As social work doctoral education expands across Asia and the Pacific Islands (API), particularly in China, it is valuable to learn from the century-long development of programs in the United States. This chapter provides an overview of U.S. models of doctoral education, such as the PhD and DSW tracks. It also discusses the key strengths and challenges facing U.S. social work doctoral education. The chapter then examines the emerging landscape of doctoral education in China as an example, analyzing structural, pedagogical, and financial barriers that limit academic development. Drawing on comparative perspectives, the chapter outlines strategic lessons for strengthening doctoral education in China as well as in other API countries, such as changing faculty advisor eligibility criteria, investing in research training and financial support, adopting flexible dissertation formats, and clearly distinguishing between PhD and DSW tracks. By learning from best practices from the U.S. while addressing region-specific needs, social work programs in China and API countries can build more rigorous, inclusive, and practice-informed doctoral pathways.