The Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) Program is committed to the continuous pursuit of academic excellence and the ongoing professional development of physician associates/assistants. The following are the learning outcomes for all DMSc Students:

1. Leadership development: Identify and evaluate strategic leadership opportunities and their potential impact within organizations, healthcare systems, and institutions of higher education and develop innovative, evidence-based strategies that lead to measurable improvements in processes or outcomes.
2. Evidence-based practice: Implement scientific rigor within healthcare leadership, medical education, and research sectors to promote high-quality, evidence-based, patient-centered care, PA education, and/or advocacy for the PA profession.
3. Scholarly work: Discover, analyze, and disseminate knowledge through scholarly endeavors based on conceptual frameworks in research and quality improvement.
4. Ethical considerations: Respond to complex ideas and situations using ethically sound reasoning through understanding issues regarding patient care, healthcare administration, peer-reviewed scholarship, and PA education.
5. Communication and critical thinking: Effectively communicate positions, proposals, ideas, and plans using critical thinking skills.
6. Lifelong learning: Students use tools learned in the Doctor of Medical Science program to inspire and encourage passion for lifelong learning and growth.

Technical Standards

Doctoral trained PAs employed in clinical practice must possess the knowledge and skills to practice in various situations and provide care tailored to patients’ needs. They may also be called on to effectively teach future PAs and manage healthcare delivery organizations. To complete the DMSc program, students must demonstrate proficiency in the competencies outlined below.

1. Observation: Students must possess adequate sensory capacity and have access to the internet to effectively engage with an electronic, cloud-based, asynchronous educational environment.
2. Communication: Students need to communicate proficiently in oral and written English and demonstrate sufficient reading skills to meet curricular requirements.
3. Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities: Students must show skills in measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, and synthesis. Problem-solving requires the ability to interpret dimensional and other relationships and incorporate new information from various sources, including peers and medical literature.
4. Behavioral and Social Attributes: Essential qualities for doctoral PA success include compassion, integrity, ethical standards, interpersonal skills, and motivation. DMSc candidates should demonstrate maturity, emotional stability, a commitment to learning, and sound judgment when interacting professionally and respectfully with others. They must manage multiple priorities, function under stress, and adapt to changing environments. Successful candidates contribute to collaborative learning, accept feedback, and take responsibility for personal growth.