Doctor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (DScPAS)
MCPHS School of Physician Assistant Studies
Location: Online
Start Term: Fall, Spring
This flexible, online doctoral-degree program prepares you to take on leadership roles in healthcare administration, education, public health, global health, research, and practice.
Dive into a Collaborative, Immersive, Interprofessional Experience
Your Four-Semester Journey
The DScPAS curriculum is designed to meet the demands of interprofessional and collaborative practice. You can choose concentrations from a variety of MCPHS offerings to better meet your personal and professional goals. The flexibility of the program enables you to earn this advanced degree while maintaining your work and life routines.
During four online semesters, you will take required courses in healthcare research, question development, gathering/appraising evidence, and dissemination of findings. You also will study topics within one of three areas of concentration and prepare an evidence-based capstone project.
DScPAS Concentrations
Health System Administration
Learn the complexities of the healthcare system from several key perspectives:
- challenges and needs of leadership
- systems-level leadership and administration
- cyclical nature of reform
- impacts of policy changes
- management of financial and human resources in the process of healthcare delivery
Educational Leadership
Dive into the challenges of delivering health professions education by exploring critical relationships among educational theory, course and curricular design approaches, and strategies that support effective and efficient assessments of teaching and learning. Key topics include:
- principles and theories of teaching and learning
- curriculum design
- assessment and evaluation
Global Health
Broaden your perspectives on the delivery of compassionate healthcare at a global scale with courses that challenge you to:
- view the healthcare system from a global perspective
- analyze the implications of natural disasters, infectious diseases, and medical resource shortages on the care available to communities worldwide
- develop innovative, top-down solutions to modern health crises strategies that support effective and efficient assessments of teaching and learning
Evidence-Based Capstone Project
The capstone project gives you an opportunity to acquire skills and knowledge you’ll need to advocate for best practices and translate and apply the evidence you obtain through your research.
The Doctor of Science in Physician Assistant Studies experience
Doing well while doing good
Professional success and personal satisfaction go hand-in-hand for MCPHS physician assistant studies graduates.
"MCPHS professors were instrumental in getting me involved in MAPA as a student representative—an experience that laid the groundwork for me ultimately to head the organization. Now, I’m able to help lead the fight for increased access to care as well as gaining greater recognition for the work PAs perform."
Duncan Daviau | MPAS ’17, President, Massachusetts Association of PAs (MAPA)
New Massachusetts Law Promotes Telehealth
Additional Options for Physician Assistant Studies
MCPHS offers multiple programs in physician assistant studies, including a 36-month master’s degree in Boston and an accelerated, 32-month master’s degree in Worcester or Manchester.