Research Newsletter

PAs Going Beyond

Michael Asbach, PA-C, is actively involved in clinical trials. This quarter, as we prepare to welcome research submissions for AAPA 2025, we would like to share what inspired PA Asbach to pursue this line of research.

Q: What prompted you to get into research?

A: There is a huge unmet need for clinical research right now, as many PIs and research sites are shutting down due to retirement and other factors. PAs have an important role in clinical research and have the opportunity to meaningfully contribute to the unmet needs.

Q: What changes have you made to your clinical practice as a result of the work?

A: Medicine evolves quickly. As clinicians, our ability to deliver competent care to our patients relies on our ability to evolve and analyze new data that may change our previous approaches. When you engage in clinical research as a practicing clinician, it gives you a greater appreciation for the research process. PAs should have a healthy respect and appreciation for statistical literacy and prioritize continued learning beyond our initial didactic introduction to biostatistics.

Q: Advice to PAs who are interested in engaging in this type of work at their own practice?

A: If you work in a large healthcare organization, talk with your leadership team to see if there are clinical trials conducted within your site. Many hospital systems and academic settings will have entire research departments. If you don’t ask, you’ll never know if there was an opportunity to participate.

Research Activities at AAPA 2025

Newest Research on the PA Profession

Here are a few articles we think you should see:

Underrepresentation of Black Men in Physician Assistant and Associate Training

Luck Kibe, DrPH, MS, MHS, PA-C, and her co-authors used data from CASPA to illustrate differences between the rate of application and matriculation for Black men in PA education when compared to their proportion in the US population. They found the low representation was due to both low numbers of Black male applicants and lower matriculation success. Read more here.

Comparing Outcomes Between Advanced Practice Providers and Housestaff Teams in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit

Zhang, et al., explored how APPs were utilized in cardiac intensive care units within a large urban academic hospital. They found there was no difference in CICU or in-hospital mortality between patients managed by APPs and those managed by a housestaff team. Read more here.

PA experiences in clinical trials

Former AAPA/PAEA Research Fellow Alice Eggleston and her co-authors published a study in JAAPA illustrating the various roles PAs play in clinical trials. The research demonstrates the responsibilities and skills of PAs working in this important research setting.

US Primary Care Workforce Growth: A Decade of Limited Progress, and Projected Needs Through 2040

Andrew Bazemore, MD, MPH, et al., examined the AMA master file and the Medicare Expenditure Panel Survey to explore the projected workforce growth in primary care through 2040. They expect shortages to continue to expand due to aging populations, population growth, and high rates of clinical burnout and/or egress. Read more here.

AAPA Strengthens Researchers

Resource highlight

In How to Write a Strong Conference Proposal, Sean Kolhoff, PhD, will discuss the challenges of overcoming imposter syndrome during the writing process and techniques that can be used to match your areas of research interest to a targeted audience.

For more related resources, visit this brief article on presenting your research effectively.