McKenna Robert E, Hooker Roderick S
Robert E. McKenna is director of the Doctor of Medical Science Program and an assistant professor at Marshall B. Ketchum University in Fullerton, Calif. Roderick S. Hooker is a US-based health policy consultant. The authors have disclosed no potential conflicts of interest, financial or otherwise.
JAAPA. 2025 May 1;38(5):35-41. doi: 10.1097/01.JAA.0000000000000201. Epub 2025 Apr 24.
The American physician associate (PA) profession is evolving and now includes the potential for postgraduate doctorates that align with other healthcare disciplines. This educational trend is expanding: The number of PA doctoral degree programs doubled between 2022 and 2024. A census assessment of postgraduate doctoral degrees was conducted to document this movement. In 2024, we identified 28 postprofessional PA doctoral degree programs, most conferring a Doctor of Medical Science. Tuition for an online PA doctorate ranges from $15,240 to $47,880, and most programs require at least 12 months to complete. Nearly all are online and designed for working PAs. Within these 28 doctoral programs for PAs, the most common areas of study include PA education, healthcare administration, leadership, management, and several clinical and administrative concentrations. All programs are accredited by one of six federally recognized agencies. The social, professional, economic, and financial factors pertinent to a PA considering a clinical doctorate are of interest to PA graduates, educators, and social scientists.
美国医师助理（PA）职业正在不断发展，现在还包括了与其他医疗保健学科接轨的研究生博士学位的可能性。这一教育趋势正在扩大：2022年至2024年间，PA博士学位项目的数量翻了一番。为记录这一动态，进行了一项研究生博士学位的普查评估。2024年，我们确定了28个专业后PA博士学位项目，大多数授予医学科学博士学位。在线PA博士学位的学费从15240美元到47880美元不等，大多数项目至少需要12个月才能完成。几乎所有项目都是在线的，并且是为在职PA设计的。在这28个PA博士项目中，最常见的研究领域包括PA教育、医疗保健管理、领导力、管理以及几个临床和行政方向。所有项目均由六个联邦认可机构之一认证。PA毕业生、教育工作者和社会科学家对与考虑攻读临床博士学位的PA相关的社会、专业、经济和财务因素感兴趣。
