Otte described her first quarter experience with taking courses online as an “adjustment.” She got used to the learning platform and learned how to pace herself. While managing a busy full-time position, she tackled the doctoral program. She is truly grateful for the times she interacted with and been guided by the faculty throughout the program. The faculty made sure she received the most value out of the assignments.
“There were always opportunities to collaborate with the faculty to tailor the assignments to be meaningful to my full-time job. The overlap really helped make the program more manageable,” she said.
If you are interested in the DMSc program, Otte suggests making sure that the educational experience and content are useful to your current or future career. The program is short, but a lot of work is required to make it through! Once you are in the program, find your rhythm early. Determine the times you can think clearly and work on your assignments every week. This will make your journey less stressful and you will be less likely to forget an assignment.
Otte is not motivated by titles, but by making a difference. She wants to help make the PA profession more diverse and encourage more PAs to work in underserved communities for the long term.
“The DMSc program has helped me expand my network of PA educators and allowed me to put the knowledge I gained directly into practice,” she said.
While in the program she has enjoyed how applicable the coursework has been to her daily job. Otte commented, “the program has caused me to think more critically in areas that I ordinarily wouldn’t have made time for.” She feels the program has created an added depth to her thought processes.
Otte is currently the founding program director of the Keck Graduate Institute Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies (MSPA) program, which is located in Claremont, California. She oversees the development and long-term maintenance of the program, as well as ensures that the program remains compliant with accreditation standards.
As for balancing work, life, and self-care, Otte found it “rather difficult at times, but it did get better as I went through the program.”
“Working with faculty to tailor assignments was definitely helpful because my efforts were going towards both work and the program at the same time. Planning ahead and scheduling breaks for myself was really important,” she said.
