AAPA/PAEA Research Grants Program

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS AND GUIDELINES

The American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA) and the Research Institute of the Physician Assistant Education Association (PAEA) announce their third cycle of a jointly sponsored grants program supporting research on the physician assistant profession. Funding awards of up to $20,000 will be made. The deadline for submission of proposals is January 26, 2007.

GUIDELINES

Mission

The AAPA/PAEA Research Grants Program encourages research on the physician assistant (PA) profession, particularly in the areas of the profession’s contribution to the health care workforce, characteristics of PA practice, and the collection of data that would contribute to more effective utilization of PAs in the future.

Objectives

1. To promote quality research on the PA profession, particularly in the area of PA utilization in the health care workforce.

2. To increase the quality and quantity of evidence to support the PA profession’s future policy decisions.

Funding

Grant requests may be made for any amount up to $20,000. Proposed budgets exceeding this amount must specify sources of additional funding. Several smaller awards may be made, depending on the quality and quantity of proposals received.

Priorities

Priority will be given to proposals that address PA practice characteristics, workforce issues, cost-effectiveness, and contributions to patient safety and health outcomes.

Quality of the research design will also be considered. A good research design includes an introduction well grounded in the literature; specific, answerable research questions and/or hypotheses; a study design that minimizes alternative explanations of the results; research subjects of sufficient number to ensure that a predicted outcome will be found, if it exists; and an accurate choice of analytic methods for processing information from the study.

Eligibility Criteria

1. The principal investigator (PI) must be affiliated with an institution and must specify the name of the institution in the proposal. The PI is responsible for completion of the project and for submitting a one-year status report. The PI is also responsible for submission of any required final reports, presentations at conferences, and publications.

2. A research question or research project should be the focus of the study. Funds will not be disbursed for development of new programs, new curricular materials, or other development-oriented projects.

3. Grant funds may be used for material and operations, as well as labor, personnel, and/or consulting costs. Institutional support is encouraged. Indirect costs will be not be allowed. Personal expenses for educational advancement, such as tuition or books; equipment or software; ongoing projects to improve classroom or research facilities; disseminating the research results, such as poster preparation; attending meetings or conferences; and manuscript preparation will not be allowed.

4. Proposals must include a timeline adequate to conduct the study, but should be no longer than two years in length.

5. A final study report must be submitted to the AAPA/PAEA Research Grants Program within 90 days of the end of the study. A publication manuscript or presentation abstract may be submitted as a final study report. The project will be deemed complete when the final report has been approved by the AAPA/PAEA Research Grants Program.

6. The AAPA/PAEA Research Grants Program encourages dissemination of study results in professional forums; but the AAPA/PAEA Research Grants Program and its sponsoring groups will not review, direct, or limit publication or other dissemination of results of a study receiving financial support.

7. Investigators will be responsible for obtaining institutional approval as required by their sponsoring institutions, as well as any approval necessary for performing surveys on specific groups.

Research Proposal Format and Specific Requirements

Proposals will undergo a blinded review process. Requirements for submission of a proposal to the AAPA/PAEA Research Grants Program include the following:

1. The title page, abstract, background or rationale, research question, objectives, methods or evaluation, and personnel cannot exceed 7 pages in length (not including references, budget, timeline, any proposed survey instrument, and abridged CVs, not to exceed two pages).

2. Proposals must be in Microsoft Word 97 or higher format (Mac or PC).

3. Proposals must be in 12-point type, with 1.5 line spacing, 1-inch margin left and right, and left margin justified. Typeface choices are Times New Roman, Arial, Courier New, or Tahoma.

4. The proposal must be submitted electronically (paper submissions will not be accepted) no later than midnight of the due date.

Format

Page Requirements

Page 1	Title of research proposal (bold capital letters, 16-point type) near the top Name of principal investigator Date Name of host institution Name, address, phone number, e-mail of PI (bottom)
Page 2	Title of research proposal Abstract (500 words maximum)
Page 3-7	Background or rationale, research question, objectives, methods or evaluation, and personnel (5 pages maximum). The format can be the author’s choice.
Not included in page count	References Budget (with justification for specific items) Timeline Sample of survey instrument(s) CVs, no longer than two pages in length

The following items must be included; however, these are not included in the page count:

• Budget requested and timeline to complete the study. The budget should include PI, time commitment, activity, and cost as the first line and each person in the project listed below in the same manner. Budget should be sufficiently detailed to account for how personnel will be utilized as well as to explain and justify any other requested expenses.

• Abridged curriculum vitae should be attached for all individuals involved in the project. CVs are not included in the page limit; however, they should not exceed two pages and should be submitted as separate attachments.

• If the project involves administering an existing survey instrument, a copy of the instrument should be attached. Such attachment(s) will not be included in the page limits.

Proposals should be e-mailed as Microsoft Word attachments by January 26, 2007, directly to Eileen Evans, at eevans@PAEAonline.org. If you do not receive a confirmation within two days of submission, please call at (703) 548-5538, ext. 307, to confirm that your submission has been received.

If you have questions concerning this grants program, please contact AAPA/PAEA Research Grants Program Co-chairs Jim Cawley, at purljfc@aol.com or (202) 416-0487; or Meredith Davison, at Meredith-Davison@ouhsc.edu or (918) 619-4760.