APAP Committee Report, April 12, 2000

Committee Name: Research and Review

Committee Chair: Rick Dehn

Current Activities:

--Review of survey instruments is ongoing.

--Development of objective criteria for accepting/rejecting survey instruments to be completed by May 2000.

--Peer review of grant applications as needed per grant cycle (ongoing).

--Search for new administrator of J. Peter Nyquist Student Writing Contest hopefully in place by the Summer of 2000.

Completion dates: As above

Accomplishments/Success Stories:

Rick Dehn successfully conducted the J. Peter Nyquist Writing Contest. 112 papers were submitted, and 91 faculty reviewers participated in three rounds of reviewing. Over half of submissions and reviews were done electronically, saving hundreds of dollars in shipping costs for both students and APAP.

--First Place: Tracy Onega, University of Iowa, "How Does Menopause Alter Care of the Patient? An Evidence-Based Approach to Mortality Reduction"

--Second Place: Emily Jones Chaikin, Baylor, "Caring For Terminally Ill Patients: A Comparative Analysis of Physician Assistant and Medical Students' Attitudes"

--Third Place: Salina Lee, University of Iowa, "Is there an Effective Screening Test for the Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease?"

Grant funding not awarded October 1999 was offered in a spring grant cycle. Thirteen proposals were received, possibly due to a change of rules allowing electronic submission. Nine reviewers participated in an electronically conducted review process. Two proposals were fully funded, and two proposals that tied in the review process were partially-funded. The partially-funded researchers assured the Chair that despite the reduced funding they could successfully complete their proposed projects. Those receiving awards are:

--$1450.00, Susan F. LeLacheur, MPH, PA-C, George Washington University, Howard Strayker, MPH, PA-C, Howard University, "An Analysis of Variation in Approach to Patient History, by Race of the Patient, among Physician Assistant Students"

--$4958.00, Michel Statler, PA-C, R. Hooker, PHD, PA, University of Texas Southwestern, "Physician Assistant Students And Gross Anatomy: An Acculturation Process In Medicine"

--$2796.00, A Comprehensive Analysis Of Admissions Variables That Predict Employment, Lisa Wallace, MHR, Meredith Davison, Ph.D., Midwestern University, "Outcomes Of Bachelor And Master Degree Physician Assistants"

--$2796.00, Roderick S. Hooker, PhD, PA, Charles McConnel, PhD, University of Texas Southwestern, "Rate of Return for Physician Assistant Education"

Reviewed 7 surveys since the October mid-year meeting. One survey is pending approval. Survey activity is listed on the R&R web site.

A Research and Review closed list serve has been set up and is currently in use. It appears to be useful in allowing members to discuss committee issues as they come up rather than twice a year at meetings. The Research and Review web site has been successfully transferred from the GWU server and has been updated so that the information on it is current.

Concerns: It appears that the number of survey instruments sent to APAP members is large and growing, thus guidelines need to be developed to limit the number of surveys to prevent survey fatigue. This committee will develop guidelines designed to control the number of surveys performed with APAP approval, and will design policies to enforce these guidelines. It is expected that a policy that will likely reject proposals will be controversial.

Budget Issues: Will require some budgetary allowance for upcoming Research Institute grant cycle before the October mid-year meeting.

Board Action Required: None