This page contains the events from IMPACT 2012 which was held in Toronto this past May. Check back here for updates about IMPACT 2013.
Last year’s annual conference marked a historic high point of both the breadth and quality in the research department’s offerings of research-related sessions. We’re happy to announce that we built upon that foundation for IMPACT 2012 and offered even more and better sessions this past May. Click on each event for more details.
Monday, May 28, 2012; 8 a.m.-noon
104 CD
In today’s fast moving healthcare system, PAs need to be equipped with the research skills of physicians. Taught by four leading PA professors, this interactive session provided PAs and PA students with a step-by-step introduction to the process of performing research. It demonstrated how to develop a researchable question, and describe the various research methodologies that could be used to investigate it.
Schedule
|
|
(15 minutes)
|
Opening Introduction (Raymond Fang, AAPA vice president for research) |
| (30 minutes) |
1. Workshop overview and brief review of the research process
- Workshop goal(s) and objectives
- The research process in a nutshell
|
| (75 minutes) |
2. Developing the research question
- Brief review of the morphology of the research question
- Group activity: audience and faculty work in groups to develop researchable questions, with a goal of each participant developing a research question of interest to them
- Presentation of example from each group, with discussion ensuing where the faculty can function as an “expert panel”
|
| (75 minutes) |
3. Designing the research methods
- Brief review of the research methods process
- Group activity: audience and faculty work in groups to develop appropriate study design and methods to one or more of the groups’ previously-developed research questions
- Presentation of example from each group, with discussion ensuing where the faculty can function as an “expert panel”
|
| (45 minutes) |
4. Putting it all together
- Expert panel: faculty will serve as a panel to address questions from the audience about how any of the previously-presented ideas could be made into a research project.
- Informal consultation: at the end of this session faculty will remain to work more closely with any interested participants with the goal of providing guidance as well as establishing mentoring relationships
|
| Instructors |
PAs Richard Dehn (North Arizona University), Pamela Donohue (Johns Hopkins), Perri Morgan (Duke) and Mary Warner (Yale) |
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Tuesday, May 29, 2012; 7:30 a.m.-9:15 a.m.
This annual forum was a platform for PA researchers and policymakers to have both general and area-specific discussions on PA-focused workforce research. Agenda items included summarizing the progress and accomplishments made since the PA Research Agenda was established in 2011, discussing new research findings and topics under development, and identifying gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed going forward. The forum also provided an opportunity for researchers and policymakers to network and exchange research ideas, data, methods and findings. Raymond Fang, AAPA vice president for research hosted the forum and organizers included leaders such as PAs Jim Cawley, Rod Hooker, Alison Essary, Perri Morgan, Josanne Pagel and Richard Dehn.
| Schedule |
|
| (7:30 a.m.-7:45 a.m.) |
Opening Introduction (Raymond Fang, AAPA vice president for research)
|
| (7:45 a.m.-8:15 a.m.) Moderator: Raymond Fang |
General Discussion: on progress in research data, research findings, new methodology, milestones and remaining knowledge gap |
| (8:15 a.m.-8:45 a.m.) Leads: PAs Josanne Pagel, Alison Essary, Roderick Hooker, Perri Morgan, Rick Dehn, James Cawley |
Breakout Sessions |
| PA Workforce Research (Leads: PAs Roderick Hooker and Perri Morgan) |
| PA Value and PA Roles (Leads: PAs Josanne Pagel and Alison Essary) |
| PA Education (Leads: PAs Richard Dehn and James Cawley) |
(8:45 a.m.-9:10 a.m.) Moderator: Raymond Fang |
Group reports and conclusions |
| (9:10 a.m.-9:15 a.m.) |
Closing |
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Tuesday, May 29, 2012; 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
717 AB, Metro Toronto Convention Center
This event showcased the best in PA-focused research from the past year. Presentations of these peer-reviewed articles were organized into three broad categories, but touched upon the wide variety of interests now pursued by scholars providing the highest quality evidence about PAs and the PA profession. The categories and specific topics were as follows:
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Wednesday, May 30 from 4:15 p.m.-5 p.m.
Every year AAPA conducts its PA census survey, which we use to produce our popular Salary Report. What else do we do with the data, and how do we use it to make sure PAs’ voices are heard by legislators and policy makers all across the United States? A dialogue with Raymond Fang was held to find out. He was accompanied by one of the most respected leaders in PA research who has used the census in their work, as well as members of AAPA’s staff from the communication and advocacy departments. Examples of AAPA’s own groundbreaking research and research agenda were on display as well.
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Physician Assistant Research Alliance (PARA)
AAPA is happy to announce the creation of the PARA, our attempt to provide a permanent platform to support the coordinated, high-quality, original research necessary to advance the PA profession. In April 2011, AAPA developed its first-ever PA research agenda identifying four main areas of research: PA workforce, PA value, PA roles and PA education. Within PARA, four research groups have been formed to address these major areas of interest.
PARA membership is open to all researchers and policymakers who share common interests in PA-focused research. Participants can join any group or multiple groups. To sign up, please contact Jonathan Tony, AAPA Project Assistant. He can be reached at jtony@aapa.org.
Volunteer Opportunities at AAPA -- Student Research Internship
The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) has established a Volunteer Research Assistant Program (VRAP) to expose graduate students to healthcare research, and to familiarize them with the opportunities that exist for careers in healthcare research. Volunteer researchers will:
- Learn essential research concepts and methods in a fast-paced research environment
- Develop hands-on experience with data processing and analysis
- Gain research skills, from idea generation and data collection to reporting results
- Apply social scientific and statistical methods to real-world problems in healthcare
How to Apply:
The VRAP is an ongoing opportunity, so there is no deadline to apply. The program lasts a minimum of twelve weeks. To apply, please send your resume and two references (with contact information) to Lynn Schoenfelder at lschoenfelder@aapa.org. In the resume, please list all courses related to data analysis and research methods and any previous work experience in a research environment. Please note that only candidates who are selected for interview will be contacted.
