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Demblowski LA, Steinberg SM, Meseroll RA, Santangelo GM, Zeiger MA. National Institutes of Health Funding for Surgeon-Scientists in the US-An Update and an Expanded Landscape. JAMA Surg 2024; 159:323-330. [PMID: 38265793 DOI: 10.1001/jamasurg.2023.7167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Importance Current reports suggest that the surgeon-scientist phenotype is significantly threatened. However, a significant increase in the proportion of surgeons in the workforce funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) from 2010 (0.5%) to 2020 (0.7%) was recently reported and showed that surgeons primarily performed basic science research (78% in 2010; 73% in 2020) rather than clinical research. Objective To provide an update on the status of surgeons funded by the NIH for fiscal year (FY) 2022. Evidence Review NIH-funded surgeons were identified in FY2012 and FY2022, including those who were awarded grants with more than 1 principal investigator (PI) by querying the internal database at the NIH. The main outcome for this study was the total number of NIH-funded surgeons in FY2012 and FY2022, including total grant costs and number of grants. The secondary analysis included self-reported demographic characteristics of the surgeons in FY2022. The research type (basic science vs clinical) of R01 grants was also examined. Findings Including multiple PI grants, 1324 surgeon-scientists were awarded $1.3 billion in FY2022. Women surgeons increased to 31.3% (339 of 1084) of the population of surgeon PIs in FY2022 compared with 21.0% (184 of 876) in FY2012. Among surgeon PIs awarded grants, a total of 200 (22.8%) were Asian, 35 (4.0%) were Black or African American, 18 (2.1%) were another race (including American Indian or Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander, and more than 1 race), and 623 (71.1%) were White. A total of 513 of 689 R01 grants (74.5%) were for basic science, 131 (19.0%) were for clinical trials, and 45 (6.5%) were for outcomes research. Conclusions and Relevance NIH-funded surgeons are increasing in number and grant costs, including the proportion of women surgeon PIs, and are representative of the diversity among US academic surgical faculty. The results of this study suggest that despite the many obstacles surgeon-scientists face, their research portfolio continues to grow, they perform a myriad of mostly basic scientific research as both independent PIs and on multidisciplinary teams.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay A Demblowski
- Office of Surgeon-Scientist Career Development, Office of the Clinical Director, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Seth M Steinberg
- Biostatistics and Data Management Section, Office of the Clinical Director, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Rebecca A Meseroll
- Office of Portfolio Analysis, Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - George M Santangelo
- Office of Portfolio Analysis, Division of Program Coordination, Planning and Strategic Initiatives, Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Martha A Zeiger
- Office of Surgeon-Scientist Career Development, Office of the Clinical Director, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Ladner DP, Goldstein AM, Billiar TR, Cameron AM, Carpizo DR, Chu DI, Coopersmith CM, DeMatteo RP, Feng S, Gallagher KA, Gillanders WE, Lal BK, Lipshutz GS, Liu A, Maier RV, Mittendorf EA, Morris AM, Sicklick JK, Velazquez OC, Whitson BA, Wilke LG, Yoon SS, Zeiger MA, Farmer DL, Hwang ES. Transforming the Future of Surgeon-Scientists. Ann Surg 2024; 279:231-239. [PMID: 37916404 DOI: 10.1097/sla.0000000000006148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To create a blueprint for surgical department leaders, academic institutions, and funding agencies to optimally support surgeon-scientists. BACKGROUND Scientific contributions by surgeons have been transformative across many medical disciplines. Surgeon-scientists provide a distinct approach and mindset toward key scientific questions. However, lack of institutional support, pressure for increased clinical productivity, and growing administrative burden are major challenges for the surgeon-scientist, as is the time-consuming nature of surgical training and practice. METHODS An American Surgical Association Research Sustainability Task Force was created to outline a blueprint for sustainable science in surgery. Leaders from top NIH-sponsored departments of surgery engaged in video and in-person meetings between January and April 2023. A strength, weakness, opportunities, threats analysis was performed, and workgroups focused on the roles of surgeons, the department and institutions, and funding agencies. RESULTS Taskforce recommendations: (1) SURGEONS: Growth mindset : identifying research focus, long-term planning, patience/tenacity, team science, collaborations with disparate experts; Skill set : align skills and research, fill critical skill gaps, develop team leadership skills; DEPARTMENT OF SURGERY (DOS): (2) MENTORSHIP: Chair : mentor-mentee matching/regular meetings/accountability, review of junior faculty progress, mentorship training requirement, recognition of mentorship (eg, relative value unit equivalent, awards; Mentor: dedicated time, relevant scientific expertise, extramural funding, experience and/or trained as mentor, trusted advisor; Mentee : enthusiastic/eager, proactive, open to feedback, clear about goals; (3) FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY: diversification of research portfolio, identification of matching funding sources, departmental resource awards (eg, T-/P-grants), leveraging of institutional resources, negotiation of formalized/formulaic funds flow investment from academic medical center toward science, philanthropy; (4) STRUCTURAL/STRATEGIC SUPPORT: Structural: grants administrative support, biostats/bioinformatics support, clinical trial and research support, regulatory support, shared departmental laboratory space/equipment; Strategic: hiring diverse surgeon-scientist/scientists faculty across DOS, strategic faculty retention/ recruitment, philanthropy, career development support, progress tracking, grant writing support, DOS-wide research meetings, regular DOS strategic research planning; (5) COMMUNITY AND CULTURE: Community: right mix of faculty, connection surgeon with broad scientific community; Culture: building research infrastructure, financial support for research, projecting importance of research (awards, grand rounds, shoutouts); (6) THE ROLE OF INSTITUTIONS: Foundation: research space co-location, flexible start-up packages, courses/mock study section, awards, diverse institutional mentorship teams; Nurture: institutional infrastructure, funding (eg, endowed chairs), promotion friendly toward surgeon-scientists, surgeon-scientists in institutional leadership positions; Expectations: RVU target relief, salary gap funding, competitive starting salaries, longitudinal salary strategy; (7) THE ROLE OF FUNDING AGENCIES: change surgeon research training paradigm, offer alternate awards to K-awards, increasing salary cap to reflect market reality, time extension for surgeon early-stage investigator status, surgeon representation on study section, focused award strategies for professional societies/foundations. CONCLUSIONS Authentic recommitment from surgeon leaders with intentional and ambitious actions from institutions, corporations, funders, and society is essential in order to reap the essential benefits of surgeon-scientists toward advancements of science.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Allan M Goldstein
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | | | | | | | - Daniel I Chu
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
| | | | | | - Sandy Feng
- Department of Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, CA
| | | | | | - Brajesh K Lal
- Department of Surgery, University of Maryland, Baltimore, MD
| | | | - Annie Liu
- Department of Surgery, Duke University, Durham, NC
| | - Ronald V Maier
- Department of Surgery, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | | | - Arden M Morris
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University, Palo Alto, CA
| | | | | | - Bryan A Whitson
- Department of Surgery, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
| | - Lee G Wilke
- Department of Surgery, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI
| | - Sam S Yoon
- Department of Surgery, Columbia University, New York, NY
| | - Martha A Zeiger
- National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Diana L Farmer
- Department of Surgery, University of California, Davis, CA
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Hayden Gephart M, Holly LT, Amin-Hanjani S, Zipfel GJ, Mack WJ, Tennekoon M, Korn S. Roadmap for Development of a Strong, Diverse Research Workforce in Neurosurgery. Neurosurgery 2023; 93:e53-e58. [PMID: 37581448 PMCID: PMC10552973 DOI: 10.1227/neu.0000000000002602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
A benchmark of success for the neurosurgeon-scientist includes obtaining individual research funding from the National Institutes of Health. Successful roadmaps to this goal highlight diversity, individual commitment and resiliency, innovative research goals, intentional mentoring, protected research time, and financial support. We must equip neurosurgery residents to surmount obstacles such as long periods of training, gaps in research productivity, and limited protected time for research to ensure successful transition to independent research careers. Strong individual, departmental, and national commitment to scientific development of a diverse cohort of residents and junior faculty will increase the number and diversity of National Institutes of Health-funded neurosurgeon-scientists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Hayden Gephart
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Langston T. Holly
- Department of Neurosurgery, David Geffen UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Sepideh Amin-Hanjani
- Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospitals/Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Gregory J. Zipfel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, St. Louis, Missouri, USA
| | - William J. Mack
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Keck School of Medicine of USC, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Michael Tennekoon
- Office of Training & Workforce Development, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Stephen Korn
- Office of Training & Workforce Development, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, NIH, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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