Doctor of Medical Science
Earn the Clinical Doctorate for Physician AssistantsOnline | 16 to 20 Months | Clinical Doctorate
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ONLINE
CREDITS
Cohort Starts Annually
Concentration Tracks
PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
Designed for PAs
Our DMSc program is designed by PAs for practicing PAs. Enhance your knowledge and education by having a doctoral degree that is strictly for PAs. Those with a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree and license/certification as a PA are eligible to apply.
Lead, Practice, Educate, and Specialize
Prepare yourself for leadership roles in clinical, administrative, and academic settings. Specialize within your clinical practice. Make an impact on the medical field as you open up doors as a PA.
Practicing Faculty
Most of our faculty are currently practicing physician assistants. We believe in having faculty that continue working in their clinic to stay up to date on skills and best practices. By continuing to work in the field, our faculty bring current, real experiences and research into the classroom.
2 Completion Models with 3 Start Dates
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 allows you to continue working while completing this degree. We offer start dates in Winter, Summer, and Fall semesterーallowing you to choose the timing that fits best for your schedule.
Evidence-Based
Become an evidence-based clinician. Our program is built on the basis of evidence. Learn how to continually interpret, apply, and research evidence. Become the best clinician possible, so that your patients receive the care they need.
Next Steps
CONCENTRATION TRACKS
Advanced Clinical Practice
Healthcare Leadership & Administration
Healthcare Professions Education
Psychiatry
Advanced Clinical Practice
ADVANCED CLINICAL PRACTICE
Advance your career in the clinical setting. Become a greater asset in your clinic or hospital setting by advancing medical practice. You will develop practical skills beyond your current abilities that benefit patients and the settings you work in. You will also add value to your clinics by increasing access to specific procedures for your community of patients.
Complete concentration courses in:
– Lifestyle Medicine
– Patient Safety in Clinical Practice
– Population Health Issues
Healthcare Leadership & Administration
HEALTHCARE LEADERSHIP & ADMINISTRATION
Advance your career as a PA in the administrative setting. Gain the knowledge and skills you need to prepare to lead teams and organizations in the rapidly-changing healthcare environment. This track facilitates the advancement of highly-competent PAs into leadership positions to ultimately improve patient care.
Complete concentrations courses like:
– Healthcare Leadership
– Organizational Behavior & Management in Healthcare
– Strategic Change Management for Healthcare Organizations
Healthcare Professions Education
HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONS EDUCATION
Advance your career in the academic setting. Prepare the next generation of physician assistants to deliver high-quality healthcare and enter the rewarding PA profession. Enter into academia or advance your career as a current PA faculty member. This track prepares you to teach within both entry-level master’s PA programs and PA doctoral programs.
Complete concentration courses in:
– Instructional Technology
– Learning Theory & Design
– Learning Assessment & Evaluation
Psychiatry
PSYCHIATRY
Advance your career in psychiatry; increase access to care for patients with psychiatric disorders. Develop practical skills beyond your current abilities that benefit patients with psychiatric disorders. Become a greater asset and add value to your clinic or hospital.
Complete concentration courses in:
– Advanced Clinical Science: Psychiatry
– Psychiatry Diagnostics & Therapeutics I
– Psychiatry Diagnostics & Therapeutics II
Our concentration courses are based on the content blueprint of the NCCPA Psychiatry Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ).
*DMSc students in the psychiatry concentration track may only enroll in the Phased Curriculum Model. Exceptions to this must be approved by program leadership on a case-by-case basis.
CURRICULUM
Our curriculum is designed to help you advance your career as a Physician Assistant. We prepare you so you can make a bigger difference in your patients lives and in the field.
Practicum & Applied Scholarly Project
Your DMSc experience culminates in a practicum and applied scholarly project. You will design and propose a track-specific practicum (hands-on portion of the program) that will allow you to gain the desired knowledge and skills pertinent to your practice. You will be guided by qualified faculty through the development, proposal, literature review, and dissemination phases of the scholarly project. This experience will prepare you to continue to create and distribute scholarly work via presentations and publications throughout your career.
Core Courses
Within every track, you will complete a core selection of classes that prepare you to advance your career as a PA in general. The core courses include professional and scientific writing, healthcare legal and ethical issues, and more.
Evidence-Based Practice
Within every track, you will complete a core selection of classes that prepare you to advance your career as a PA in general. The core courses include professional and scientific writing, healthcare legal and ethical issues, and more.
IMPORTANT DATES
Summer 2023
Priority Application Deadline: March 13, 2023
Final Application Deadline: April 10, 2023
Semester Start: May 8, 2023
Fall 2023
Priority Application Deadline: July 10, 2023
Final Application Deadline: August 7, 2023
Semester Start: September 5, 2023
ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS
- Bachelor’s or master’s degree from a physician assistant (PA) program at a regionally-accredited institution (or equivalent degree as determined by the Program Director)
- Official transcripts from the physician assistant (PA) program and any institution from which a post-graduate masters or doctoral degree was earned
- Proof of unencumbered licensure and/or certification as a physician assistant or, for new graduates, certification or licensure must be obtained by the end of the first semester of the DMSc program
- Resume or curriculum vitae detailing education, employment, volunteer service, and scholarly activity
- Completed online application
- A phone interview may be required
Clinical Rotation Requirements including required vaccinations: Admitted students to Rocky Mountain University who will be completing a clinical rotation will receive vaccination forms regarding required vaccinations. Not all vaccinations or proof of immunity are required at the beginning of the program but will be prior to the first clinical rotation. The University allows for vaccination exemptions and more information about the University’s position on vaccination can be reviewed at https://rm.edu/vaccination-statement/
RMUoHP requires the following items prior to starting any clinical rotations (these are subject to change depending upon public health concerns and specific clinic requirements):
- MMR
- Varicella
- Hepatitis B
- TB
- Tdap
- Annual Influenza
- COVID 19
- HIPAA certification
- OSHA certification
- CPR certification
Faculty
Bartley Rust
DHSc, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Director
Michael Begg
DMSc, PA-C, ATC
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Mar Creixell
PharmD, PhD
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Shilpa Gajarawala
DMSc, MPAS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Mace Hamblin
DHSc, MPA
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Nancy Hamler
DMSc, MS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Jason King
PhD
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Priscilla Marsicovetere
JD, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Sherry Martin
DHSc, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry, DFAAPA
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Nicole Mason
DHSc, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Laura Gunder McClary
DHSc, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Tim McCreary
DMSc, MMS, PA-C, CAQ-PSY
Doctor of Medical Science Psychiatry Concentration Track Director
Ingrid Pichardo Murray
EdD, DPT, MPAS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Brooke Schweitzer
DMSc, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Tatum Siebert
Psy.D, Licensed Psychologist
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
J. Michael Smith
DHSc, MPAS, PA-C, CAQ-Psychiatry
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Kerry L. Whitaker
DHSc, PA-C, DFAAPA
Doctor of Medical Science Program Faculty
Robin Jewett
DMSc, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science
Program Faculty
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.