The following list of topic areas was developed in April 2010 by members of the PAEA Research Institute Advisory Committee in April 2010. They are suggestions only; any element may be studied, reframed, or reinterpreted for members' use in developing proposals for grants and manuscripts.

• What are the barriers to implementing standardized prerequisites?
• What interview techniques best capture desired professional traits in applicants?
• What are the most accurate cognitive variables that predict program success and PANCE performance?
• What are the most frequently used keywords/key phrases in application essays of successful and unsuccessful applicants?

• Do the debt burdens of PA students affect their specialty choices?
• Does anticipated PA student debt reflect actual student debt?
• What financial or other incentives would influence PAs choosing primary care practice?
• What influence has the post-9/11 GI bill had on veteran applications?

• Are there academic and clinical prerequisites that correlate with success in PA programs?
• What are the effects of gender, ethnicity, and age on admission to PA schools and success on the PANCE?
• Are there demographic characteristics that bias the interview process?
• What is the difference between PA applicants compared with applicants in other health professions?

• Are there advantages and disadvantages of diverse teaching and curricular models in PA programs, i.e., PBL, undergraduate programs?
• How are content priorities established for the curriculum?
• What is the ideal balance between basic and clinical science curricula?
• What is the ideal teaching methodology for each content area?

• What is the impact of the various administrative models on PA programs, e.g., medical schools versus community colleges?
• How is the role/stature of the PA program affected by its institutional setting/model?
• How should institutions develop articulation agreements for master's degree programs with regard to program administration and outcomes?

• In what ways are students from other health care professions incorporated into PA program learning activities? (Descriptive and/or qualitative)
• What are the goals of PA programs that choose to train students using an interdisciplinary/interprofessional approach? (Descriptive and/or qualitative)
• To what extent are PA faculty across the country involved in teaching students of other health care disciplines? Is it voluntary or a requirement of their positions? (Descriptive)
• Are there cost savings or other efficiencies associated with an interdisciplinary approach to educating PA students? (Descriptive)
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• What are the goals of PA programs that choose to offer international clinical experiences for their students, i.e., why do they do it? (Descriptive/qualitative)
• How many international students are currently enrolled in PA programs in the United States? How many are foreign medical graduates and do they stay in the United States? Do they end up practicing as PAs? (Descriptive)
• What risks are involved in international training, and what is the magnitude of those risks, compared with the perceived benefits? (Qualitative/descriptive)
• Does completing an international rotation impact specialty choice and/or practice location after students graduate? Does the choice of location of the international rotation (e.g., third- versus first-world country setting) matter? (Experimental)
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• Describe barriers to preceptorship recruitment, development, and retention in hospital and nonhospital settings. Describe and evaluate strategies to overcome these barriers.
• Evaluate trends in payment for precepting PA students, including prevalence and payment amounts. Evaluate the effectiveness of preceptor payment as a strategy for recruitment and retention of preceptors.
• Quantify the time required to precept PA students in a variety of settings. Identify time-efficient precepting strategies.
• Compare activities that PA programs require of preceptors.
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• Compare faculty roles and activities between PA faculty in medical school and nonmedical school programs.
• Evaluate strategies for recruitment and retention of high quality PA faculty.
• Evaluate strategies to facilitate the transition of PAs from clinical practice to faculty roles.
• Identify the determinants of PA faculty satisfaction and retention.
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• How is the work of patient care divided among team members in patient-centered medical homes?
• How does participation of PAs and other nonphysicians affect quality of patient care in medical homes?
• What is the role of PAs in various workplace settings, e.g., hospitals, community hospitals, academic health centers?
• What is the role of PAs in primary care?