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Education Forum Research Opportunities for Every PA Educator

Many PA educators come to the Forum to connect with other PA researchers. So whether you’re an experienced researcher or new to the game, here is a round-up of the research events you will find on this year’s agenda. (If you haven’t yet registered for the Forum, you can do so on the Forum website.)

Research Briefs & Research Posters 

This year, the research events are co-located to make accessibility a breeze. Most presentations will take place in the same room (Washington 5). Research Poster Presentations will be available in Exhibit Hall B South. 

The fastest way to get your dose of data is by attending the 17 Research Brief sessions taking place throughout the weekend. Each brief spotlights recent research findings from PA education and the PA workforce in 20 minutes or less. 

The PA Pipeline to Practice 

National trends from the worlds of PA education and the PA workforce will be the focus of a first-ever panel discussion featuring all of the Four Orgs. Speakers from ARC-PA, NCCPA, and AAPA will join PAEA to share rich data regarding the PA practice pipeline. 

The speakers for this session will bring insights about trends in PA program probation, the PA practice life cycle, and burnout and compensation among practicing PAs. These include details about PA students and matriculants from the 20172018 CASPA applicants, to be presented by PAEA’s Research & Data Analyst Ryan Chitwood, MS. Join us in on Thursday, October 10, from 2:003:30 p.m. for this overview of current PA education and practice trends. 

Research and Publishing Made Easier

This fundamental event fuels every educator’s passion for research and PA education,  regardless of their level of experience. During each of two sessions, research mentors/experts will be ready to give one-on-one tailored advice to attendees either seeking to gain valuable insights and feedback on how to take off in research or those interested in receiving guidance on a particular project or idea. 

The mentors include members of the PAEA Research Mission Advancement Commission (RMAC), Grants & Scholarship Review Committee, and JPAE Editorial Board. Whether you are just beginning to think of your first research idea, or your project is ready to publish, these mentors will be ready to answer questions such as:

  • How do I develop a testable research idea?
  • What statistical tests would be appropriate for my data?
  • What is a good response rate for a survey?
  • How can I strengthen my study methodology?
  • I have results — now how do I turn them into a publishable paper?

You may also take advantage of this opportunity by bringing a work-in-progress for the experts to review — especially if you are working on a Don Pedersen application (due October 30) or a STAR Award, which will open for applications in January. PAEA research and JPAE staff will be on-site to share information about the many research resources and opportunities offered by the Association.

“I highly recommend checking it out if you’ve been thinking of starting a research project and you need some advice to help move it forward, or if you need help in getting started in publishing your scholarly work,” said Rick Dehn, MPA, PA-C, and chair of the RMAC. These sessions are first-come, first-served, on Friday and Saturday afternoons.

AAPA-PAEA Research Fellowship Presentations

Join us on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. as we celebrate the accomplishments of the most recent cohort of AAPA-PAEA Research Fellows. The three outgoing fellows will present preliminary findings from their year of scholarship, and we will welcome the 2019–2020 cohort of Research Fellows. Our incoming cohort will share their questions and research strategies for the exciting projects they will conduct over the next year. This is a great opportunity to not only hear from the current and future leaders in PA research, but also to learn about how you can be part of the next cohort of Fellows.

You can schedule your entire Forum adventure with My Forum Planner. To include sessions based on empirical research, as well as Research Briefs and Poster Presentations, look for the entries marked by a yellow or purple dot, along with the Forum’s other distinct tracks. 

If you have a research question that can’t wait, or want more details about any of these Forum events, please contact the Research Team at Research@PAEAonline.org.