Dorrance received his Bachelor of Arts from the University of North Carolina in 1982. He attended Duke University Medical Center where he graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Science in allied health science and graduated from the physician assistant program with honors in 1988.
Dorrance is licensed with the Florida Department of Health and the Division of Medical Quality Assurance. He is certified by the National Commission of Certification of Physicians Assistants and also holds BLS and ACLS certifications. He is a member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants, the Florida Academy of Physician Assistants, and is a fellow with the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons Physician Assistants.