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The College of Idaho’s online Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) curriculum is an evidence-based, flexible path designed by and for practicing physician assistants/associates (PAs) to enhance healthcare leadership and educational skills. As the preferred doctoral degree for PAs, our online DMSc courses prepare you to make meaningful changes in healthcare through specialized online learning tailored to your experience level.
Discover the unique advantages of The College of Idaho’s DMSc program — a transformative online curriculum grounded in implementation science. Complete your degree in as little as 9–18 months, depending on your background, while advancing your clinical, education or leadership expertise.
Our online DMSc courses were built with working professionals in mind. With an asynchronous model, you can practice or teach full time while pursuing your doctorate. The curriculum integrates seamlessly with your schedule, allowing you to balance your career, studies and personal life.
Earn up to three hours of American Academy of Physician Associates (AAPA) Category 1 CME credit for each Doctor of Medical Science course you complete, totaling up to 36 hours based on your pathway (not including advanced placement hours). Check with your employer about using CME funds toward program costs.
From day one, you’re paired with a doctoral-trained PA advisor who guides you through every step of your DMSc experience. This mentorship is central to our program, helping you succeed in your studies and progress toward your professional goals.
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Director of Doctor of Medical Science Program
Our program fosters your growth in today’s evolving healthcare landscape – whether focused on clinical proficiency, or advancement within academia or senior-level leadership.
Your journey through the online DMSc curriculum is customized to match your experience and ambitions, whether in patient care, leadership roles or education. Each pathway is 36 credit hours and incorporates core courses, implementation science and specialized training that reflects your career stage and goals.
For aspiring and current educators, this traditional 18-month track enhances your skills in academic roles. Through six core DMSc courses, four targeted courses and a two-course practicum series, you gain expertise in educational leadership, curriculum development and student engagement.
This traditional path is ideal if you’re focused on leadership opportunities in areas like administration, policy and quality improvement. Develop the expertise to guide health systems toward better patient outcomes with core and specialized courses and a two-course practicum series.
For clinical PAs at any stage of their career, this traditional 18-month path enhances your clinical skills. Through six core DMSc courses, four targeted courses and a two-course practicum series, you gain expertise in explore evidence-based strategies for disease diagnosis, treatment, and prevention and provider well-being.
To complete this track, students must identify a clinical certificate that they are qualified to earn and prepared to work towards during their enrollment in the DMSc program. Students will declare the certificate before they begin their concentration courses. To meet the requirements for this track, the PA-qualified external clinical certification must meet the following criteria:
Students do not need to complete the PA-qualified external certification requirements as part of their DMSc graduation requirements, but rather document progress working towards the certification. All expenses incurred as part of the external PA-qualified certificate, including the cost of required CME, and application and exam fees, are paid by the student separate from their DMSc tuition.
For PAs with five or more years of teaching experience at ARC-PA-accredited institutions, this accelerated 12-month track emphasizes leadership development, research and educational strategy. Earn 12 credits of advanced standing based on your experience and complete the final 24 credits through experienced educator courses.
Did you graduate within the last two years? The Early Career PA concentration strengthens your foundational skills in clinical practice and leadership. You receive 12 credits of advanced standing for recent clinical and academic experiences and take 24 credits to finish your DMSc.
Designed for PAs currently in or recently graduated from a fellowship, residency or clinical postgraduate program, this nine-month pathway focuses on implementing evidence-based changes in clinical settings. With 18 credits of advanced standing from fellowship work, you complete the final 18 credits in specialized courses.
| 2025-2026 AY | Start Term | Term Dates | Deadline |
| 25-26 Fall Block 1 | July 2025 | 07/14/25-09/21/25 | June 14, 2025 |
| 25-26 Fall Block 2 | September 2025 | 09/29/25-12/14/25 | August 28, 2025 |
| 25-26 Spring Block 1 | January 2026 | 01/05/26-03/15/26 | December 5, 2025 |
| 25-26 Spring Block 2 | March 2026 | 03/23/26-05/31/26 | February 23, 2026 |
| 2026-2027 AY | Start Term | Term Dates | Deadline |
| 26-27 Fall Block 1 | July 2026 | 07/13/26-09/20/26 | June 13, 2026 |
| 26-27 Fall Block 2 | September 2026 | 09/28/26-12/13/26 | August 28, 2026 |
| 26-27 Spring Block 1 | January 2027 | 01/04/27-03/14/27 | December 4, 2026 |
| 26-27 Spring Block 2 | March 2027 | 03/22/27-05/30/27 | February 22, 2027 |
Dr. Jerica N. Derr has been a full-time PA educator since 2018, 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.
M.S. from Purdue University; Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Chatham University; a Doctor of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Education along with a Graduate Certificate in Healthcare Administration & Management from the University of Lynchburg; and pursuing a Doctor of Education in Higher Education Administration from Liberty University.
Dr. Marcia Bouton worked for 19 years as a PA in surgical oncology and breast surgery and currently serves as faculty and admissions chair of the Midwestern University Physician Assistant Program. Dr. Bouton has been involved in research related to cancer, surgery, health professions education, and physician assistant leadership and education and is the author of more than thirty peer-reviewed research articles.
B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science from Arizona State University; B.S. in Physician Assistant Studies from Midwestern University; Master of Health Professions Education from Midwestern University; and a Doctor of Medical Science from A.T. Still University.
Dr. Jennifer Barnett is an experienced PA with over two decades of clinical practice, specializing in Hospital Medicine and 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.
B.S. from University of Maryland; Master of Physician Assistant Studies from University of Nebraska; and a Doctor of Medical Science with a concentration in Healthcare Leadership from A.T. Still University.
Since 2005, Dr. Michelle McMoon has practiced as a PA in surgical, medical critical care and recently transitioned to the new Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery team at WakeMed. Dr. McMoon is the Director of Education and Professional Development for WakeMed Physician Practices, 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.
B.S. from Virginia Commonwealth University; Master of Physician Assistant Studies from Marquette University; and PhD in Public Policy from Walden University.
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. 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.
B.S. in Clinical Laboratory Science from Arizona State University; B.S. in Physician Assistant Studies from Midwestern University; Master of Health Professions Education from Midwestern University; and a Doctor of Medical Science from A.T. Still University; and Director of The College of Idaho’s DMSc Program.
Advance your expertise, expand your influence and drive positive change in healthcare through the online DMSc curriculum at The College of Idaho. Whether your goal is leadership, education or policy change, our flexible pathways empower you to achieve it on your terms.
2112 Cleveland Blvd, Caldwell, ID 83605
208-459-5011 • 800-2C-IDAHO