Research Newsletter
Q2/2024
Learn about new PA research, find research support opportunities, and get AAPA Research updates. We hope you continue to check in to see the new content coming each quarter.
Latest AAPA Publications
Thanks to your survey responses, we can include the latest data in our research reports, publications, News Central articles, and extended data briefs. Check out some of our latest publications:
PAs in Leadership: How do they get there?
Top 10 Specialties by Compensation (2024)
Want more publications? Visit aapa.org/research.
Upcoming Events
Research Connections:
Join us for our networking event on June 27. This time, we will discuss how you can secure funding for your research projects. Click here to register! Act fast, space is limited.
Related links:
Want to highlight your research? Reach out to us at [email protected].
Join the Research community on Huddle
PAs Going Beyond
Dr. Kristen Will (PhD, MHPE, PA-C) on leveraging big data to transform
team-based care
This quarter, we are taking a close look at innovative research projects developed by PAs examining the impact of the profession. In this “PAs Going Beyond” spotlight, we talked to Dr. Will, lead author on a recent study using 316,542 electronic health records (EHR) from an urban health system to explore the connection between team composition and patient engagement.
Q: What prompted you to start this research project?
A: My area of research and passion has been centered around team-based care and interprofessional collaboration. Combining this central theme with the ability to use the EHR as a rich source of data was an immense opportunity and a powerful way to examine team-based care.
Q: What advice do you have for PAs who are interested in engaging in this type of work at their own practice?
A: Partner with a data scientist who can help support the big data analysis. I found this relationship between clinician researcher and the data scientist to be powerful. As PAs, we have a rich background in care delivery that can help inform and cultivate future research that does impact and improve care delivery.
Be sure to check out the article to learn more about how researching team structures can be a key component of patient-centered care!
ePosters at AAPA 2024
AAPA 2024 showcased research projects by PAs and PA students with poster presentations on workforce, education, clinical, and quality improvement topics. Top student posters even received awards from JAAPA. Congratulations to this year’s winners, and watch out for next year’s submission call!
Related links:
Newest Research on the PA Profession
Dr. Andrzej Kozikowski and colleagues used aggregated National Commission of Physician Assistants demographic data from 1975-2020 to examine trends in the PA profession. Their findings demonstrate that while the profession has grown at about 12% per year, the proportion identifying as Black/African American, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander has decreased over time. Read more here.
A study led by Peter Young, PA-C, and colleagues found a negative association between the enrollment and graduation rates of Black/African American and increasing tuition costs at PA programs over time. This team analyzed data from PAEA program reports from 1985-2019 to better investigate these trends. Read the study here.
AAPA Strengthens Researchers
Looking for research guides?
AAPA’s Research team has curated a series of guides to help with various aspects of the research process. Whether you are a true novice looking for information on how to build a survey or a seasoned scholar aiming to submit to a journal, we have materials from trusted experts to help you achieve your goals. Learn more here.
Resource highlight
AAPA collaborates with experts to offer free CME so PAs and PA students can learn about research and enhance their clinical work. In March 2024 we launched new course offerings related to mentoring, networking, evidence-based medicine, and presenting research findings. Learn more here, and be on the lookout for our new set of courses this summer!