Doctor of Medical Science Online

1. 1. Completion of an online application through Hardin-Simmons University
   2. Official transcript from an ARC-PA accredited PA program reflecting completion of a master’s degree and official transcripts from all institutions attended
   3. An overall grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale, as evidenced by an official transcript from an ARC-PA accredited PA program reflecting completion of a master’s degree
   4. Proof of state licensure (or equivalent) as a PA*
   5. A personal letter explaining interest in the program, how the degree will be used to advance your practice as a PA, and your professional purpose and goals*

*Within the application dashboard, navigate to the “Upload Materials” section to add a PDF or scanned image file of your current PA license and Letter of Professional Purpose and Goals

Additional admission requirements may be requested. All materials should be submitted. The DMSc Program Director or their designee will review program applicant materials to ensure all requirements have been met before admission is granted. 

Hardin-Simmons University

Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc)

DEGREE PLAN

Total program hours: 30

Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences (SCPE) Credit Hour Equivalences may be in any of the following ARC-PA required clinical rotations categories:

• Family Medicine
• Emergency Medicine
• Internal Medicine
• Mental Health/Behavioral Medicine
• Pediatric Medicine
• Women’s Health
• General Surgery
• Professional Development Elective
• Surgical and Non-Surgical Electives

Course Descriptions

The DMSc courses cover writing, publishing, communication, the application of evidence-based medicine, differential diagnosis, patient education, doctoral identity formation, medical humanities, provider wellness, advocacy, leadership, and precepting.  Each semester will have an application-focused Practicum course where PAs can apply what they are learning.

DMSc 7301:  Writing, Publishing, and Communication

This course is designed to equip doctoral PA students with advanced skills in writing, preparation for publication, and communication within the healthcare field. The course will explore the critical role of effective communication in professional writing and research for career advancement and personal development. Students will be exposed to scholarly writing and navigating the publishing process for research articles, case studies, and continuing medical education articles. Emphasis will be placed on clarity, precision, and adherence to scholarly writing style formatting guidelines. Students will become familiar with publishing processes, including journal selection, peer-review process, and response to revision requests. Students will explore the current evidence-based recommendations for effective communication strategies and ethical and legal considerations. Topics to be explored include communication with stakeholders, patients, and the public. The doctoral PA student will explore the ethical and legal aspects of writing, publishing, and communication, such as authorship ethics, conflicts of interest, patient privacy, and social media.

DMSc 7302:  Application of Evidence-Based Medicine, Differential Diagnosis, and Patient Education

This course is designed for doctoral PA students seeking advanced training in applying evidence-based medicine (EBM), differential diagnosis, and patient education. The course will focus on the principles of clinical excellence and patient-centered care. The course will allow students to research and apply EBM guidelines, sharpen clinical reasoning, and use EBM to guide patient education. The course will enable students to become proficient at evaluating evidence in the literature.

DMSc 7303:  Doctoral Identity Formation, Medical Humanities, and Provider Wellness

This course will explore doctoral identity formation within the context of medical humanities and provider wellness. Guided by the theories of professional identity development, this course examines the challenges and opportunities faced by doctoral PA students. Emphasis will be placed on how personal experiences, social expectations, institutional cultures, and professional relationships shape the doctoral PA student’s identity. The course will explore an overview of key concepts in medical humanities through the intersection of medicine, social sciences, art, music, theater, philosophy, and ethics. Emphasis will be placed on the role of narrative medicine, reflective practice, empathy, self-awareness, burnout prevention, and provider wellness.

DMSc 7304: Advocacy, Leadership, and Precepting

This course will explore critical areas of advocacy, leadership, and clinical precepting within the context of PA practice. The course is designed for doctoral PA students aiming to train the next generation of PAs through clinical precepting and making change in the PA profession by becoming influential leaders and advocates. The course will examine advocacy principles, including identification of stakeholders, strategic advocacy plans, and knowledge of evidence-based advocacy initiatives. Students will analyze the role of advocacy in influencing policy and making change within the PA profession. The course will begin with a foundation focusing on leadership theory and styles. Emphasis will be placed on developing leadership competencies for the PA to promote career development and career advancement. The course will introduce the doctoral PA student to the foundational skills needed to be a clinical preceptor. Emphasis will be placed on mentorship, supervision, and education of future PAs.

DMSc 7305:  Practicum I

This practicum course will provide doctoral PA students with a bridge between didactic coursework and real-world application. The Practicum I course will allow students to pursue one of two tracks to complete a Practicum I Project within the areas of study: writing, publishing, communication, application of evidence-based medicine, differential diagnosis, and patient education.

Clinical Practice Track: The Clinical Practice Track allows practicing PAs to design and complete a project that will apply theoretical knowledge, refine clinical skills, and develop professional competencies with the guidance of experienced faculty mentors. The Practicum I project will emphasize the use of evidence-based guidelines for the preparation of the project and the role of self-reflection and self-improvement after the completion of the project.

PA Education Track: The PA Education Track allows PAs to design and complete a project that will apply theoretical knowledge and develop the competencies needed for a career as a PA educator under the guidance of experienced faculty mentors. The Practicum I project will emphasize the use of evidence-based guidelines for the preparation of the project and emphasize the role of self-reflection and self-improvement after the completion of the project.

DMSc 7306:  Practicum II

This practicum course will provide doctoral PA students with a bridge between didactic coursework and real-world application. The Practicum II course will allow students to pursue one of two tracks for completing a Practicum II Project with the areas of study: doctoral identity formation, medical humanities, provider wellness, advocacy, leadership, or precepting.

Clinical Practice Track: The Clinical Practice Track allows practicing PAs to design and complete a project that will apply theoretical knowledge, refine clinical skills, and develop professional competencies with the guidance of experienced faculty mentors. The Practicum II project will emphasize the use of evidence-based guidelines for the preparation of the project and the role of self-reflection and self-improvement after the completion of the project.

PA Education Track: The PA Education Track allows PAs to design and complete a project that will apply theoretical knowledge and develop the competencies needed for a career as a PA educator under the guidance of experienced faculty mentors. The Practicum II project will emphasize the use of evidence-based guidelines for the preparation of the project and emphasize the role of self-reflection and self-improvement after the completion of the project.

Spring 2025 Cohort 1

Summer 2025 Cohort 2

Fall 2025 Cohort 3

Spring 2026 Cohort 4

Summer 2026 Cohort 5

The Hardin-Simmons DMSc program is a 30-credit hour program that awards credit toward the completion of the DMSc degree for 12 credit hours completed during the clinical phase of an entry-level master’s degree program.  Candidates for the DMSc program must provide proof of completion of 12 credit hours of supervised clinical practice experiences (SCPE) as documented on an official transcript from an ARC-PA-accredited master’s degree program.  The 12 credit hours of SCPE courses must be completed in addition to the other admissions requirements prior to enrollment into the program.

Supervised Clinical Practice Experiences Credit Hour Equivalences may be in any of the following ARC-PA required clinical rotations categories: Family Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Internal Medicine, Mental Health/Behavioral Medicine, Pediatric Medicine, Women’s Health, General Surgery, Professional Development Elective, Surgical and Non-Surgical Electives.

PAs enrolled in the Doctor of Medical Science program will benefit from the guidance of experienced faculty throughout the program. Courses are taught by full-time HSU faculty members and adjunct instructors who are practicing clinicians, educators, preceptors, researchers, published authors, leaders, and advocates in the PA profession. 

Meet some of our faculty members:

Program Leadership

Jill Jumper, PT, DPT, Ph.D.
Dean, College of Health Professions
Associate Professor, Department of Physical Therapy
Email: jill.jumper@hsutx.edu

Kathy Robinson, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science,
Program Director, Associate Professor
Email:  kathy.robinson@hsutx.edu

Program Faculty

Greg Perry, RPh, PharmD, BCPS-AQID, BCIDP
Doctor of Medical Science, Instructor
Email:  gregory.perry@hsutx.edu

Kathy Robinson, DHSc, MPAS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science,
Program Director, Associate Professor
Email:  kathy.robinson@hsutx.edu

Matthew Rose, DMSc, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science, Instructor
Email: matt.rose@hsutx.edu

Parker Short, PA-C, DMS, MPAS, MBA
Doctor of Medical Science, Instructor
Email: parker.short@hsutx.edu

Tenell Zahodnik, DMSc, MPAS, PA-C
Doctor of Medical Science, Instructor
Email:  tenell.zahodnik@hsutx.edu

$8,500 per semester (9 hours) + University fees

For more information, find our tuition and fees on the Graduate tab of the Tuition, Costs & Fees page.