Shenandoah University

What you'll study

• DMS 810 Evidence-Based Research (3 credits) — critical examination of clinical research designs, analytical approaches and professional literature with applied data analysis and discussion.
• DMS 815 Leadership & Healthcare Principles (3 credits) — study of leadership roles across individual, group and organizational levels, current healthcare practices, educational technology and teaching methods to prepare graduates for advanced professional roles.
• DMS 820 Health Equity & Justice (3 credits) — course listed in the curriculum to address health equity and justice topics.
• DMS 850 Doctoral Project (3 credits) — capstone scholarly project course.
• DMS 870 Doctoral Capstone (4 credits) — culminating capstone experience.
• Clinical practicum credits transferred from the MSPA program: PA 682 Primary Care Clinical Practicum IV (2.5), PA 683 Emergency Medicine Clinical Practicum (2.5), PA 685 Surgical Clinical Practicum (2.5), PA 687 Inpatient Care Clinical Practicum (2.5), PA 690 Community Preceptorship Clinical Practicum (4).

Entry requirements

The program is intended for applicants who hold a master’s degree in physician assistant studies; 14 credits from the MSPA are transferred into the 30-credit DMS. The online, asynchronous format and flexible scheduling are explicitly designed to serve both practicing PAs and recent PA graduates. The program is approved for CME credit by the American Academy of PAs.

Career prospects

Graduates are prepared for roles that require doctoral-level clinical reasoning, leadership and scholarly contribution. The DMS curriculum aims to ready PAs for positions in clinical leadership, education and policy influence, and to equip them to design and conduct research that advances evidence-based PA practice. The program notes demand for doctoral-prepared PAs in academic and administrative settings where advanced qualifications can support credibility and participation in policy and program decisions.

Scholarships & funding angle (general)

Shenandoah’s materials do not list specific scholarships on the course page. Prospective students should investigate university-wide graduate funding, employer tuition assistance, and professional association support (including CME-related opportunities) as common avenues to offset doctoral study costs.