Doctor of Science Program Objectives

Degree Objectives

The doctor of medical science (DMSc) and doctor of healthcare science (DHSc) degrees provide a rigorous course of study intended for interprofessional graduate students with significant healthcare practice and/or healthcare leadership experience. The doctor of science program is committed to the continuous pursuit of academic excellence and the ongoing development of experienced physician assistants, affiliated clinicians, and healthcare leaders who will be able to:

• Create rigorous, applicable, timely, evidence-based scholarly projects
• Honor and embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion in their professional interactions
• Contribute significant expertise and knowledge in their discipline
• Collaborate interprofessionally and communicate effectively with strong written and verbal skills
• Develop advanced skills in data collection and analysis, drawing thoughtful conclusions and articulating clear action plans to promote meaningful change
• Apply learned leadership competencies to their roles as strategic change agents, scholars, collaborators, educators, and advisors
• Consider how their actions impact our increasingly global community
• Clearly articulate diverse theories of evidence-based practice and knowledge

Learning Outcomes

The learning outcomes for the doctor of science program include the following: 

• Demonstrate scholarly inquiry skills necessary to identify and address issues within practice settings.
• Understand how theory informs the practice of leadership including ethical awareness in decision-making and problem solving.
• Integrate critical thinking techniques along with advancing knowledge and skills to evaluate problems effectively and design improvement plans for professional settings.
• Organize thoughts and ideas into appropriately written and referenced essays and research papers.
• Develop awareness of diversity, equity, and inclusion concepts in healthcare and professional settings as demonstrated with written work.