Don Pedersen Awardees Explore Important Facets
PAEA is pleased to announce the 2025-2026 Don Pedersen Research Grant Awardees, Alicia Klein, EdD, MS, PA-C, associate professor at Oklahoma Baptist University PA Program, and Kate Schewe, MSPA, PA-C, assistant professor at Sullivan University.
The awardees are concerned about the impact of different PA training models and about ensuring that PA programs have the clinical capacity to equip students with the skills and knowledge to be high-quality clinicians.
In her study, “Hybrid Health Professions Programs: A Five-Year Analysis of Physician Associate Applicants and Matriculants,” Dr. Klein is comparing the characteristics of applicants and matriculants in hybrid-format PA programs with those applying to traditional programs.
Current research suggests that hybrid programs may offer students benefits such as increased flexibility, reduced geographic barriers, and expanded access to professional education for those in rural or underserved areas. This study’s findings could help programs better understand who is drawn to hybrid education, enabling them to make informed decisions about curriculum design, admissions, and student support.
Dr. Klein asserts that “The expansion of hybrid PA programs, as well as hybrid courses within PA programs, represents an important opportunity for research. Understanding how hybrid models impact student outcomes, access, student support, and clinical readiness for patient care is essential to guiding responsible innovation in PA education.”
In her study, “Increasing Clinical Capacity: A Mixed-Methods Study of Barriers and Facilitators to PA Precepting,” Professor Schewe is focused on identifying the barriers and facilitators involved in precepting Physician Assistant (PA) students. The competition among a growing number of PA programs is creating a nationwide shortage of preceptors. The goal is to use the research findings to develop actionable strategies to help recruit and retain preceptors, ultimately ensuring that PA students receive high-quality clinical education.
The results of this research could help identify key factors that motivate current preceptors and overcome barriers to recruiting and retaining new preceptors who help students grow into competent, capable PAs. By identifying factors that influence preceptors’ willingness to continue precepting PA students, PA programs may be better positioned to refine onboarding processes, clarify expectations, enhance faculty-preceptor communication, and develop meaningful recognition or support initiatives. In the long term, these findings could inform institutional approaches to clinical education partnerships and contribute to discussions around sustainable preceptor engagement amid ongoing clinical site shortages.
Both awardees encourage their PA faculty colleagues to find a topic that they are passionate about, connect with a mentor, and network with other researchers.
“Chances are, you are working on a project right now without realizing its potential for research. There are plenty of people eager to brainstorm with you and collaborate on research, so don’t hesitate to reach out and make connections,” Schewe said.
We look forward to working with Dr. Klein and Professor Schewe. We thank Don Pedersen, PhD, PA-C, and Kathy Pedersen, MPAS, PA-C, for their generous and ongoing support of PA researchers. The support of the Pedersen family and the PAEA Board of Directors is vital to fostering the development of PA researchers.
For more information about the Don Pedersen Research Grant, please visit the PAEA website. If you have any questions about PAEA research grants and support programs, contact us at research@PAEAonline.org or call 703-651-8540.
