-Based Practice, Professional & Scientific Writing, Healthcare Legal & Ethical Issues, and Healthcare Delivery. Students will also complete concentration courses in Healthcare Leadership, Organizational Behavior & Management in Healthcare, and Strategic Change Management for Healthcare Organizations.
The Healthcare Leadership and Administration concentration track will culminate in a practicum and applied scholarly project. In collaboration with the course director, students will design and propose an administrative practicum that will allow the student to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to healthcare leadership and administration. Students will be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of the scholarly project. This experience will prepare the DMSc graduate to continue to create and distribute scholarly work via presentations and publications throughout his or her career.
Students who choose the Healthcare Leadership and Administration concentration track will gain knowledge and skills that will prepare them to lead teams and organizations in the rapidly-changing healthcare environment. This DMSc concentration track will facilitate the advancement of highly-competent PAs into leadership positions to ultimately improve patient care.
Advanced Clinical Practice
The DMSc Advanced Clinical Practice concentration track is designed for PAs who are interested in advancing their careers in the clinical setting. Students will complete core courses in Evidence-Based Practice, Professional & Scientific Writing, Healthcare Legal & Ethical Issues, and Healthcare Delivery. Students will also complete concentration courses in Lifestyle Medicine, Patient Safety in Clinical Practice, and Population Health Issues.
The Advanced Clinical Practice concentration track will culminate in a practicum and applied scholarly project. In collaboration with the course director, students will design and propose a clinical practicum that will allow the student to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to clinical practice. Students will be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of the scholarly project. This experience will prepare the DMSc graduate to continue to create and distribute scholarly work via presentations and publications throughout his or her career.
Students who choose the Advanced Clinical Practice concentration track will become greater assets to clinic and hospital settings by advancing medical practice. Through this concentration track, students will develop practical skills beyond their current abilities that benefit patients and the settings they work in. PAs who complete this track will add value to their clinics by increasing access to specific procedures for their community of patients.
Healthcare Professions Education
The DMSc Healthcare Professions Education concentration track is designed for PAs who are interested in advancing their careers in the academic setting. Students will complete core courses in Evidence-Based Practice, Professional & Scientific Writing, Healthcare Legal & Ethical Issues, and Healthcare Delivery. Students will also complete concentration courses in Instructional Technology, Learning Theory & Design, and Learning Assessment & Evaluation.
The Healthcare Professions Education concentration track will culminate in a practicum and applied scholarly project. In collaboration with the course director, students will design and propose an academic practicum that will allow the student to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to health professions education. Students will be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of the scholarly project. This experience will prepare the DMSc graduate to continue to create and distribute scholarly work via presentations and publications throughout his or her career.
Students who choose the Healthcare Professions Education concentration track will learn how to prepare the next generation of physician assistants to deliver high-quality healthcare and enter the rewarding profession of healthcare education. This doctorate degree will help facilitate the entrance of PAs into academia and help advance the careers of current PA faculty members. This concentration track will prepare graduates to teach within both entry-level masters PA programs and doctoral programs for PAs.
Psychiatry
Students who choose the Psychiatry concentration track will become greater assets to clinic and hospital settings. Through this concentration track, students will develop practical skills beyond their current abilities that benefit patients with psychiatric disorders. PAs who complete this track will add value to their clinics by increasing access to care for patients with psychiatric disorders.
The DMSc Psychiatry concentration track is designed for PAs who are interested in advancing their careers in psychiatry. Students will complete core courses in Evidence-Based Practice, Professional & Scientific Writing, Healthcare Legal & Ethical Issues, and Healthcare Delivery. Students will also complete concentration courses in Advanced Clinical Science: Psychiatry, Psychiatry Diagnostics & Therapeutics I, and Psychiatry Diagnostics & Therapeutics II. The concentration courses are based on the content blueprint of the NCCPA Psychiatry Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ).
The Psychiatry concentration track will culminate in a practicum and applied scholarly project. In collaboration with the course director, students will design and propose a clinical practicum that will allow the student to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to the clinical practice of psychiatry. Students will also be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of a scholarly project that is focused on psychiatry. This experience will prepare the DMSc graduate to continue to create and distribute scholarly work in the field of psychiatry via presentations and publications throughout his or her career.
DMSc Program Highlights
100% Online
The Doctor of Medical Science Degree can be completed 100% online. There are no on-site visits. This allows for student’s to continue working and focusing on their career while also earning a doctorate degree.
Degree strictly for PA’s
Physician Assistants are able to enhance their knowledge and education by having a degree that is strictly for PA’s. Those with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree and license/certification as a PA are eligible to apply.
Practicing faculty
Most of our faculty are all currently practicing physician assistants. We believe in staying up on our skills and staying relevant with the most up-to-date information.
Summer, Fall and Winter Start Dates
The DMSc program allows for three different program start dates. This gives the opportunity for students to start in the Summer, Fall and Winter semester.
4 Different Elective Tracks
Applicants will be able to choose from four different elective tracks to focus on during the course of the program. The elective tracks include: Healthcare Leadership and Administration, Advanced Clinical Practice, Healthcare Professions Education and Psychiatry.
2 Completion Models (As little as 16 months)
Applicants have the option to choose from two different models. The Phased Model can be completed over 20 months with 5 semesters. The Integrated Model can be done in as little as 16 months over 4 semesters. Both models allow for PA’s to continue with work obligations with completing this degree.
Why Choose RMU?
The DMSc degree program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is a great place for physician assistants looking to advance their careers without taking time away from clinics and hospitals. RMUoHP faculty place utmost importance on equipping students with skills that will improve their practice as physician assistants, no matter their career phase or geographical location.
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Program FAQ
This is an online program that can be completed in a little as 16 months (1.5 years). It is a year-round program with breaks (around 2 weeks in length) between each semester. However, the actual length of the program is decided by the student based on the curricular model they select. Students select the model when they enroll:
- The Phased Model: 5 consecutive semesters over 20 months. Didactic phase (21 credits) followed by practicum/project phase (15 credits).
- Integrated Model: 4 consecutive semesters over 16 months. Didactic phase (21 credits) and Practicum/Project phase taken simultaneously.
Students will be expected to participate in forum and/or discussion board posts, submit online assignments, and complete assigned readings. The program will culminate in a scholarly project and a practicum specific to the concentration track that is chosen.
The Doctor of Medical Science program allows students to keep working full-time. It is designed for the busy PA. The estimated time per week varies depending on which model is chosen, but it is estimated that students will spend roughly 8 to 10 hours per week in the Phased Model.
Yes! The Doctor of Medical Science program is designed for and allows students to keep working full-time while pursuing a doctoral degree from a well-respected institution, and in as little as four semesters.
For those interested in multiple tracks, it is required to choose one and go through the program as outlined. However, if you are interested in in any of the other tracks, students can complete just the courses specific to the desired track and they will be awarded a certificate for that track in addition to their degree.
No. There is no onsite component to this program and all work can be done from your home. Our online educational model allows students to continue their education without having to move or relocate.
Yes. PAs with bachelor’s degrees who have not previously completed a master’s or doctoral degree may enroll in the DMSc program. PAs who do not possess a masters degree from a PA program will be required to complete the following additional courses that are offered by Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.
HS 504 Research Methods (3 credits)
HS 506 Data & Decision Making (3 credits)
HS 507 Evidence-Based Practice (3 credits)
* * HS 507 Evidence-Based Practice will be taken in lieu of the DMSc MS 610 Evidence-Based Practice course
We can accept up to 12 transfer credits into the DMSc program. The credits would need to have transcripts as well as course descriptions to ensure they meet curriculum requirements. The transfer credits would be reviewed by the program director to determine if the courses are approved to transfer into the program.
The DMSc program is designed specifically for PAs. This program prepares PAs for leadership roles in clinical, administrative, and academic settings. PAs with an active and unencumbered state licensure and/or NCCPA certification are eligible to apply. Those who are not licensed/certified as a PA do not meet requirements and would not be eligible.
Yes, you can be admitted into the program without your PA licensure if you are a new PA masters graduate as long as you obtain your license within the first semester of enrollment into the DMSc program at RMUoHP.
We have three cohort starts per year (winter, summer, and fall) and each cohort consists of up to 45 students.
UNIVERSITY ACCREDITATION
Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (8060 165th Avenue NE Ste 100, Redmond, WA 98052-3981), an institutional accrediting body recognized by the Secretary of the US Department of Education.
Why Apply to the Doctor of Medical Science Program?
Student-Centered Faculty: Our faculty members are well-known experts within the Physician Assistant profession and are experienced in online doctoral education for PAs. Faculty are focused on students and use their experience and expertise to help students gain the education they need to achieve their professional goals.
Rigorous Coursework: The Doctor of Medical Science program core curriculum encompasses evidence-based practice, healthcare delivery, healthcare legal and ethical issues, and scientific and professional writing. The coursework in each concentration track assists students in becoming well-rounded scholars, practitioners, and experts in their fields.
Online Academic Model: Our online delivery model students to continue their education without having to uproot family and move across the country. The Doctor of Medical Science program allows students to keep working full-time while pursuing a doctoral degree from a well-respected institution.
Phased and Integrated Model
Students in the DMSc program (regardless of concentration track) choose between two curriculum models to complete the 36 credit hours: the Integrated Model and the Phased Model. Both curriculum models are designed so PA clinicians, educators, and administrators can continue professional work obligations while completing this degree. In the Integrated Model, students complete the practicum and applied scholarly project courses concurrently with the other didactic courses. Students may complete the Integrated Model in as little as four semesters. In the Phased Model, students complete the didactic courses before completing the practicum and applied scholarly project courses. Students may complete the Phased Model in as little as five semesters.
Advance Your PA Career with a Doctorate Degree
Are you currently a physician assistant looking to advance your career? If so, completing the Doctor of Medical Science program will give you the education you need to take your career to the next level. Join PAs from a wide variety of backgrounds and experiences to enhance your skills as a PA and to get ready to expand your clinical, administrative, or academic opportunities
Learn More About Our Doctor of Medical Science Program
Do you aspire to influence the physician assistant profession? If so, earning your DMSc is the first step to becoming an influential and successful healthcare professional.
We invite you to explore our program, talk with a program advisor or faculty member, and attend a virtual information session to decide whether our DMSc program is a good fit for you. We will help you to make an educated decision when choosing a program that meets your professional needs and goals for becoming a Doctor of Medical Science.
Credit Transfer and Tuition Reduction Information
- All PAs are eligible to transfer up to 12 credits of equivalent coursework from master’s or doctoral degree programs to the DMSc program. Credit transfer request approvals will be determined upon review of academic transcripts, course descriptions, and course outcomes.
- Recent graduates (fall 2019) of the MPAS program at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions who enroll in the DMSc program will automatically receive a transfer of 12 credits from the MPAS program. These credits will transfer toward the DMSc Evidence-Based Practice course and the Applied Scholarly Project courses. RMUoHP MPAS graduates will also receive a 15% tuition reduction for the DMSc program.
- Postgraduate PA fellowship and residency programs will be recognized toward the practicum component (6 credits) of the DMSc program. Upon enrollment in the DMSc practicum courses, PAs can submit self-assessments to document prior or current achievement of the practicum course outcomes in lieu of completing practicum course assignments and assessments. PAs that are currently enrolled in postgraduate PA fellowship and residency programs will receive a 15% tuition reduction for the DMSc program.
- All PAs with a faculty appointment from an accredited university or college will receive a 15% tuition reduction for the DMSc program upon submission of proof of faculty appointment.
We are committed to the development
of a physician assistant who can:
Utilize Evidence-Based Practice
Apply concepts of evidence-based practice in clinical, administrative, and academic settings.
Write and Distribute Scholarly Work
Create and disseminate scholarly work relevant to the physician assistant field.
Prepare to Teach
Educate the next generation of healthcare professionals and respond to the growing need for healthcare educators.
Develop Leadership Skills
Lead teams and organizations in the rapidly-changing healthcare environment.
Doctor of Medical Science Faculty
Bartley Rust, DHSc, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Director
Laura Gunder McClary, DHSc, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Jason King, PhD
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Debra Munsell DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
J. Michael Smith, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Mar Creixell PharmD, PhD
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Mace Hamblin, DHSc, MPA
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Priscilla Marsicovetere, JD, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Ingrid Pichardo Murray, EdD, DPT, MPAS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Kerry Whitaker, DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Shilpa Gajarawala DMSc, MPAS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Nancy Hamler, DMSc, MS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Tim McCreary, DMSc, MMS, PA-C, CAQ-PSY
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Brooke Schweitzer, DMSc, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
