Patterns of Recent National Institutes of Health Funding in Family Medicine: Analysis Using the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results System

Abstract

IntroductionDespite a call for increased research by family-medicine physicians, there is no data on the demographics of those awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant. ObjectiveThe purpose of the study was to assess recent NIH R01 funding trends over the last decade in family medicine.Methods A retrospective analysis of NIH R01 grant funding in family medicine was conducted by extracting demographic data from the NIH’s Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results (RePORTER) database from 2008 through 2017. Demographics were reported as percentages, and comparisons of the groups were performed by the t-test. Results From 2008 to 2017, the NIH awarded 139 R01 grants to principal investigators (PI) in family medicine. Males comprised 51.80% of all awardees, and those holding a doctorate of medicine (MD) made up 43.88% of the awardees. No one holding a Doctorate of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degree received an NIH R01 grant during the timeframe studied. A total of 81.97% of all MDs held a dual degree. When gender and degree were considered, no statistical difference was observed for the total amount of dollars awarded. ConclusionFor the years studied, a disparity related to medical degrees was noted for those family-medicine physicians who received an NIH R01 grant. However, no gender disparity was observed.

National Institutes of Health Funding in Obstetrics and Gynecology: Analysis of R01 Grants by Degree and Gender

“…No osteopathic physician received an NIH R01 grant in OBGYN over the time period studied. Similar to these results, no osteopathic physician has been awarded an NIH R01 grant in family medicine, general surgery, and emergency medicine over a similar time period [4][5][6]. It is unclear the reasoning behind the lack of NIH R01 grant funding in osteopathic OBGYNs, but it could be related to the lack of original research publications by osteopathic physicians in highranking OBGYN journals [7].…”

“…Following a similar methodology as Berg and Ashurst, an advanced search was performed using the NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tools Expenditures and Results (RePORTER) search engine (http://projectreporter.nih.gov) for the "obstetrics and gynecology" keyword and the R01 activity code for the fiscal years between 2008 and 2017 [4,5]. Demographic data were collected for each PI who received an R01 award and included gender, total dollar amount awarded, medical degree (osteopathic or allopathic), dual degree (a combination of a medical degree and non-medical degree), and other degrees (PhD, DSc, MPH, etc.)…”

“…Between 1985 and 2003, there was a decrease of 39.13% in the number of physicians who engaged in research as their primary professional activity [3]. Recent trends have also emerged that a degree disparity exists in those physician scientists who not only publish in high-ranking journals but also those who receive NIH R01 grant funding [4][5][6][7][8]. In this study, the authors sought to determine recent trends in NIH R01 grant funding in OBGYN between 2008 and 2017.…”

A Time of Reflection and New Beginnings

“…This included poor research infrastructure, representation on vital Federal committee's, low rate of Federal grants awarded and inclusion as editors in medical journals. [2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18] A credit to our training and the make-up as a medical community; physicians tend to believe in others, favor trust and compliance. This same trait can lead to anergy at times when speaking up and taking action is more prudent.…”

National Institutes of Health Funding in Internal Medicine: Analysis of Physicians Receiving an R01 Grant Between 2008 and 2017

“…Recent data have shown that very few osteopathic physicians serve as either the first or senior author in published original research manuscripts in emergency medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, and neurosurgery [1][2][3][4]. Additionally, no osteopathic physicians have been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) R01 grant in emergency medicine, family medicine, general surgery, or obstetrics and gynecology in the previous decade [5][6][7][8]. Although we do not anticipate substantial differences in grants awarded to internal medicine investigators, no data currently exist on the scholarly activity between osteopathic and allopathic physicians within the specialty of internal medicine.…”