Doctor of Medical Science, DMSc

The DMSc for PAs consists of 19 courses for a total of 60 credits. 

Admission requirements are listed below: 

We welcome new graduates and experienced PAs. 

• A copy of your valid, unrestricted (current) Physician Assistant (PA) license in the United States. Students enrolled in the DMSc program must have an unencumbered license to be admitted and they must maintain licensure for the duration of their enrollment.
• Applicants must report board actions and other professional actions on acceptance of admission.  Students who are subject to actions during the time of their enrollment are required to inform the DMSc Graduate Program Director.

We understand investing in your education can be challenging financially. We've gathered up some handy resources to help you out with funding your degree.

Scholarships and financial aid are available, along with opportunities for Graduate Research and Teaching Assistantships for interested candidates.

20% Preceptor Tuition Waiver 

Clinical site recruitment and retention are critical for student success in Physician Assistant (PA) education, and the Graduate School at University of Maryland, Baltimore (UMB) values the service of PAs who dedicate time and talent to educate the next generation. To reward ongoing preceptorship and encourage PAs currently not precepting, the new DMSc Program at UMB will offer a 20% tuition waiver to Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) students who commit to precepting PA students from our Maryland PA Programs. 

Learn more about our DMSc Preceptor Waiver Policy PDF here.

Flavius Lilly Scholarship Fund

The Flavius Lilly Scholarship Fund provides financial assistance to DMSc graduate students who express financial need and exemplify Dr. Lilly’s core values of academic excellence, leadership, and community engagement.

MSHS PA Graduate Perk

Graduates of PA master's programs may be eligible for up to 9 credits toward the DMSc, leaving only 51 credits left to completion.
Graduates of the AACC/UMB and UMB PA master's programs may be eligible for up to 15 credits toward the DMSc, leaving only 45 credits left to completion.

Maryland Loan Assistance Repayment Program 

The MLARP provides educational loan repayment funds to Maryland physicians and physician assistants who must serve a 2 year obligation in a health professional shortage area (HPSA) or medically underserved area (MUA), either in primary care or mental health.

The PALLA Fellowship: Supported by the State of Maryland, this fellowship provides stipends for experienced PAs interested in precepting and faculty roles. PALLA fellows can now apply their experience for DMSC elective credits while receiving financial support.

Public Service Loan Forgiveness

The Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after the borrower has made:

• 120 qualifying monthly payments
• under a qualifying repayment plan
• while working full-time for a qualifying employer

For detailed information and to determine your eligibility, students are encourage to utilize the PSLF Help Tool through Federal Student Aid.  

Borrowers who are employed by UMB must submit their Employer Certification Form to UMB Human Resources. More information about this process can be found through HR Service Center and Records. 

The UMB Graduate School is committed to preparing generations of component healthcare leaders. On our campus, you'll find faculty with a wealth experience and PAs dedicated to educating students who will go on to positively impact the health of our diverse society. Leveraging both virtual and face-to-face teaching, advance your career with one of our professional development opportunities. 

Health Professions Education (MS, PhD) 

Gain the academic skills needed to conduct educational research, lead educational programs, institutions, curricula, and organizations in the health and medical professions with a PhD or MS in Health Professions Education. These programs aim to provide students with the necessary tools to further develop interprofessional health profession course and curricular design, research, and assessment skills. 

Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy (PALLA)

Consider the Faculty Fellowship program, which provides PA clinicians with experiences and training to prepare them to become part of the PA faculty workforce. The Physician Assistant Leadership and Learning Academy (PALLA) supports the development of PA education across the state of Maryland.

PALLA is centrally located at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. PALLA aims to develop a Maryland Physician Assistant workforce and faculty capacity to educate the next generation of PA students while advancing Physician Assistant education, research, and policy. The vision of PALLA is to create an inclusive learning community dedicated to excellence in education.