Trenton Honda to Become Journal’s Next Editor in Chief

A special PAEA Board of Directors committee has selected Trenton Honda, PhD, MMS, PA-C, to serve as the next editor in chief of the Journal of Physician Assistant Education. Dr. Honda, who is currently the director of research for the Northeastern University PA program as well as associate dean of the School of Clinical and Rehabilitation Sciences, has served on the journal’s editorial board for the past three years, providing him with an inside view of the challenges as well as opportunities faced by JPAE. He also has an extensive and impressive research background, having published 26 original, peer-reviewed research studies in numerous academic journals along with serving as a peer reviewer for many of those journals (including JPAE). 

Honda said that his strategic approach for the future of the journal would involve “increasing the attractiveness of JPAE to more senior PA researchers, continuously ensuring that we are meeting the needs of the community of PA educators, and advancing the standing of the journal in the medical education community.” He also expressed a particular focus on fostering diversity around JPAE’s authors, feature editors, and topics addressed, and brings a history of development and implementation of successful diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. He also has published among the first studies of national cohorts of PA students on the impact of diversity on student matriculation.

Honda also exhibits a robust history of national and international service to the profession, including working as an ARC-PA commissioner and site visitor, a PACKRAT committee member, chair of the Grants and Scholarships Review Committee at PAEA, and the chair of the research committee for the International Association on Physician Assistant Education.

As of this week, he is working with the current Editor in Chief, Dave Asprey, PhD, PA-C, to become acclimated to the role, and then he will take over the reins beginning January 1, 2022. Dr. Asprey, who has been serving as JPAE’s editor in chief for nearly nine years, has been instrumental in working to elevate the profile and standards of the journal, which has seen a significant increase in submissions over the past several years and is currently awaiting an impact factor.

We offer an enthusiastic congratulations to Dr. Honda and welcome him to the JPAE team.