With new doctorate, physician assistants prepare to lead

Her master’s degree prepared Ashley Viere ’15 MSPAS for her role working with patients at Regions Hospital.

Then, while continuing to care for patients, she became the hospital’s central director of advanced practice clinician fellowships in January 2023. As she took on additional responsibilities, Viere felt she needed to expand her skill set.

That led to her interest in a first-of-its-kind Augsburg University doctoral program in Minnesota.

Beginning Fall 2025, Augsburg’s Doctor of Medical Science program offers physician assistants/associates (PAs) a pathway to career advancement in health care leadership and administration, research, public policy, academia, and specialized clinical practice.

“I hope to learn skills that make me a more well-rounded and effective leader so I can help drive innovation in both PA education and practice. I’d also like to develop research skills that will allow me to contribute to evidence-based studies that may advance the PA profession,” she said.

Viere was impressed by how thoughtfully Augsburg faculty and staff approached the program to ensure students could achieve their individual professional goals. “The program’s mission to provide high-quality and impactful educational content with a health equity lens resonated with me,” she said.

“Our first cohort of 15 students includes experienced clinicians, innovative leaders, and dedicated educators,” said Diana Soran, program director for the Augsburg DMSc. “I am proud of the talent and commitment they bring. I know they will support one another to excel in the program and in their careers.”

The four-semester program is designed around the busy schedules of working PAs. Students take three online courses each semester for a total of 36 credits. The program contains a core series of focuses in leadership, health care management, health care education, and research. The asynchronous format allows for flexibility and adaptability, prioritizing individual needs and balanced schedules.

“We’ve established university and mentoring resources to support students to do original research in the program. This opportunity is not available at all DMSc programs,” Soran said.

To be eligible for admission, students must hold a master’s degree in PA studies (MPAS, MSPAS, or equivalent) or a bachelor’s degree in PA studies plus a minimum of five years practicing as a licensed physician assistant.

Augsburg established Minnesota’s first PA program in 1994, and Augsburg School of Health Director Vanessa Bester sees the DMSc as an opportunity for the university to be an innovator in the state again as many physician assistants seek career development opportunities.

“Without a doctoral degree, it is hard for PAs to get a seat at the upper administrative or leadership table. Part of that is because the foundation of a PA masters’ education does not include leadership, teaching, and management skills,” said Bester, who also serves as a faculty member in the DMSc program.

“We see that even PAs who have been in practice and in leadership positions are being overlooked or left out of critical conversations at a higher administrative level within the health care sector.”

As the curriculum of the PA master’s program was being updated in 2023, Bester led the proposal for the new doctorate.

The PA field emerged during the 1960s doctor shortage when medical programs were developed for Vietnam War veterans who had experience as medics but no formal training, Bester said. Similar to their nurse practitioner counterparts, PAs work with patients, order diagnostic tests, and can prescribe medicine.

Today, most PAs in the growing field earn a master’s degree to practice. While the credential prepares them for working with patients, it’s the physicians and nurses with doctorates who typically earn the majority of leadership roles within the health care sector.

Soran recalls working as a PA for 11 years when she started to feel she wanted more. “There are different avenues you can pursue, but too often you hit roadblocks with people viewing you as ‘just a PA,'” she said. “Our nursing colleagues have excelled at securing a seat at the leadership table through advocacy and professional development. The DMSc degree helps PAs build skills and credibility to ensure our voices are also part of the conversation on the future of health care.”

To move forward, Soran completed a DMSc at the University of Lynchburg in Virginia, focusing on trauma-informed care. As a result, she expanded into consulting, lecturing, and keynote speaking in addition to her clinical work.

Besides being the founding director of Augsburg’s DMSc program since February, Soran also serves as an Augsburg clinical assistant professor.

“I was really able to take control of my career trajectory in a way that was unique and fit my needs and my values—something that I wouldn’t have been able to without the doctorate degree,” she said. “Now I’m here at Augsburg working as program director. I’m loving the work and am excited to see where our students take the degree.”

More doctoral programs are emerging nationally to address the need for PAs to gain leadership and research tools. The development of Augsburg’s DMSc program was a direct response to Minnesota’s workforce needs.

The program is designed for students to integrate key learnings from the program into their clinical practice and, finally, toward their doctoral capstone project.

“I think there’s a concern among PAs nationally that we don’t have a doctorate simply to have letters after our name,” Bester said. “We want a doctorate to be meaningful and truly promote and propel PAs in their work. At Augsburg, we wanted to be able to create a program that gave people additional skills for the rest of their career.”

Marah Czaja, an Augsburg clinical assistant professor in the Master of Physician Assistant Studies program who works one day a week at Hennepin Healthcare’s addiction medicine department, is also part of the first DMSc cohort. She expects the doctorate will boost her professional growth in academia and potentially into health care’s upper management ranks.

“I’m really hoping that I can integrate a lot of what I am learning in the program with my professional career as an instructor at Augsburg,” she said.

Clinton Billhorn ’18 MSPAS is pursuing the degree to become “an effective and competent researcher” and to improve his clinical practice caring for patients at Lakeview, Methodist, and Regions hospitals in the Twin Cities metro area.

The flexible format also appeals to him.

“I work seven days on and seven days off. The asynchronous design of the program, working at your own pace and meeting deadlines, will really help me maximize my time when I’m not at work,” said Billhorn, also an Augsburg adjunct faculty member in the Master’s-level PA program.

To give the cohort a sense of community, the program pairs students with a DMSc faculty mentor, links them to community PA leaders, and provides experiential learning designed to meaningfully support their professional development.

Viere is looking forward to the insights of her peers as well as the faculty expertise about broader issues in the rapidly evolving health care sector.

“Health care in the United States is so complex. I’m looking forward to learning more about the industry and how to strategize for the future. PAs are already an integral part of patient care, and if included in the conversations, I believe we can help make health care more sustainable for our patients, colleagues and organizations.”

Top image: DMSc Program Director Diana Soran speaks to members of the program’s first-ever cohort. (Photo by Courtney Perry)