National Institutes of Health Funding to Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery at U.S. Medical Schools from 2015 to 2021

Background: Vice chairs (VCs) of research play an integral role in orthopaedic departments at academic medical centers; they strategically lead research efforts and support the research careers of faculty and trainees. To our knowledge, no analysis of orthopaedic VCs of research exists in the literature, and no similar analyses have been completed in other medical specialties. We aimed to investigate the academic and demographic characteristics of orthopaedic VCs of research. Methods: Doximity was used to identify orthopaedic residencies in the U.S. Personal and program websites were queried to identify VCs of research and collect academic and demographic characteristics. The Scopus database, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePORTER, and Google Scholar were used to obtain each investigator’s Hirsch index (h-index) and the number and type of NIH grants awarded, respectively. Results: Of the 207 orthopaedic residency programs identified, 71 (34%) had a named VC of research in the orthopaedic department. Of the top 50 medical schools, 42 were affiliated with such programs. Most VCs were men (89%). The racial and/or ethnic background of the majority of VCs was White (85%), followed by Asian (14%), and Black (1%). Most held the rank of professor (78%), followed by associate professor (18%), and assistant professor (4%). Over half were PhDs (55%), followed by MDs (37%) and MD/PhDs (8%). On average, the VCs had an h-index of 40.5. Furthermore, 65% had been awarded at least 1 NIH grant for their research, with 43% awarded at least 1 R01 grant. Conclusions: VCs of research develop research opportunities and shape the brand recognition of academic orthopaedic programs. Most orthopaedic VCs of research are men (89%); 85% each are White and have a rank of professor. Nearly half have been awarded at least 1 R01 grant from the NIH. Clinical Relevance: This study outlines important academic and demographic characteristics among orthopaedic surgery VCs of research. Considering the mentorship aspect of their role, VCs of research have an opportunity to influence the diversity of incoming trainees in the field of academic orthopaedics.

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Identifying Predictors of Successful Conversion from OREF Grants to Extramural Federal Funding Among Orthopaedic Surgeons

Li,

Kendal,

Hamad

et al. 2024

Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery

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Background: Musculoskeletal diseases are a major contributor to global human disability, but research in this area of medicine contends with chronic underfunding in the United States, receiving <2% of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget. The Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) serves as a vital nongovernmental organization, providing essential support for orthopaedic research. This study investigated the translation of various OREF grants into successful extramural federal funding discerning the clinician demographics and OREF award characteristics associated with increased chances of securing federal grants. Methods: We included OREF data from 1994 to 2020, and federal funding from the NIH, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the National Science Foundation (NSF), and the Agency of Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) was queried using publicly available databases: the NIH RePORTER, the DoD Defense Technical Information Center, the NSF search engine, and the AHRQ search engine. Clinician demographics and training were collected from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons roster and institution departmental websites. The successful translation of OREF grants into federal awards was assessed based on clinician gender, training, and specialty, as well as OREF grant mechanisms and characteristics; multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the likelihood of federal translation based on these predictor variables. Results: Three hundred and forty-eight OREF grants were awarded to 319 different clinicians, 23.5% of whom successfully translated their award into a federal grant. Notably, recipients of the OREF Career Development Grant (CDG) demonstrated a 48.4% translation rate to federal funding. The federal return on investment for all of the OREF grants averaged 503%, translating approximately $34 million in OREF awards into >$200 million in federal funding. Logistic regression revealed that recipients who received CDG funding, as well as orthopaedic oncologists, were more than 3 times as likely to secure federal funding than those who received grants with other mechanisms and those in other subspecialties. Conclusions: OREF fills a vital role in supporting budding orthopaedic research careers, ensuring the field’s competitiveness for federal awards on a national scale. The success rates, particularly for CDG recipients, highlight OREF’s effectiveness in identifying promising surgeon-scientists.

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National Institutes of Health Funding to Departments of Orthopaedic Surgery at U.S. Medical Schools from 2015 to 2021

Cited by 4 publications

References 35 publications

The Inclusion of Sex and Gender in Research Methodology, Funding, and Publication: A Systematic Review.

The Inclusion of Sex and Gender in Research Methodology, Funding, and Publication: A Systematic Review.

Academic and Demographic Profile of Orthopaedic Vice Chairs of Research

Identifying Predictors of Successful Conversion from OREF Grants to Extramural Federal Funding Among Orthopaedic Surgeons

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