As we conclude our celebration of Physician Assistant week, many of us may be reflecting on our career and our contributions to the health and wellness of the communities we serve. We may also be remembering the rigorous training and education we endured to get to this point. This education came in the form of lectures, labs, preceptor evaluations and lots and lots of multiple-choice questions! Our education and training were also shaped by our collaborating physicians, our colleagues in the health sciences, and more often than not, our very own patients. Each of us has come a long way since that first day of didactic year; we are now confident, well-trained providers. PA Week honors us for who we are and what we have done. It also gives us the opportunity to think about what lies ahead.
What is your next step? Are you ready for your next bold move?
Maybe you’ve considered pursuing additional education in the form of a doctoral degree but wonder if it’s right for you. Several different options exist for PAs who are interested in earning a terminal degree. At the University of Pittsburgh, we recently developed a fully online Doctor of PA Studies program designed for practicing PAs that is meant to complement the work you already do. Our DPAS program is focused on practice-based learning and quality improvement. Plus, it will help you build transferrable skills that will enhance your contributions to health care, education or health care administration.
As you work towards earning the DPAS degree you will study, develop, implement and analyze self-designed projects that can help you provide better, more accessible care, improve efficiency among your team, close gaps in care and mitigate health disparities in your own practice setting. Are you looking to change your role by pursuing an academic or administrative position? You will also develop skills that will allow you to move forward with confidence and increase your marketability. The DPAS coursework is designed to support your personalized goals. This degree is more than a credential, it is a pathway to building practical skills that will enable you to make the next bold move in your career.
If you are looking to join a community of learners who are seeking to improve the way we care for our patients, the way we teach, the way we lead and, importantly, the way we–as PAs–represent our profession, then I encourage you to consider pursuing the Doctor of PA Studies degree at the University of Pittsburgh. We are now accepting applications for summer 2022.
What are you going to do now? Take the next step. Apply today.
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Written by: Mary C. Allias EdD, MPAS, PA-C, DFAAPA
Director of Didactic Education
Assistant Professor