Entry-Level Doctoral Degree

Exploring the Entry-Level Doctoral Degree in PA Education

Right now, a PA earns a master’s degree when entering the profession, which prepares a student to practice medicine in every specialty and setting. 

At our 2023 business meeting, PAEA members approved a resolution directing the Board of Directors “to explore how doctoral degrees can contribute to PA education.” In response to this charge, the Board formed the PAEA Doctoral Education Commission to investigate the implications of moving toward an entry-level doctoral degree for PAs. This includes understanding:

• How such a move would affect PAs already in practice and those nearing practice
• How it would affect efforts to attract a more diverse group of students and faculty
• How it would affect programs and their home institutions  

Once their work is completed, the commission will provide a detailed analysis to the PAEA Board and members. In addition, it will provide resources to help members and organizations better understand the issues at play.

Research and Presentations

Review recent public presentations, podcast discussions, and appearances from the Doctoral Commission alongside a curated collection of related resources. This section will continue to grow with added analyses and insights as the Commission releases its findings.

Why Is PAEA Examining This Issue?

The evaluation of an entry-level doctoral degree will position PAEA to provide sound policy recommendations that align with the values of the organization and are consistent with the future needs of education and the health care workforce. 

Recent discussion and debate have occurred within the profession, necessitating a broad examination of the benefits, risks, consequences, and value proposition of the transition from master’s to doctoral entry-level education. Several trends in PA education are driving this debate: 

• PAs currently complete a master’s level education. The average 26-month full-time curriculum prepares graduates to enter clinical practice where they are expected to work in a collaborating role with physicians and other health care team members. The length and cost of the current PA master’s degree is consistent with doctoral degrees of several other non-MD/DO professions.   
• A multitude of programs are advancing DMSc or similar degrees (post-professional clinical doctoral degrees for PAs), a trend that demonstrates the demand for doctoral-level PA education. This necessitates a prompt evaluation of this question, even though PAEA recently renewed its policy statement about the master’s remaining the entry-level degree.   
• A number of Certificate of Added Qualifications (CAQ) and residency programs are being established, further evidence that the PA profession is seeking ways to meet the needs of the health care environment while helping individual practitioners thrive. This trend points to the need to evaluate how PAEA can support the profession’s mission to address future health care workforce needs, including an earnest evaluation of the doctoral degree question.   
• Feedback that PAEA has received from members and programs in recent years has indicated that the question about a potential entry-level doctoral degree needs to be settled to properly plan for the future in terms of faculty capacity, accreditation, and other long-term planning issues.   

What Is the Current PAEA Position on the Entry-Level Doctoral Degree?

PAEA has several position policies, which are philosophical statements that reflect the Association’s stance on critical issues and and actions that should be taken by governments and other external bodies. These policies sunset periodically and PAEA members must review the policy for any updates or changes. In 2023, during the most recent revision of the policy related to the entry-level doctoral degree, the membership voted to further explore the implications of an entry-level doctoral degree.   

The current policy related to the terminal and entry-level degree of the profession reads:

PAEA is confident in the preparation of PA graduates at the master’s degree level to meet the competencies necessary for quality and cost-effective clinical PA practice. PAEA supports the master’s degree as the terminal and entry-level degree for the PA profession. PAEA recognizes that doctoral degrees are an increasingly important contributor to PA education that will help the profession advance its goals. For this reason, PAEA is investing in a strategy to explore how PA doctoral degrees can optimally contribute to PA education.

Approved October 2023

Meet the Commission

History of PAEA’s Leadership on the Entry-Level Doctoral Degree

As PAEA members know, the formation of the Doctoral Education Commission is the latest step in the deliberate consideration of the entry-level degree. Below is an overview on PAEA’s leadership and research on this topic.

• October 2019: PAEA membership votes to further explore the entry-level doctorate 
• June 2020: PAEA funds research on entry-level doctorate  
• September 2021: Doctoral Summit Steering Committee formed 
• October 2021: : PAEA hosts a town hall session about the forthcoming Doctoral Summit
• March 2022-January 2023: Doctoral Summit Steering Committee conducts stakeholder interviews (40+ conducted to date)
• July 2022: Doctoral Summit Steering Committee conducts student and early career listening sessions (six sessions)
• September 2022: PAEA hosts a town hall listening session about the forthcoming Doctoral Summit
• January 2023: Entry-Level Doctorate Working Group formed 
• March 2023: Doctoral Summit held in Charlotte, NC 
• April 2023: PAEA releases a membership survey on the entry-level doctorate
• Summer 2023: PAEA Board of Directors releases entry-level doctorate position policy 
• October 2023: At the 2023 Business Meeting, members approved a position policy affirming the master’s degree as the entry-level degree for the profession and directing the Board of Directors to invest in “a strategy to explore how Doctoral Degrees can optimally contribute to PA education.”
• June 2024: PAEA Board of Directors approves the formation of the Doctoral Education Commission 
• July 2024: PAEA Board of Directors appoints David Asprey as Doctoral Education Commission Chair and Jennifer Snyder as Co-Chair
• September 2024: Doctoral Education Commission holds its first meeting
• January 2025: Doctoral Education Commission launches a comprehensive stakeholder engagement initiative, bringing together voices from across the healthcare education landscape. Central to this initiative is a newly formed advisory group comprising 30 members who bring specialized expertise and diverse perspectives to the commission’s work.
• Spring 2025: The Commission meets with all six institutional accrediting organizations to explore the practical implications of transitioning from the master’s to doctoral-level education.
• May 2025: Doctoral Education Commission delivers presentations at the AAPA 2025 Conference & Expo:
  • Research in Action brief, “Investigating the Entry-Level Professional Doctoral Degree: Impact of Institutional Accreditation
  • Presentation, “The PAEA Doctoral Education Commission: What it Is All About”
  • The Commission has added questions to the PA Practice Survey, which is distributed at AAPA 2025.
• May 2025: Doctoral Education Commission meets with Student Academy leaders to understand students’ perspectives on the opportunities and challenges presented by an entry-level doctorate.
• August 2025: Doctoral Education Commission concludes a series of meetings with leaders from PAEA, AAPA, ARC‑PA, NCCPA, Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. These discussions sought stakeholder input on the potential benefits and challenges of transitioning to an entry‑level PA doctorate.
• October 2025: The Commission delivers presentations at PAEA’s 2025 Education Forum and adds questions to the post-event survey; data analysis is pending.
  • Presentation, “Transparent Conversations on the Entry-Level PA Doctorate”
  • Presentation, “Transition to Entry-Level Doctoral Degree and Institutional Accreditation”

Stay tuned for the Doctoral Education Commission’s next steps.

Opportunities for PAEA Members to Provide Input

As a member-led Association, we believe it is essential to hear from PA faculty, staff, and program directors at every stage of this review. The Commission is planning opportunities for our members to share questions, feedback, and perspectives on the entry-level doctoral degree. Check back here for future opportunities to contribute to the conversation.