Doctor of Medical Science (DMSc)

The Applied Practice-Based Research (APBR) Project is the culminating scholarly experience of our doctoral programs in the School of Healthcare Business and Technology and emphasizes applied inquiry, action research, and real-world impact. Through a sequence of five courses, students identify a meaningful problem of practice, engage with the evidence, implement and evaluate change, and ultimately disseminate and defend their IRB-approved project proposal.

No. The APBR Project is not dissertation-based. Core research skills from identifying a practice-based problem through conducting action-based research and developing a product for dissemination to a wider audience prepares students for their role as scholar-practitioner. This translates to an individual who can critically evaluate current research and translate that into practical applications in the healthcare environment.

The APBR Project can take any number of forms depending on student interest. It could be focused on disease, the integration of patient-centered care pathways, or management/administration related. After a student identifies an area of interest, they are charged with using existing theory and applying and integrating that toward developing a solution that fits within the context of healthcare delivery, teams, and patient-centered care.

Yes. Doctoral research is a journey, but the APBR course sequence is intentionally structured to support students at each step—ensuring they are guided, prepared, and empowered to succeed. Each student is paired with one or two faculty members who guide them through their research and conducting the scholarly project.

Students may choose to share their solution with their employers, to disseminate their findings to the professional community at a regional or national conference, or to publish in a scholarly journal.