Facilitating Success of the Early Stage Surgeon Scientist Trainee

Abstract

Objective: Surgeon scientists bring to bear highly specialized talent and innovative and impactful solutions for complicated clinical problems. Our objective is to inform and provide framework for early stage surgeon scientist training and support. Summary of Background Data: Undergraduate, medical student, and residency experiences impact the career trajectory of surgeon scientists. To combat the attrition of the surgeon scientist pipeline, interventions are needed to engage trainees and to increase the likelihood of success of future surgeon scientists. Methods: A surgery resident writing group at an academic medical center, with guidance from faculty, prepared this guidance document for early stage surgeon scientist trainees with integration of the published literature to provide context. The publicly available National Institutes of Health RePORTER tool was queried to provide data salient to early stage surgeon scientist training. Results: The educational path of surgeons and the potential research career entry points are outlined. Challenges and critical supportive elements needed to inspire and sustain progress along the surgeon scientist training path are detailed. Funding mechanisms available to support formal scientific training of early stage surgeon scientists are identified and obstacles specific to surgical careers are discussed. Conclusions: This guidance enhances awareness of essential education, communication, infrastructure, resources, and advocacy by surgery leaders and other stakeholders to promote quality research training in residency and to re-invigorate the surgeon scientist pipeline.

National Institutes of Health Funding for Surgeon-Scientists in the US—An Update and an Expanded Landscape

“…Yet compared with an analysis of NIH PIs who were awarded research project grants in FY2021, the median age range was 43 years for White PIs and 41 years old for both Asian and Black or African American PIs . Because of the nature of the training paradigm for surgeons, it is to be expected that the median age of surgeon PIs is greater than nonsurgeon PIs . Nonetheless, the large proportion of senior surgeons being awarded NIH funding may be discouraging for early-career stage and aspiring surgeon-scientists competing for mentored or independent funding.…”

Transforming the Future of Surgeon-Scientists

“…The increasing demand for clinical productivity, reinforced by relative value unit (RVU)-based compensation plans, directly conflicts with the time-intensive nature of pursuing high-quality research, where one must compete for funding against researchers with significantly fewer, or no, clinical responsibilities 8,10,11 . Indeed, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has begun to recognize the unique time constraints on surgeon-scientists, with several institutes reducing the required effort for surgeons on federally funded career development awards 12 …”

“…8,10,11 Indeed, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has begun to recognize the unique time constraints on surgeon-scientists, with several institutes reducing the required effort for surgeons on federally funded career development awards. 12 Given these challenges, it is not surprising that many academic surgeons feel that a career as a surgeon-scientist is unachievable. In a 2015 survey of academic surgeons, only 32% of faculty respondents believed that a career as a surgeon-scientist was tenable, citing multiple obstacles, including lack of institutional support, growing administrative burden, rising medical school debt, pressure for increased clinical productivity, and desire for work-life balance.…”

Cirujano académico, centro académico: su rol en la atención de pacientes

“…En nuestro país hemos asistido en las últimas décadas a un fenómeno que también se ha observado en Estados Unidos, donde debido al modelo de organización de salud hay centros comunitarios y centros privados junto a instituciones universitarias del estado e instituciones privadas, lo que da origen a una crisis en la formación, desarrollo y permanencia de cirujanos que trabajan en centros académicos y desempeñan actividades académicas. En países como Canadá, y otros de Europa y Asia los programas de docencia de posgrado e investigación se mantiene centralizada en hospitales y universidades del estado, por lo tanto este fenómeno es de menor magnitud [1][2][3][4][5][6] . En este artículo abordamos el tema desde el punto de vista de la opinión personal como también basado en algunos datos de la literatura más pertinente, considerando no solo los aspectos académicos propiamente tales sino, también algunas repercusiones en el ámbito asistencial y administrativo.…”