{"id":11663,"date":"2025-02-03T22:45:00","date_gmt":"2025-02-03T22:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/?p=11663"},"modified":"2025-06-11T17:45:32","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T17:45:32","slug":"augsburg-launches-minnesotas-first-doctor-of-medical-science-program","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/2025\/02\/03\/augsburg-launches-minnesotas-first-doctor-of-medical-science-program\/","title":{"rendered":"Augsburg Launches Minnesota\u2019s First Doctor of Medical Science Program"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"In fall 2025, Augsburg University will welcome the initial students to a first-of-its-kind doctoral program in Minnesota. The Doctor of Medical Science program offers physician assistants\/associates (PAs) a pathway to career advancement in health care leadership and administration, research, public policy, academia, and specialized clinical practice.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cAugsburg has a proud history of innovation, from establishing Minnesota\u2019s first PA program in 1994 to now launching the state\u2019s first PA-doctorate program,\u201d said Associate Professor Vanessa Bester, director of Augsburg\u2019s School of at Health. \u201cThe Doctor of Medical Science program continues this tradition of excellence, equipping PAs to excel as leaders, educators, scholars, entrepreneurs, and administrators.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The DMSc degree is an applied doctorate that emphasizes practical, real-world skill development in health care leadership and scholarship. Delivered in a fully asynchronous online format, Augsburg\u2019s DMSc is a four-semester, 16-month program designed for working PAs seeking professional advancement. To be eligible for admission, students must hold a master\u2019s degree in PA studies (MPAS, MSPAS, or equivalent) or a bachelor\u2019s degree plus a minimum of five years practicing as a licensed physician assistant.<\/span><\/p>\n

“Augsburg’s DMSc program is unique in its whole-person approach,\u201d said DMSc Program Director Diana Soran. \u201cThe curriculum prepares students to develop critical leadership, research, and management skills while also aligning their coursework to support career growth. This intentional design prepares graduates for long-term success and fulfillment both professionally and personally.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Career possibilities for DMSc graduates include director of clinical operations, graduate faculty member, principal investigator, health policy advisor, health startup development, and advanced practice provider in complex or specialized care settings.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPAs bring a unique and indispensable perspective to health care, bridging gaps in care and fostering collaboration across medical teams,\u201d said Bester. \u201cBy integrating health equity, inclusion, and innovation into real-world application, this transformative pathway empowers PAs to drive meaningful change in health care and in our communities.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In addition to the DMSc, Augsburg offers doctoral degrees in nursing and clinical psychology.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To learn more, visit the DMSc program website<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In fall 2025, Augsburg University will welcome the initial students to a first-of-its-kind doctoral program in Minnesota. The Doctor of Medical Science program offers physician assistants\/associates (PAs) a pathway to career advancement in health care leadership and administration, research, public policy, academia, and specialized clinical practice.\u00a0 \u201cAugsburg has a proud history of innovation, from establishing …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":499,"featured_media":11666,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3231],"tags":[4052,2290],"class_list":["post-11663","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media-advisories","tag-doctor-of-medical-science","tag-physician-assistant-studies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11663","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/499"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11663"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11663\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11867,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11663\/revisions\/11867"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11666"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11663"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11663"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11663"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}