Doctor of Medical Science DMSc

The FDU College of Nursing and Allied Health’s Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) degree program provides licensed Physician Assistants/Associates and other MS/MA-prepared health-adjacent professionals with extended knowledge of population health, quality assessment, policy analysis, and evidence-based practice (EBP) to enhance their leadership in practice settings, educational institutions, and healthcare organizations. There is a strong focus on survey methodology and analysis of survey data.  Students are able to identify issues in their own healthcare system or health ecosystem and propose practical solutions to improve patient or population outcomes (i.e., without interventions requiring IRB oversight) all while engaging remotely with university and library resources.  Many students go on to successfully implement their doctoral project following graduation.      

Admission Requirements

• MS/MA degree from accredited university in health adjacent area (e.g., MS degree from an accredited Physician Assistant program).
• 2.8 GPA (inclusive of all college transcripts).

Optional/Preferred Requirements

• Relevant experience in healthcare or health-adjacent field.
• Letter(s) of recommendation.

**Applicants are encouraged to send unofficial transcripts to FDU at the time of application submission. We can often facilitate a conditional admission decision using these unofficial transcript copies while we await receipt of official transcripts.

Curriculum 

Admission is on a rolling basis. Students can generally complete the program in 5-7 semesters. Students who wish to attend full-time and begin fall semester can complete the program in 4 semesters.

Foundational Courses (27 credits)

• MEDT 8020 Healthcare Delivery Systems & Public Policy (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8011 Leadership & Organizational Analysis (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8008 Information Systems for Healthcare (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8021 Translational Research (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8017 Biostatistics & Epidemiology (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8019 Finance, Economics & Entrepreneurship (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8018 Health Promotion & Population Health (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8010 Health Quality Assessment & Outcomes (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8022 Scientific Underpinnings 

Core Courses (10 credits)

• MEDT 8026 Doctoral Synthesis (1 credit) 
• MEDT 8023 EBP Project 1: Proposal Development (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8024 EBP Project 2: Implementation (3 credits) 
• MEDT 8025 EBP Project 3: Evaluation & Dissemination (3 credits)

Students who have completed a master’s degree program at FDU or have taken some doctoral credits at another institution may be able to waive/substitute credits for the DMSc program after transfer credit evaluation, which occurs after program enrollment. (Students who have completed the MS-PA degree at FDU will usually receive 15 credits of course waiver.)  See Transfer Credit Policy in CoNAH Student Manual. 

Academic Program Plans (suggested)

Spring Start Cohort (6 semesters)

• MEDT 8026 Doctoral Synthesis (1 credit) (Spring 1)
• MEDT 8020 Healthcare Delivery Systems & Public Policy or MEDT 8018 Health Promotion & Population Health (Spring 1) 
• MEDT 8011 Leadership & Organizational Analysis (Spring 1, or defer to Spring 2)
• MEDT 8008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• MEDT 8021 Translational Research (Summer 1)
• MEDT 8017 Biostatistics & Epidemiology (Fall 1)
• MEDT 8019 Finance, Economics & Entrepreneurship or MEDT 8022 Scientific Underpinnings (Fall 1)
• MEDT 8018 Health Promotion & Population Health or MEDT 8020 Healthcare Delivery Systems & Public Policy (Spring 2) 
• MEDT 8023 EBP Project 1: Proposal Development (Spring 2)
• MEDT 8010 Health Quality Assessment & Outcomes (Summer 2)
• MEDT 8024 EBP Project 2: Implementation (Summer 2)
• MEDT 8022 Scientific Underpinnings or MEDT 8019 Finance, Economics & Entrepreneurship or (Fall 2)
• MEDT 8025 EBP Project 3: Evaluation & Dissemination (Fall 2)

Total credits: 37

Total immersion hours: Total of 1000 (inclusive of prior MS/MA clinical/practice hours, and professional practice waiver)

Summer Start Cohort (6 semesters)

• MEDT 8021 Translational Research (Summer 1)
• MEDT 8008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1, or defer to Summer 2)
• MEDT 8026 Doctoral Synthesis (1 credit) (Fall 1)
• MEDT 8019 Finance, Economics & Entrepreneurship or MEDT 8022 Scientific Underpinnings (Fall 1)
• MEDT 8017 Biostatistics & Epidemiology (Fall 1, or defer to Fall 2)
• MEDT 8023 EBP Project 1: Proposal Development (Spring 1)
• MEDT 8020 Healthcare Delivery Systems & Public Policy or MEDT 8018 Health Promotion & Population Health (Spring 1) 
• MEDT 8011 Leadership & Organizational Analysis (Spring 1, or defer to Spring 2)
• MEDT 8024 EBP Project 2: Implementation (Summer 2)
• MEDT 8010 Health Quality Assessment & Outcomes (Summer 2)
• MEDT 8025 EBP Project 3: Evaluation & Dissemination (Fall 2)
• MEDT 8022 Scientific Underpinnings or MEDT 8019 Finance, Economics & Entrepreneurship or (Fall 2)
• MEDT 8018 Health Promotion & Population Health or MEDT 8020 Healthcare Delivery Systems & Public Policy (Spring 2) 

Total credits: 37

Total immersion hours: Total of 1000 (inclusive of prior MS/MA clinical/practice hours, and professional practice waiver)

Fall Start Cohort (7 semesters)

• MEDT 8017 Biostatistics & Epidemiology (Fall 1, or defer to Fall 2)
• MEDT 8019 Finance, Economics & Entrepreneurship or MEDT 8022 Scientific Underpinnings (Fall 1)
• MEDT 8026 Doctoral Synthesis (1 credit) (Fall 1)
• MEDT 8020 Healthcare Delivery Systems & Public Policy or MEDT 8018 Health Promotion & Population Health (Spring 1) 
• MEDT 8011 Leadership & Organizational Analysis (Spring 1, or defer to Spring 2)
• MEDT 8008 Information Systems for Healthcare (Summer 1)
• MEDT 8021 Translational Research (Summer 1)
• MEDT 8022 Scientific Underpinnings or MEDT 8019 Finance, Economics & Entrepreneurship or (Fall 2)
• MEDT 8018 Health Promotion & Population Health or MEDT 8020 Healthcare Delivery Systems & Public Policy (Spring 2) 
• MEDT 8023 EBP Project 1: Proposal Development (Spring 2)
• MEDT 8024 EBP Project 2: Implementation (Summer 2)
• MEDT 8010 Health Quality Assessment & Outcomes (Summer 2)
• MEDT 8025 EBP Project 3: Evaluation & Dissemination (Fall 3)

Total credits: 37

Total immersion hours: Total of 1000 (inclusive of prior MS/MA clinical/practice hours, and professional practice waiver)

Important Application Information for International and Out-of-State Students:

International and out-of-state prospective students are encouraged to apply to our post-graduate doctoral program. We will review applications on a case-by-case basis to assure that there are no federal, state, or regional restrictions for accepting the applicant into our FDU doctoral program. 

To apply for this program

Apply for this graduate program using the FDU online graduate application.  After navigating to this page, choose blue “U.S. Graduate Applicants” button. When establishing your account, choose Location: “Online” and choose Online Program: “Doctor of Medical Science DMSc Online Campus.”  Applicants are encouraged to send unofficial transcripts to FDU at the time of application submission as we can often facilitate a conditional admission decision using these unofficial transcript copies while we await receipt of official transcripts.

If you receive an error message that your account is locked or email is invalid, please contact brennanj@fdu.edu (201-692-2519) or grad@fdu.edu (201-692-2554) for assistance.