{"id":538,"date":"2026-03-10T19:28:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-10T19:28:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/?page_id=538"},"modified":"2026-03-10T20:21:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-10T20:21:01","slug":"dmsc-course-descriptions","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/dmsc\/program-overview\/dmsc-course-descriptions\/","title":{"rendered":"DMSc Course Descriptions"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-421 alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/164\/2026\/02\/ga6035441ba06763c7f81f60766bc5ae7b1dac299a38958f65858dc4b6c4b2fd611767a8997ce70c4727dcc28978ed75c_1920-300x175.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"198\" height=\"115\" \/><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each course is carefully crafted to address the evolving needs and challenges of the healthcare sector while emphasizing the importance of research, leadership, social justice, education, and well-being in healthcare practice. The comprehensive Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc) program is a journey of scholarly and professional growth in the field of healthcare.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 701 Foundations of Doctoral Studies &#8211;<\/strong> This course provides students with an in-depth understanding of the fundamental principles and methodologies of doctoral-level research and scholarship. It covers research ethics, literature review, research design, and the development of critical thinking skills necessary for advanced academic and professional pursuits.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 702 Practice-Based Research and Improvement &#8211;<\/strong> This course emphasizes the practical application of scholarly work in healthcare. Students learn how to translate research findings and scholarly knowledge into tangible improvements in healthcare practice, enhancing the quality of patient care and the overall healthcare system.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 703 Facilitating Professional Growth &#8211;<\/strong> This course focuses on nurturing the personal and professional development of healthcare professionals. Students will assess their professional and doctoral goals within the context of one\u2019s overall life. The course will utilize an adaptation of design thinking of ideation and prototyping to create multiple visions of one\u2019s career and growth plans to achieve one\u2019s goals with mindful intention.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 704 Well-Being for the Healthcare Leader &#8211;<\/strong> This course empowers students to address the critical challenge of enhancing the well-being of healthcare practitioners. Emphasizing both personal well-being and leadership growth, students will engage with the research process to identify and evaluate evidence-based strategies for managing stress, building resilience, and cultivating supportive and growth-oriented workplaces. By the end of the course, students will be prepared to guide teams through challenges and contribute to a healthier, more sustainable healthcare workforce.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>*PA 705 Advanced Healthcare Strategy and Innovation &#8211;<\/strong> This course examines strategy and innovation, two key areas that are becoming increasingly crucial for healthcare leaders to navigate a rapidly evolving field. In the strategy section, students will learn essential healthcare management skills, including strategic planning, creating and leading high-performing teams, and foundations of managing change. The innovation section focuses on exploring healthcare advancements through case analysis. The summative project will allow the student to apply the learning material to an innovation project within their sector of interest, including clinical, education, research, or community-based initiatives.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 706 Communities and Change &#8211;<\/strong> Students will explore the interconnection of communities and health, focusing on how social determinants of health shape our societal well-being and healthcare system. Through case studies, students will gain insight into systemic and policy factors that impact health equity. The course will review strategies for community engagement and interprofessional collaboration to drive transformative change and develop sustainable solutions. Additionally, students will acquire research skills including conducting ethical research, navigating the IRB process, and analyzing data.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA707 Leadership for PAs &#8211;<\/strong> This course prepares PAs to lead effectively in a variety of healthcare and medical education settings. Students will examine leadership theories, reflect on their leadership styles and strengths, and engage in skill-building exercises. The course emphasizes effective communication, professional advocacy, and the ability to lead through change in a dynamic healthcare environment.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 708 The Business of Healthcare &#8211;<\/strong> This course delves into the business and management aspects of healthcare. It covers healthcare economics, organizational structures, financial management, and human resources fundamentals to equip students with the knowledge required to navigate the complex healthcare business environment.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 709 Applied Scholarly Practice in Healthcare &#8211;<\/strong> This course delves into the business and management aspects of healthcare. It covers healthcare economics, organizational structures, financial management, and human resources fundamentals to equip students with the knowledge required to navigate the complex healthcare business environment.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>*PA 710 Leadership, Health, and Universal Responsibility: A Central American Experience &#8211;<\/strong> This course invites students to critically examine and expand their understanding of leadership, health, wellness, and universal responsibility through a global and intercultural lens. Engaging with Central American scholars, indigenous and immigrant community leaders, and traditional healers, students explore how health, environment, and justice intersect across global contexts. Students challenge their assumptions and develop a broader, service-oriented philosophy of ethical leadership grounded in the principles of universal responsibility.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>*PA 801 Leadership Application and Critical Reflection &#8211;<\/strong> This course challenges students to move beyond foundational theory to the practical application of advanced leadership skills. Through critical self-reflection, the student will define their leadership identity and develop a personal growth plan to achieve professional goals beyond the classroom. Additionally, students will practice the critical leadership skills of communication and influence as they progress through the course.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 802 Teaching And Learning Strategies In Healthcare &#8211;<\/strong> This course integrates communication skills with healthcare education strategies to enhance students&#8217; interpersonal abilities and become effective educators. Students will develop methods for effective teaching and knowledge dissemination while optimizing environments to enrich learning and promote empowerment. These skills are applicable across roles including as clinicians, leaders, and educators.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>PA 803 Capstone &#8211;<\/strong> The Capstone course is the culmination of the DMSc program. Students will carry out their approved capstone project plan, including implementation, analysis, and a written report on their translational research or quality improvement project. This course demonstrates students\u2019 ability to contribute to the field of medicine through scholarly research and innovation, with opportunities for publication and professional presentation.<\/p>\n<hr \/>\n<p><strong>*Selective Option: <\/strong><em>PA 710 \u2013 Leadership, Health, and Universal Responsibility: A Central American Experience (summer semester only) <\/em>can replace PA 705 or PA 801, but not both courses.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Each course is carefully crafted to address the evolving needs and challenges of the healthcare sector while emphasizing the importance &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":679,"featured_media":0,"parent":426,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-538","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/538","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/679"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=538"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/538\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":551,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/538\/revisions\/551"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/426"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.augsburg.edu\/dmsc\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=538"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}