With the physician assistant (PA) field continuing to expand and PAs becoming more integral to healthcare, it’s important for PAs to be aware of all the opportunities available to them and how they can maximize their impact. One of the options that is gaining attention is the DMSc degree.
In this article, I’ll be going over all you need to know about the DMSc degree. At the end, I’ll be giving you my thoughts on whether getting a DMSc is worth it, as well as potential future implications of having this degree that you might not have thought of. Let’s dive into it! 😀
Table of Contents
What Is a DMSc Degree?
A Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree is an academic doctorate degree in healthcare science that is only available to physician assistants. (You may also see this degree abbreviated as “DMS,” “DScPAS,” or “DPA.”) Building on previous education and training, DMSc programs provide PAs with new medical knowledge and skills that have real-life applications in healthcare. Curriculums include advanced courses on a variety of healthcare topics, interprofessional collaboration, and scholarly projects.
For a better idea, take a look at this list of the most common topics covered in DMSc programs:
- Healthcare leadership & administration
- Advanced clinical practice
- Clinical experience in a specialty
- Professional education
- Public health
- Global health
- Theory and application
- Ethical and legal implications
- Pharmacology
- Research & development
A DMSc degree is not required to become a PA. However, a PA may choose to pursue a DMSc degree after they become licensed and start practicing as the next step in their career. A DMSc degree can be seen as the “ultimate” degree for physician assistants.
What Can You Do with a DMSc Degree?
The majority of a PA’s work is rooted in clinical practice, and many PAs will be clinicians for the entirety of their careers. Lots of PAs are perfectly satisfied with clinical work, since seeing and treating patients is the work they want to be doing. However, some PAs may desire to further their careers in other ways, and obtaining a DMSc is a great way to do so.
Having a DMSc degree can greatly expand the professional opportunities available to any PA seeking to play a greater role in the healthcare system. PAs are able to take on new challenging positions – both clinical and nonclinical – and work collaboratively with a greater diversity of medical professionals in the industry.
Typically, a PA chooses a specific path within a DMSc program, based on their specific goals. The top three most common tracks offered to PAs pursuing a DMSc degree are clinical, academic, and administrative. Depending on the track you choose, you’ll either gain a deeper understanding of clinical practice/a particular specialty or obtain knowledge that will allow you to expand into adjacent professional fields.
Here are the top examples of what you can do with a DMSc degree:
| Area | Application | Impact/Role |
| Clinical Practice | Increase scope of practice (e.g. primary care, procedures) Gain clinical experience in a desired specialty (e.g. psychiatry) | Advanced clinician Specialist |
| Health Professions Education | Teach future healthcare providers (e.g. PA students, medical students, medical residents) | Faculty instructor |
| Clinical Management | Apply knowledge of business operation, financial management, strategy, and best practices in a healthcare setting | Office manager Head/lead/chief PA of a department or company |
| Health System Administration | Become a department chairBecome a C-suite executive | Healthcare administrator |
| Community Health | Examine the dynamics of different healthcare settings Understand relationships with pharmaceutical companies and healthcare agencies | Come up with practical solutions to increase healthcare access in underserved populations |
| Global Health | Study disaster preparedness and management for global health systems | Collaborate with global health & international healthcare organizations |
| Research | Conduct & publish research | Researcher |
| Other Careers | Pursue a related career path | Consultant Medical science liaison Practice owner* |
| PA Leadership | Become a PA leader at the state or national level Be an advocate for the PA profession | PAEA, NCCPA, or ARC-PA PA leadership position |
If any of the above opportunities interest you, then you should consider getting a DMSc degree. The main purpose of getting a DMSc is to become a scholar-practitioner where you use a doctorate-level education to implement practical solutions in various healthcare settings. You can affect outcomes and have a greater influence on the delivery and quality of patient care at the patient, management, community, and global levels.
Differences Between DMSc and Other Doctorate Degrees
Q: What’s the Difference Between a DMSc Degree and a DHSc Degree?
A: The difference between a DMSc (Doctor of Medical Science) and DHSc (Doctor of Health Science) degree is that a DMSc is solely for physician assistants, while a DHSc is for other healthcare professionals (e.g. physician, nurse) or healthcare managers/administrators. Both DMSc and DHSc degrees cover comparable material.
Q: What’s the Difference Between a DMSc and a PhD?
A: DMSc programs focus largely on clinical practice and practical applications, while PhD programs place a greater emphasis on research. Additionally, a DMSc takes one to three years, while a PhD can take up to eight years to complete.
How Long Does It Take to Complete a DMSc Degree?
A DMSc program will generally take between one to three years to complete, with the most common length being two years. Many DMSc programs are designed so a PA can continue to work concurrently. Additionally, there may be decelerated options available for PAs who want to complete their degree at a slower pace.
Which Schools Offer a DMSc Program?
Currently, there are eight different DMSc programs offered
, with seven out of the eight programs being completely online (all except for the DMS program at Lincoln Memorial University).
The eight schools that have a DMSc program are:
- A.T. Still University (DMSc)
- Butler University (DMSc)
- Lincoln Memorial University (DMS)
- Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS) [DScPAS]
- Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP) [DMSc]
- Southern Illinois University (DMSc)
- Touro University (DPA)
- University of Lynchburg (DMSc)
What Are the Admissions Requirements for Applying to a DMSc Program?
Any physician assistant who has completed an ARC-PA accredited PA program and has NCCPA certification (PA-C designation) is eligible to apply to DMSc programs. Keep in mind that some programs may require active state licensure as an admissions requirement.
How Much Does it Cost to Get a DMSc Degree?
DMSc programs typically cost between $20,000 to $35,000.
Are Physician Assistants with DMSc Degrees Called Doctors?
A physician assistant with a DMSc is technically a doctor, as the term “doctor” is used to refer to someone with a doctorate degree (similar to having a PhD). However, it should be noted that a PA with a DMSc degree is not a medical doctor so caution should be used with the term.
It’s important to be responsible with titles, especially around patients who expect “doctor” to refer to their medical doctor. When it comes to care, patients should know that while you have a doctorate degree, your role is the physician assistant, first and foremost.
Is Getting a DMSc Degree Worth It?
If you’re a practicing PA whose main goal is to see and treat patients, then you don’t necessarily need to pursue a DMSc degree. However, if you’re looking to expand your role and impact the future of healthcare, then you should consider getting a DMSc.
- Greater Opportunities & Impact
A DMSc offers career growth. As we discussed earlier, PAs can choose to delve deeper into clinical practice or branch out into other roles of influence in the industry with a DMSc. Some of these jobs include management, administration, and teaching. Most importantly, this degree opens up opportunities historically difficult for PAs to break into (roles typically reserved for MDs, PharmDs, or PhDs) and gives PAs a means to effect lasting change.
By offering a higher standard of care and improving healthcare on a larger scale, PAs can become true professional leaders in modern healthcare. The PA profession was originally created as a solution to the physician shortage issue and to bridge the gap between doctors and nurses. With a DMSc, PAs can better fill in gaps in healthcare and help create a more cohesive healthcare system.
- Higher Compensation
Having a DMSc degree also allows physician assistants to negotiate higher salaries. PAs with this doctorate degree have more negotiating power when it comes to asking for a raise. An informal survey showed that receiving a 10-20% raise is not uncommon. Another survey showed that PAs with a doctorate degree tend to have a higher average salary compared to their colleagues ($138K versus $135K and $124K for those with Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees). These statistics alone would make pursuing a DMSc worth it for many PAs.
The ability to negotiate for a higher salary is crucial for physician assistants specifically because significant salary increases are uncommon in the PA profession. Doctors, for instance, have the ability to earn significantly more over time due to factors such as specialization and experience. PAs, unfortunately, don’t have this luxury. Even with time and experience, the salary of a PA stays relatively constant.
Important note: A DMSc is a much faster way for a physician assistant to earn a doctorate degree compared with a PhD in a related field. A PhD often takes up to eight years, while a DMSc takes between one and three years to complete. Even accounting for the amount of time it takes to finish PA school (two to three years), getting a doctorate via the DMSc route still takes a significantly less amount of time.
- Competitive Edge
Having a DMSc makes you stand out amongst your peers. A doctorate is the highest academic degree you can achieve and indicates that you have advanced knowledge and experience in your field. This is highly valued by employers, and it makes you a more qualified applicant. Thus, a DMSc degree makes you more competitive for higher positions.
It’s also important to consider the future of the profession. The PA field is growing rapidly and is expected to have 31.3% growth over the next ten years. It’s reasonable to infer from these trends that differentiating factors between PAs will become increasingly important over the next decades. There are already measures to distinguish qualified PAs (e.g. CAQs), and having a DMSc may become one sooner than later.
- Leadership, Respect & Advocacy
Earning a DMSc means you’ll have a doctorate degree, which is a big deal! Having a DMSc can raise a PA from a mid-level healthcare provider to an advanced medical professional because of the expertise that comes with earning a doctorate. With more PAs in leadership positions, there will be greater PA representation and advocacy in an industry traditionally run by doctors, administrators, and organizations. This not only helps to advance the PA profession but also allows PAs to become advocates and spokespeople for meaningful change.
A doctorate degree is also beneficial in some other ways. For starters, you can feel like you have a degree that truly reflects all of your hard work and competence in the medical field. Additionally, not only does earning a DMSc increases your knowledge and skills, but it also boosts your confidence as a provider, which translates to higher quality work. Finally, more PAs earning doctorate degrees will mark a shift in identity for PAs, where PAs will be viewed with greater respect; work environments will become more of a collaborative space with interprofessional teamwork, where all providers share the goal of increasing patient access to quality, equitable healthcare.
Food for Thought: Future Implications of a DMSc Degree
At this point in time, earning a DMSc degree may seem like a “bonus” but not necessarily something that every PA must do. However, there is a chance that the importance of having a DMSc will greatly increase in the future. As we discussed briefly, the PA profession is one of the fastest growing fields out there, and more metrics will inevitably be used to distinguish between PAs and excellent PAs. Ultimately, a DMSc may become one of those metrics.
Currently, physician assistants are not allowed to practice medicine independently, as there must be a supervising doctor. However, considering the fact that nurse practitioners (NPs) are able to practice independently and that a DMSc can help expand a PA’s scope of practice in many cases, it seems reasonable – as awareness about this field increases – to expect that PAs may one day be able to practice medicine independently. There has been great pushback from the AAMC and some doctors regarding this subject, but a DMSc degree could potentially allow PAs to have more autonomy in clinical practice in the future, especially with increasing healthcare needs.
Getting a DMSc will likely give PAs a better shot at potentially practicing independently in the future, as restrictions inevitably change with the times. It’s understandable why there is a lot of controversy when it comes to the topic of allowing NPs and PAs to practice independently. Doctors go through the most training out of all healthcare providers, and giving more autonomy to other practitioners may be seen as potentially opening doors to lower quality patient care.
However, this is not the case because we are already at a healthcare deficit, as there aren’t enough doctors to meet patient needs. The fact of the matter is that healthcare needs are increasing, but the availability of doctors and opportunities to become one are inappropriately stagnant. The projected growth rate for physicians (3%) cannot keep up with our growing population, effectively resulting in a bottleneck. Simply put, leaving tasks traditionally completed by doctors exclusively to doctors is unsustainable.
While the expertise and quality of care by PAs should be monitored, particularly in high-risk specialties, it’s important to remember that PAs undergo rigorous medical training and are qualified medical professionals. The healthcare industry needs to start moving towards a more balanced practice model and increase PA collaboration sooner rather than later. One way to do this is for PAs to earn a DMSc degree. PA curriculums follow those of medical schools, and DMSc degrees are comparable to DHSc degrees. This gives PAs a doctorate degree in healthcare studies and the advanced knowledge and skills to help meet the demands of a modern healthcare system.
Conclusion
Getting a DMSc degree is not in the cards for every physician assistant. However, it can be extremely helpful to PAs looking to reach the next milestone in their career. DMSc degrees enable PAs to change the face of healthcare through advanced clinical practice, education, administration. The nature of the PA profession already helps make healthcare more efficient and equitable, and earning a DMSc allows PAs to do this on an even larger scale. Ultimately, a DMSc gives PAs an expanded knowledge base and skillset, enabling them to further their careers, become advocates for the PA profession, and shape the future of healthcare.
Fantastic job on making it to the end! Hopefully, this article answered any questions that you had about getting a DMSc degree. Be sure to check out my other articles on the physician assistant profession, where I go over what a physician assistant is and whether the PA route is the best career path for you! See you in my next article. Stay healthy and keep learning. 🙂