DMSc Admission Requirements

The DMSc program is a post-professional degree for licensed and/or certified PAs ready to elevate their expertise. To qualify for admission to the program’s traditional or accelerated pathways, you must meet all application requirements listed below. Additional criteria may apply for accelerated concentrations (see below).

Complete the online DMSc application for your preferred start term.
- Upload a current and comprehensive curriculum vitae (CV).
- Once admitted, submit a $300 nonrefundable deposit that is applied to the first semester’s tuition.
Provide proof of active state licensure and/or National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants (NCCPA) certification.
- Retired applicants may submit NCCPA PA-C Emeritus designation or proof of previous licensure/certification.
Hold a master’s degree from an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Department of Education with a minimum overall graduate cumulative GPA of 3.0 (on a 4.0 scale).
- PAs without a master’s degree may qualify for the Master’s Equivalency Option (see below).
- International applicants should submit evidence of U.S. degree and course equivalency (see below).
Submit transcripts from qualifying degree institution(s).
- This should include transcripts from an accredited physician assistant program or the institution granting the graduate degree (if the PA program did not confer one).
Demonstrate the ability to meet The College of Idaho’s technology requirements for the duration of the doctoral program.
For applicants who speak and/or write in English as a second language, submit one of the following:
- Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL), IELTS or Duolingo scores.
- Proof of a bachelor’s degree (or higher) from a U.S. Department of Education-accredited institution.

Applicants without a master’s degree can meet equivalency requirements by holding a bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution awarding physician assistant studies degrees or a PA certificate from an accredited institution, along with at least one of the following:

Approved military or civilian postgraduate PA program or fellowship
NCCPA Certificate of Added Qualification (CAQ)
NCCPA certification with a minimum of 10 years of continuous maintenance

Applicants being consider for the Master's Equivalency Option are only eligible to apply to the College's 18-month-track programs.

Applicants with a degree from a college or university outside the U.S. must provide evidence of U.S. degree and course equivalency for both their bachelor's and master's degrees. Approved evaluation services include:

Internationally trained applicants must hold a master's degree and are only eligible to apply to the College's 18-month-track programs. For more Information, review International Student Admission Requirements.

Admission Requirements for Accelerated Pathways

The DMSc program’s accelerated options allow experienced PA educators, recent graduates and current PA fellowship students or graduates to leverage prior knowledge and complete the degree in as few as 9–12 months. Review the specific admission requirements for each pathway.

For PAs with at least five years of 0.5 FTE or greater teaching experience at an ARC-PA accredited program, the Experienced Educator pathway grants applicants 12 advanced standing credits for professional experience. They complete the remaining 24 credit hours over 12 months.

Applicants must meet general DMSc admission requirements and provide documentation of their role as principal faculty at an ARC-PA program. Principal faculty responsibilities, as defined by the 5th edition of the ARC-PA standards, include:

Developing, reviewing and revising, as necessary, the mission statement, goals and competencies of the program
Providing student instruction
Evaluating student performance
Academic counseling of students
Assuring the availability of remedial instruction
Designing, implementing, coordinating and evaluating the curriculum
Evaluating the program]

The Early Career PA concentration is for new PAs who graduated within the past two years from ARC-PA-accredited programs. This pathway offers 12 credits of advanced standing based on PA program coursework and clinical experiences, allowing students to complete the final 24 credits of the program within 12 months.

Applicants must meet general DMSc admission requirements and submit proof of graduation from an ARC-PA-accredited PA program within two years of starting the DMSc program and successful completion of the PANCE.

Students who are currently enrolled in or have completed a clinical postgraduate fellowship or residency within the past two years can apply for the PA Fellow pathway. Eligible applicants earn 18 advanced standing credits and complete the remaining 18 credits in nine months.

Applicants must meet general DMSc admission requirements and submit proof of graduation from an eligible PA fellowship program. Eligible PA fellowship programs must either be ARC-PA-accredited or meet the following standards:

Program Length: A minimum of six months of full-time training (incorporating both clinical and didactic instruction).

Clinical Skills & Practice Experiences: A minimum of 1,000 hours of instruction in clinical skills and practice experiences, including appropriately progressive direct patient care.

Program Didactic Instruction: A minimum of 52 hours of didactic instruction including but not limited to grand rounds, workshops, coursework and research/scholarly activities and instruction in at least four of the following topics:

Biomedical and clinical science
Quality improvement
Patient safety
Interprofessional teamwork
Performance improvement
Care of diverse patient populations
Healthcare disparities
How to search, interpret and evaluate medical literature

With four start dates each year, you can begin the online Doctor of Medical Science program when it best suits your schedule. Complete the DMSc curriculum in 18 months over six 10-week terms or in 9–12 months through accelerated pathways.

Check out our Academic Calendar below and select your preferred start term and submit the online DMSc application by the associated deadline.

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

DMSc Resources

HAVE QUESTIONS?

dmsc@collegeofidaho.edu

(208) 459-5343

Whether you’re a new PA focused on delivering high-quality care or a seasoned professional ready to take on leadership or teaching roles, the online DMSc degree program prepares you to implement real change in healthcare.

Build Your Future:
Apply Now!

Take the next step in your PA career — apply to join The College of Idaho’s online Doctor of Medical Science program.

Start Your Application

Request for Information

FAQs

What can we help you find?

DMSc Admission Requirements