Now With Extra Letters: How the PA World Got Peer-Pressured into a Doctorate
By: A PA still paying off the last degree...
Just when you started feeling competent about your MPAS PA-C degree, along comes a shiny new credential: the Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc). Because nothing says "functioning healthcare system" like academic one-upmanship and a desperate scramble for professional validation.
Can we call out the elephant in the room? This wasn’t born out of necessity. It was born in the darkest corners of academia where some bored administrators said, “How can we milk more money from overworked PAs who already have trauma-bonded with Sallie Mae?”
The Real Origins of the DMSc
It started, as most modern misfortunes do, with a touch of professional insecurity. Nurse practitioners started calling themselves “doctor” and suddenly, the PA profession got sweaty palms.
Did we need to be “doctor” too? Would patients respect us more? Would patients finally stop asking us when they’d be seeing the doctor?
Cue the DMSc: a degree designed not to change your practice rights or autonomy, but to make you feel slightly more validated at your next white coat selfie.
Proponents will tell you the DMSc is about "leadership." And sure, technically you might write a few papers about healthcare policy or systems improvement. But can we stop the BS? It’s mostly a $30,000 pat on the back wrapped in Google Slides and academic jargon.
You’re already leading. You lead patient care, some of you lead code blues, and you lead your EMR into the dark abyss daily. If you want to be a better leader, you probably need protected time, institutional support, and maybe a second coffee—not another thesis paper.
The Side Effects of Degree Creep
Once the NPs went DNP, we should’ve known the PAs wouldn’t be far behind. And here we are, playing a sad game of doctoral dress-up, chasing respect in a system that still treats us like mid-level afterthoughts.
Let’s call it what it is: credential FOMO.
And just like all peer pressure, it starts with “everyone else is doing it” and ends with you wondering why your bank account looks like it just got off a Vegas bender.
For the low price of (at least) $30,000, here’s what you’re likely to take home:
More debt
Another confusing title that no one understands
The ability to call yourself “Doctor” (in a room where no one cares)
An academic high-five from the LinkedIn echo chamber
What you’re unlikely to get out of it:
More clinical rights
Higher pay
Less charting
The respect of clinic administrators
Is it worth it?
Yes, if:
You’re passionate about academia and genuinely want to teach, do research, or dive into healthcare policy
You have $30k burning a hole in your pocket and a kink for writing discussion posts
You love the idea of being a doctor with absolutely none of the privileges or perks
Otherwise? Maybe take that tuition money and go on a sabbatical. Learn woodworking. Get a therapist. Start a side hustle. Do something you actually care about.
Because this “degree creep” hamster wheel we’re on? It’s spinning fast, and all it’s doing is making us more exhausted, less fulfilled, and alphabet-heavy with nowhere to go.