Online Doctorate of Physician Assistant (DPA)

Earn the Highest Degree for Physician Assistant.

In the last several decades, Physician Assistants (PAs) have positively impacted the health and patient care landscape by providing exceptional medical services and improving the lives of their patients. The Doctorate of Physician Assistant (DPA) program is the only 100% online professional doctorate program without residency requirements, can be achieved while working full-time, and utilizes lessons learned in your accumulated clinical expertise.

The Touro University Worldwide (TUW) Doctorate of Physician Assistant (DPA) program is designed to advance the career of post-professional students practicing in any area of medicine, surgery, medical education or other health-related areas through the application and engagement in scholarly and professional activities commensurate with the doctoral level. The program will provide students with a comprehensive underpinning of the theories and research needed to optimize their experience in their current and/or future careers, as they face the challenges and the evolving demands of today’s healthcare industry.

The DPA program enhances existing knowledge and expands upon competencies applicable to your role as a PA. The doctoral degree adds to your life-long education, clinical experience, and career accomplishments. By earning a Doctorate of Physician Assistant (DPA) degree, PAs, educators, and administrators, advance their careers to excel above others in the field by positioning themselves for a wide range of opportunities to apply innovation, conduct scholarly research, and exercise leadership in a current or future practice.

Students in the DPA program can choose from two concentrations:

Global Health provides graduates of the Doctorate in Physician Assistant with skills and knowledge to manage global and international healthcare organizations, emergency disaster management and policies for global health systems. Students learn how to efficiently manage in global healthcare systems.

Healthcare Leadership provides graduates of the Doctorate in Physician Assistant with leadership skills and knowledge to aid healthcare organizations in reaching their goals. Students learn how to efficiently manage healthcare systems by learning about topics such as financial management, healthcare leadership, strategies in healthcare organizations and best practices in healthcare leadership and management.

The TUW Doctorate of Physician Assistant (DPA) program is open to all qualified students, and is carefully designed to work well for busy professionals and working adults just like you. New advances in educational technology enable you to take your courses to fit the way you live and work, even when you travel. All you need is a computer and Internet connection to participate in the virtual classroom.

Note: This degree does not lead to any form of licensure or certification.

What makes this Doctorate of Physician Assistant program different?

  • 100% online
  • Affordable tuition
  • Nonprofit Accredited University
  • No residency required
  • No GRE required
  • Accelerated admissions process
  • 6 starts throughout the year
  • 8 weeks session
  • Learn from scholar-practitioners with expertise in the industry.

The TUW Doctorate of Physician Assistant (DPA) has several unique features:

  • Instructors themselves are scholar-practitioners with expertise as PAs, MDs, and or Healthcare Professionals and actively involved in their own professional work and/or research areas of interest.
  • Curriculum design is directly applicable to your background which allow you to excel in the global healthcare industry in your area of interest.
  • The unique pedagogy in an online delivery method provides you the flexibility to conveniently advance your education while maintaining busy schedules and family lives.

Doctorate Program Benefit

The program is designed to:

  • Provide students with the professional skills and tools to design evidence-based solutions in their professional area of expertise
  • Provide a doctoral level environment that includes faculty research guidance, technology and learning opportunities that lead to the development of research professional competencies needed to translate theory into practical solutions that lead to success in a selected setting
  • Provide a support system dedicated to student success at the Doctoral level

DPA Faculty Spotlight

Dr. Ceabert J. Griffith

PhD, PA
Adjunct Professor

Tuition Information

  • TUW’s tuition for the Entire Doctorate of Physician Assistant is $29,400, There are no additional fees such as e-text.
  • TUW’s tuition for the Doctorate of Physician Assistant is $700 per semester credit unit.
  • Your employer may offer a tuition assistance program so speak with your human resource representative to find out if financial support is available to you. A TUW Tuition Assistance Counselor is available to you in order to determine your eligibility for financial aid and other tuition assistance programs.
Woman Calculating

Program Requirements

The program includes several phases. The first phase includes required courses in the scholar-practitioner model, associated topics in the healthcare and medical fields, and applicable research methods for healthcare professionals.

Upon completion of the required courses, the student begins the first phase of the research project with each student working closely with a faculty chair and committee in completion of the research project phase proposal. In this phase, students personalize their academic journey for greater outcomes, by selecting a topic of interest to apply lessons learned in their field and or developing skills applicable to a research area of interest.

In the final phase, students finalize their research area of interest with a product that lends to real-world solutions while simultaneously achieving their desired goal in the program as a Doctor in the Doctorate of Physician Assistant Program.

For additional information, please visit the TUW Catalog.

Admission Requirements

Students seeking to enroll in Touro University Worldwide’s Doctoral program must meet the following criteria to be considered for admission:

  1. Have earned a Master’s degree from an accredited institution. If the degree was awarded oversees, it must be from an institution that is approved by the Ministry of Education.
  2. Cumulative GPA of 3.4 in the accredited Master’s Program.
  3. Current licensure or possess an Emeritus status.
  4. NCCPA certification or Emeritus status
  5. Clinical practice/experience is a plus

Students, who meet the above criteria, will be required to complete the following steps in order to be admitted and enrolled at TUW:

  1. Submit an application to the University. There is a non-refundable $25 application fee. (Click here to apply)
  2. Submit official transcripts from all institutions attended. Transcripts must come directly from the issuing institutions. Students who completed college coursework outside the United States must have their transcripts translated and evaluated. (See Foreign Credit for additional information.)
  3. Submit two letters of recommendation from Physicians and or Administrators who can verify clinical experience and provide a recommendation for the candidate.
  4. Submit a verification of NCCPA certification or Emeritus status.
  5. Submit a Curriculum Vitae that demonstrates clinical practice/experience as a Physician Assistant or a Physician Assistant Educator.
  6. Submit a Doctoral Entrance Essay. The entrance essay is an essential part of the Doctoral Program and serves as the way the Doctoral selection committee become familiar with the candidate. The entrance essay is the means by which the candidate presents oneself to the committee, which include the following:

    1. Brief Biography;
    2. Career plan; and
    3. Goals in pursuing the doctorate at Touro University Worldwide.

The Doctoral Admissions Committee will evaluate the essay. Committee members seek evidence regarding critical qualities and abilities including:

  • Motivation, maturity of judgment, and creativity;
  • Evidence of a sound personal agenda that includes achievable personal and professional objectives;
  • Awareness of intellectual strengths as well as skills needing development;
  • Awareness of program requirements;
  • Proficiency with standard written English including the ability to express concepts and communicate meaning in concise writing.

The Doctoral Entrance Essay components should include the following:

  1. Biographical Component Earlier learning experiences, both formal and informal, should be described. Characterize in terms of the nature and general outcome prior study, related work experience, and participation in scholarly research (if any).
  2. Career Plan Component Explain how a doctoral-level education fits with stated career plan and goals. How will doctoral study, in conjunction with background and interests, further those goals?
  3. Goals in Pursuing the Doctorate Briefly discuss the reasons for enrolling in doctoral study at Touro University Worldwide, including but not limited to:

    1. The reasons for selecting the TUW program rather than another doctoral program;
    2. The particular goals anticipated to be attained through completion of the doctoral curriculum;
    3. Provide the proposed topics to consider for the doctoral research project.
WASC Logo

Touro University Worldwide is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). Touro College Los Angeles (Lander Campus) is a division of Touro University Worldwide.

For more information on WSCUC, visit www.wscuc.org or write WSCUC at 1080 Marina Village Parkway, Suite 500, Alameda, CA 94501.