Doctor of Medical Science Programs

Shape the future of healthcare.

Butler’s Doctor of Medical Science (DMS) programs—offered as a full 50-hour degree program, 12-hour graduate certificates, or an accelerated pathway for new PA grads—gives students the skills, and the confidence, to be leaders in healthcare.

Alumna Lori Vasquez

One degree. Two paths.

Whether you’re a practicing PA or you recently graduated from an ARC-PA accredited program, Butler University offers a path to the Doctor of Medical Science (DMS) degree that fits you.

DMS Degree Program
Our fully online and asynchronous, 50-credit hour DMS program serves PAs who are interested in building on their PA training and clinical experience with more in-depth medical knowledge, leadership skills, and business acumen to advance within their workplace. Students may choose from four degree concentration areas—Foundations in Critical Care, Foundations in Orthopedic Care, Healthcare Practice and Administration, and PA Educator. Three, 12-hour graduate certificates are also available in healthcare practice and administration, medical science, and PA education.

DMS Bridge Program
The online DMS Bridge program is an accelerated path to the DMS exclusively for new PAs who have graduated within six months from an accredited ARC-PA program. The Bridge Program incorporates 36-credit hours already completed during supervised clinical practice and combines them with the 14 credit-hours of didactic courses and a semester-long Capstone Project.

Two Certificate Options

The Butler DMS program offers three, 12-hour certificates: Healthcare Practice and Administration, which is aimed at developing a student’s business operation and management acumen; PA Educator, which broadens a student’s understanding of teaching and medical education for PAs; and Medical Science, which provides a focused opportunity to expand core medical knowledge in areas students choose and promotes lifelong learning.

Jumpstart your PA Career with the DMS Bridge Program.