Online DMSc – Program FAQs

A Doctor of Medical Science degree is the preferred doctorate for PAs who want to advance their careers. It’s more than just adding initials to your name — this degree provides evidence-based tools for clinical improvement, leadership development, and specialized knowledge in health system leadership or education.

PAs are critical to the provision of safe, effective and accessible healthcare in the United States and beyond. Yet, there can be more to being a PA. With a DMSc, you gain skills in:

• Professionalism: Foster a collaborative and inclusive professional environment that promotes the role of a PA in healthcare delivery. 
• Advocacy: Enhance your dedication to patient and population health. 
• Accountability: Commit to your personal well-being and to the growth and resilience of others.
• Scholarly Knowledge: Become proficient in designing research and scholarship and practice analyzing data. 
• Leadership: Enhance your ability to communicate, manage others, problem-solve and think critically. 

Pursuing a DMSc degree is a strategic investment in your career. Here’s why:

●    Higher Earnings: A 2023 study by Klein et al. found that PAs with doctoral degrees typically report earnings above the median PA salary.
●    Leadership Roles: A DMSc prepares PAs for leadership positions that can unlock more opportunities and increase earning potential. Klein et al. also found that most PA leaders hold doctoral degrees, and those in formal leadership positions earn, on average, $17,000 more annually.  
●    Academic and Career Advancement: With a DMSc, academic appointments are more accessible, and it’s more likely for educators to advance into leadership positions — and, in so doing, increase their earning potential. According to PAEA’s 2020 Faculty and Directors Report, one-quarter of PA program faculty members and nearly half of program directors held doctoral degrees.

Discover why else you should earn a DMSc degree. 
 

At The College of Idaho, our online DMSc program was designed to meet the unique needs of working PAs, offering a supportive, flexible and affordable pathway to career advancement.

●    Expert-Designed Curriculum: Our online curriculum is crafted by PAs for PAs, ensuring you receive an education that’s relevant and prepares you for doctoral-level career advancement.
●    Flexible Learning: Complete online, asynchronous coursework delivered by expert faculty who understand the challenges of pursuing doctoral education while working full-time.
●    Six Pathways: Focus your studies on one of six DMSc concentrations that span education, leadership, clinical practice, lifestyle medicine and healthcare delivery. 
●    Personalized Support: From day one, our doctoral-trained PA advisors provide guidance and mentorship as you navigate the program. 
●    Value for Investment: We offer competitive tuition rates that fund high-quality learning content and technology, engaging and talented faculty, and supportive health programs like TimelyCare.

Learn more about getting your DMSc from The College of Idaho. 
 

We offer six unique pathways that align with your career goals in clinical practice, leadership, education or healthcare delivery. 

• Health Professions Education Concentration (18 Months)
• Health System Leadership Concentration (18 Months)
• Lifestyle Medicine and Advanced Clinical Practice (18 Months)
• Early Career PA Accelerated Pathway (12 Months)
• Experienced Educator Accelerated Pathway (12 Months)
• PA Fellow Accelerated Pathway (9 Months)

Created with working PAs in mind, our DMSc program fits your professional journey by offering accelerated and traditional pathways to complete your degree. Both tracks emphasize critical tools for becoming an implementation specialist and allow you to select a concentration that aligns with your goals.

• Traditional Pathway: 18-month program
• Accelerated Pathway: 9-12 month program for early-career, fellow-trained and experienced educator PAs. 

Founding PA & Program Director: Kari S. Bernard, PhD, PA-C

Dr. Kari Bernard has practiced medicine as a PA since 2004 in the areas of cardiology, emergency medicine and psychiatry. In 2020, she completed a doctoral program in Industrial and Organizational Psychology with a focus on the professional well-being of the healthcare workforce. Between 2022 and 2023, she developed a staff wellness program for 2,000 clinical and non-clinical staff members at the Alaska Native Medical Center. 

Dr. Bernard is an award-winning author and has published on the topic of healthcare worker and student well-being. She regularly presents at national, regional and state conferences. She is currently the Founding Program Director for the Doctor of Medical Science program for PAs at The College of Idaho in Caldwell, Idaho. Dr. Bernard lives in Anchorage, Alaska, with her husband and two energetic dogs.

 Associate Program Director: Doug Long, DMSc, PA-C

Dr. Doug Long is the Associate Program Director for the Doctor of Medical Science Program. He is a US Navy veteran, having spent time as a hospital corpsman with the Navy and as a Fleet Marine Force Corpsman with the US Marine Corps. After a career as an EMT-Paramedic, Dr. Long earned an Associate of Applied Science as a Surgeon’s Assistant from Cuyahoga Community College in Cleveland, Ohio, in 1997 and obtained a Master of Science in Advanced Physician Assistant Studies from A.T. Still University Arizona School of Health Science in Mesa, Arizona, in 2019. 

He then completed the Doctor of Medical Science with a focus in PA Education from the A.T. Still University in 2021. Dr. Long has been a physician assistant for 27 years, primarily in Emergency Medicine and Surgery, and has served as a faculty member for an entry-level PA program before coming to The College of Idaho. Dr. Long is married to Lynn, and they share a wonderful, blended family of 5 children and 4 dogs. In his spare time, Dr. Long enjoys walking, hiking and bike riding, as well as a day at the ballpark watching baseball.

Curriculum Design Expert: Sara Swenson, PhD

Sara Swenson is an instructional designer with the DMSc program at The College of Idaho. She has a PhD in Educational Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and a Master of Education in Higher Education Administration from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has worked as an educator and instructional designer for over a decade at various universities and corporations. Dr. Swenson's work is focused on designing courses with an engaging student learning experience in mind.

Chief Program Navigator: Carol Hang Nguyen, MEd

Carol Nguyen holds an MEd in Higher Education from the University of Arkansas and is the Program Manager for the DMSc program at The College of Idaho. Most recently, Nguyen worked at Southern Methodist University in the Cox School of Business as the Associate Director of Master of Science Programs, leading enrollment and engagement in the business analytics and accounting programs. Before that, she worked in various positions in the Dallas College system, where she served as a Senior Manager/Interim Director of Academic Advising at Richland College and as a Dallas College Success Coach. Nguyen brings more than 20 years of experience in academic advising and higher education administration. 

Expert Course Designer: Jennifer Barnett, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA, CAQ-HM, CPHQ, SFHM

Jennifer Barnett is an experienced PA with over two decades of clinical practice, specializing in Hospital Medicine and more recently serving at a Federally Qualified Health Center in Rural Maryland. She is a Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) and has received esteemed recognition as a Distinguished Fellow of the American Academy of Physician Associates. 

As a local and national speaker, Barnett demonstrates a fervent dedication to advancing quality improvement, enhancing patient safety and fostering improved communication within healthcare. She is an instrumental team member in developing competencies in PA Healthcare Administration and recently graduated from the A.T. Still University Doctor of Medical Science program. 

Expert Course Designer: Jerica Derr, DMSc, PA-C

Dr. Jerica N. Derr, DMSc, PA-C, is originally from Indianapolis, Indiana. She completed a Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Chatham University and a Doctor of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Education along with a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Administration & Management from the University of Lynchburg. She is currently pursuing her Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration at Liberty University. 

Since 2018, she has been a full-time PA educator, holding various roles in program leadership, research and teaching at the master’s and doctoral levels. Dr. Derr’s clinical background is in integrative pain management, urogynecology and hospital medicine. Her educational and research focus is on transforming the student experience through innovative curriculum design and development and experiential learning. Dr. Derr lives in beautiful Charleston, South Carolina, with her daughter, Charlotte, and fur babies, Gus and Olli.

Expert Course Designer: Michelle McMoon, PhD, PA-C

Dr. Michelle McMoon has been practicing as a PA since graduating from Marquette University’s PA program in 2005. She has practiced in surgical, medical critical care for the majority of her career and has transitioned to the new Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery team at WakeMed Health and Hospitals in Raleigh, North Carolina. Dr. McMoon is the Director of Education and Professional Development for WakeMed Physician Practices (WPP). In this role, she oversees all the Advanced Practice Providers (APP) fellowship tracks, creates onboarding structures for new APPs throughout the health system and manages the on-site APP student presence. Throughout her career, she has focused on balancing clinical and leadership responsibilities. 

In 2019, her research interests led her to the pursuit of a PhD in public policy. In addition to her clinical and leadership roles, she is also the co-chair of the North Carolina Medical Society’s Ethical and Judicial Affairs Committee, co-chair of the WPP Well-Being Committee and is a member of the WakeMed Ethics Committee. 

Expert Course Designer: Harrison Reed, MMSc, PA-C

Harrison Reed is a clinician, writer, editor and educator with a focus on academic writing and publication. He holds a bachelor's degree in Biomedical Science from the University of South Florida and a master’s degree in Medical Science from Yale University. He has over a decade of clinical experience in critical care medicine and emergency medicine. His professional editorial experience includes senior editorial positions at the Journal of the American Academy of PAs (JAAPA) and the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine. His writing has garnered national recognition, including awards from the American Society of Healthcare Publication Editors, Society of Critical Care Medicine and American Academy of Physician Associates.

Expert Course Designer: Skylar Stewart-Clark, PhD, MSPAS, PA-C

Dr. Clark is a native of Charleston, South Carolina. She left South Carolina to attend Louisiana Tech University, where she earned a B.S. and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. As part of her doctoral training, she completed a four-year teaching fellowship sponsored by the National Science Foundation. After completion of her PhD, she spent several years as a post-doctoral research fellow in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine at the Clemson/Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) Joint Bioengineering Program, where she worked on various projects with clinician-scientists to find solutions for implantable device drug delivery in orthopedic, dental and cardiac applications. 

After several years in research, she pursued an M.S. in Physician Assistant Studies from MUSC. After graduation, she practiced adult urology and urologic oncology for several years before moving into academia as an adjunct faculty in the MUSC PA program before joining the Charleston Southern University PA program as a founding faculty for nearly five years. She has clinical experience as an extensivist and hospitalist PA and is recognized as a leader at the local, state and national levels within the PA profession. 

In June 2022, Dr. Clark joined the faculty of Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) as Division Head and Program Director of Physician Assistant Education. In her free time, she teaches as a fitness instructor, travels, and spends time with her husband and four children, planning for new adventures in the Pacific Northwest.

Expert Course Designer: Timothy Thompson, MBA, PA-C

Timothy Thompson, PA-C, MBA, is a board-certified PA, graduating from A.T. Still University in 2004. After seven years in clinical practice (orthopedic and sports medicine surgery) in New England, he pivoted into a non-traditional 12-year career in medical education and business development with a global medical device manufacturer. During this time, he published four peer-reviewed articles on shoulder pathology and biomechanics, received two patents for innovative medical devices and obtained his MBA from Quantic School of Business & Technology. 

Recently, he accepted a leadership position with a regenerative medicine company and launched Pathfinders Healthcare Career Advisors, helping healthcare providers navigate their careers. Thompson is uniquely experienced in the business of medicine and the role technology will play in the future of healthcare.

Doctoral PA Advisor: Marcia Bouton, DMSc, MHPE, PA-C, DFAAPA

Dr. Marcia Bouton worked for 19 years as a PA in surgical oncology and breast surgery. Dr. Bouton earned her DMSc in 2022 and joined the faculty of the Midwestern University Physician Assistant Program the same year, where she serves as the admissions chair. Throughout Dr. Bouton’s career, she has been involved in research related to cancer, surgery, health professions education, and physician assistant leadership and education. She is an author of more than thirty peer-reviewed research articles and received the AAPA PAragon award for research in 2013. Dr. Bouton has also authored a national AAPA policy paper on well-being and is an invited book chapter author regarding PA student mistreatment. She is passionate about promoting a respectful learning environment for PA students that fosters personal growth, and she is a PA student mentor and success coach. Dr. Bouton lives in Peoria, Arizona with her husband and two daughters. Her avocations include life drawing, cooking, and travel.

Doctoral PA Advisor: Jeffrey Owens, DMSc, PA-C

Dr. Jeffrey Owens is the Department Chair and Program Director of the Physician Assistant Program at Drexel University, where he also serves as an Associate Clinical Professor. With extensive experience in PA education, Dr. Owens has held leadership roles in multiple academic institutions, focusing on curriculum innovation, faculty development, and student mentorship. Dr. Owens earned his Doctor of Medical Science with a concentration in Physician Assistant Education from the University of Lynchburg in 2020. He also holds a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Philadelphia University. In addition to his academic leadership, Dr. Owens has a robust clinical background, primarily in trauma surgery and orthopedic spine surgery. His previous clinical experience includes roles in emergency medicine and orthopedic surgery. Dr. Owens is dedicated to advancing PA education through curriculum development, faculty mentorship, and interprofessional collaboration. When not engaged in academic and clinical responsibilities, he enjoys exploring Philadelphia and spending time with his two children. 

Absolutely! The College of Idaho’s DMSc program was specifically created for full-time working PAs, offering a rigorous and flexible curriculum that accommodates your professional and personal commitments.

• Optimized Timeline: You may be wondering if you have time to go back to school as a working professional. At The College of Idaho, you can graduate with your DMSc degree in two or three semesters, with each semester divided into two 10-week blocks.
• Manageable Course Load: Take two courses per block, totaling four courses per semester. This structure allows for deep learning without overwhelming your schedule. The academic calendar also includes strategic breaks in June, July and from mid-December to early January, giving you the opportunity to rest and enjoy time with your loved ones. 
• Created by Experienced PAs: Our program leaders and faculty understand the demands of working as a PA and earning an advanced degree because they’ve done it themselves. Experience mentorship and an online environment that's both easy to navigate and rich in content.

The College of Idaho’s DMSc program is one of the most affordable Doctor of Medical Science degree programs in the country. To ensure our program is accessible to all PAs, we kept the cost at the forefront when developing the program. And financial aid and scholarship opportunities are available for all graduate students.

Review tuition, fees and other cost-related information.
 

Not at The College of Idaho! Our DMSc program creates a sense of community and connection that bridges the geographic distances between you, your classmates and program faculty. We do this by:

• Individualized Support: Every DMSc student is assigned a doctoral-trained PA advisor on the first day of the program. Advisors provide meaningful advice on leveraging coursework to gain real-time career advancement and maintaining a balance between work, life and school endeavors. 
• Centralized Resources: Students won’t navigate the DMSc administrative requirements alone. These include completing the application, enrolling in courses, submitting required payments and eventually qualifying for graduation. Our Program Manager will also provide academic support by monitoring each student’s progress and supporting anyone demonstrating signs of struggle.
• Virtual Student Community: Students can connect with each other in the program through Microsoft Teams and other virtual platforms. Each cohort of students will also elect a liaison to work with program leadership, share student perspectives and advocate for student resources.

Don’t wait! At The College of Idaho, we recommend pursuing your Doctor of Medical Science degree shortly after becoming a PA. We even offer a dedicated pathway for early-career PAs who graduated from an accredited PA program within the past two years. This track supports you in developing your professional identity, healthcare delivery system acumen and career trajectory. 

Here’s why getting started early is beneficial: 

• Accelerated Timeline: Earn your DMSc degree online in just 12 months. 
• Advanced Standing: Receive 12 credit hours of advanced standing for your recent coursework and supervised clinical practice experiences.
• Cohort-Based Learning: Start your journey with other students who want to advance their PA practice. Provide peer support to one another and enjoy collaborating on projects and joint courses.

Whether you're looking to inspire the next generation of healthcare providers or drive systemic improvements from a leadership role, a DMSc degree opens the doors for career opportunities beyond clinical practice. The College of Idaho offers concentrations in education and leadership that can help you transform your career path and transition into a new area in the profession. 

Health Professions Education Track

PAs entering academia for the first time are often experts in their clinical fields but may lack formal training in education. With courses in adult learning theory, instructional content delivery methods, curricular design and evaluation, academic leadership strategies and transformative student engagement, our Health Professions Education track bridges this gap. 

Earning a DMSc makes you a competitive candidate for academic positions. For established PA educators, it enhances your potential for promotion into professorial tracks or leadership roles at colleges and universities. According to the 2020 PAEA Faculty Report, 25% of PA faculty and nearly 50% of program directors hold a doctoral degree — a credential increasingly essential for academic advancement.

Health System Leadership Track

Leadership roles empower you as a PA to drive change, mentor others, and increase autonomy and earning potential. Leadership requires doctoral-level thinking, which you can acquire through our DMSc curriculum. Led by PAs who hold leadership positions within major health systems — and even in non-healthcare industries — our program prepares you to lead with confidence, competence, empathy and ingenuity. 

According to a 2023 AAPA report, most employers do not provide leadership training that focuses on the unique aspects of PAs in healthcare management. The College of Idaho’s Health System Leadership track addresses this need through courses in healthcare policy, quality improvement, patient safety and healthcare administration skills, equipping you for management roles without needing an MBA.

The College of Idaho’s first cohort of Doctor of Medical Science students began the program in September 2024. Our online DMSc program was created by a group of talented academic leaders who have experience developing educational programs at other institutions. This group consists of two doctoral-trained PAs who lead the program and designed the curriculum alongside six other PAs who are subject matter experts and influencers in the field. 

Despite being relatively new to the DMSc field, The College of Idaho is an established and respected educational institution with a track record of academic excellence and unparalleled student support. For more than a century, we have produced graduates who are leaders in business, science, medicine, law, education, the arts and government. Alumni include three former governors, a Pulitzer Prize-winning historian, an Academy Award-winning musician, the co-discoverer of vitamin B-12 and the co-founder of Patagonia Outerwear. 

Additionally, The College of Idaho has been instrumental in PA education for over a decade through our Master of Physician Assistant Studies (MPAS) degree. This program operates through a unique collaboration with Idaho State University and is the only MPAS program in the state of Idaho.

Founded in 1891, The College of Idaho is the state’s oldest four-year institution of higher learning and a private liberal arts college dedicated to preparing students for fulfilling and impactful lives. With accreditation by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities since 1922 and a legacy of teacher education approved by the Idaho State Department of Education since 1913, the College maintains a long-standing tradition of academic excellence. 

The College of Idaho is located in Caldwell, Idaho, just 30 minutes from the vibrant city of Boise, and features a beautiful residential campus with historic academic buildings, modern facilities and award-winning spaces like the Cruzen-Murray Library. Students enjoy access to outdoor recreation, cultural events and career opportunities in one of the country’s fastest-growing regions. Whether students are online or on campus, The College of Idaho fosters meaningful connections with faculty and a commitment to leadership, service and academic exploration.

Learn more about The College of Idaho.

“Yote” is short for The College of Idaho’s longtime mascot, the Coyote, Canis latrans. The coyote is known for its scrappy and resilient nature, managing to be remarkably successful despite facing extermination efforts and thriving even in the midst of pressure and adversity. The Yote Family (YoteFam, for short) proudly embodies the key traits of coyotes: tenacious, clever, vocal, adventurous, social, resourceful, curious and focused. 

One of our long-serving faculty members put it this way: “The Coyote is perhaps the most fitting mascot of the plucky, durable, liberal arts school that trains its pack to develop creative, innovative, tough-minded solutions in a world of rapidly changing challenges.”