Are Race, Ethnicity, and Medical School Affiliation Associated With NIH R01 Type 1 Award Probability for Physician Investigators?

Abstract

Purpose To analyze the relationship among NIH R01 Type 1 applicant degree, institution type, and race/ethnicity, and application award probability. Method The authors used 2000–2006 data from the NIH IMPAC II grants database and other sources to determine which individual and institutional characteristics of applicants may affect the probability of applications being awarded funding. They used descriptive statistics and probit models to estimate correlations between race/ethnicity, degree (MD or PhD), and institution type (medical school or other institution), and application award probability, controlling for a large set of observable characteristics. Results Applications from medical schools were significantly more likely than those from other institutions to receive funding, as were applications from MDs versus PhDs. Overall, applications from blacks and Asians were less likely than those from whites to be awarded funding; however, among applications from MDs at medical schools, there was no difference in funding probability between whites and Asians and the difference between blacks and whites decreased to 7.8 percentage points. The inclusion of human subjects significantly decreased the likelihood of receiving funding. Conclusions Compared with applications from whites, applications from blacks have a lower probability of being awarded R01 Type 1 funding, regardless of the investigator’s degree. However, funding probability is increased for applications with MD investigators and for those from medical schools. To some degree, these advantages combine so that applications from black MDs at medical schools have the smallest difference in funding probability compared with those from whites.

Mediators of Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Mentored K Award Receipt Among U.S. Medical School Graduates

“…1,2,4,5,9–13 The ten variables include four research activities (participating in a research elective during medical school, authorship of a research report submitted for publication, spending at least one year during residency doing research, and receipt of a federal research fellowship [F32] grant), two academic performance measures (scores on the United States Medical Licensing Examination [USMLE] Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge [CK]), plus medical school research intensity, degree program, debt at graduation, and specialty. We describe each of these potential mediators and our data sources in detail below.…”

“…1–3 Currently investigators from some racial/ethnic groups are less likely than others to receive research funding as independent investigators. 4 Mentored K (K01/K08/K23) career development awards are positively associated with physicians’ success in becoming federally funded independent investigators. 1,5 An evaluation of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) K award program has shown that there have been fewer Blacks, Hispanics, and Native Americans among mentored K award program applicants and awardees compared to their representation in PhD and graduating medical-school classes.…”

The Emerging Physician–Scientist Workforce

“…9 The probability of being awarded R01 funding for new proposals differs by race/ethnicity, with black applicants being less successful than white applicants (including both MD and MD-PhD applicants). 32 Further research is warranted to fill the gap in knowledge about the physician-scientist career paths of female and URM MD-PhD program graduates specifically.…”

The Doris Duke Clinical Scientist Development Award

“…This finding is particularly encouraging because this success of CSDA alumni may indicate an increase in human subject research funding, which traditionally has had a lower likelihood of receiving funding. 24 Many factors could explain this finding. The CSDA program could truly have an impact on the research enterprise by providing flexible funds and protected time for research activities at a critical time in the development of early-career scientists.…”