Doctor of Science (DHSc/DMSc) Program Objectives

Degree Objectives

The doctor of healthcare science (DHSc) and doctor of medical science (DMSc) 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 (DHSc/DMSc) Program is committed to the continuous pursuit of academic excellence and the ongoing development of experienced physician associates/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.