@article{e2c299300d524f0bbfe1d37309841a74,
title = "The Pediatric Surgeon–Scientist: Succeeding in Today's Academic Environment",
abstract = "Background: Pediatric surgeons have long been advocates of basic science research. However, new challenges facing the scientific community have threatened the success of academic surgeons pursuing basic science careers. The purpose of this study was to compare academic pediatric surgeons{\textquoteright} perceptions of their ability to effectively conduct basic science research to those of other surgical subspecialties. Methods: An online survey was distributed to all members of the Association for Academic Surgery and Society of University Surgeons. A total of 1033 members (41%) responded, and 137 (13.3%) were pediatric surgeons. Comparisons were made between the five most-represented surgical subspecialties. Data are presented as reporting percentage and P values by Student's t-test. Results: Among the specialists studied, pediatric surgeons are those most likely to believe that surgeons can succeed as basic scientists in today's research environment. Pediatric surgery reported the highest rates of National Institutes of Health funding of all surgical specialties and the lowest rates of perceived external pressures related to clinical demands, hospital administrative duties, and work–life balance concerns than their surgical peers. Conclusions: Pediatric surgeons have a more optimistic perspective on the state of basic science research in surgery while exhibiting an enhanced ability to overcome the challenges that surgeon–scientists currently face. Our findings suggest that pediatric surgery may provide a model for succeeding in basic science in today's challenging surgical research environment.",
keywords = "Academic surgery, Basic science research, Pediatric surgery, Surgical faculty",
author = "Steen, {Emily H.} and Moles, {Chad M.} and Goldstein, {Allan M.} and Morowitz, {Michael J.} and Ankush Gosain and Mollen, {Kevin P.} and D. Hackam and Keswani, {Sundeep G.}",
note = "Funding Information: Federal support for basic and translational science endeavors, particularly from the NIH, has undergone multiple vicissitudes in the past 15 y, and this uncertainty has understandably undermined the surgical community's confidence in the ability to successfully perform basic science research. Actual science spending in President Obama's first 2 y in office increased by 20%-50% when the infusion related to the Federal Stimulus Program was enacted, before falling to Clinton- and Bush-era levels despite requests from the executive branch for further increases. 24,25 In March 2018, the omnibus spending bill was signed by Donald Trump, despite a last-minute veto threat and previously proposing 10%-50% cuts in science funding. This bill thus represents the first science spending increase in over a decade, with the NIH awarded 37 billion dollars—an increase of almost 9%. 26,27 Although often available to other subspecialties, government agency funding from the Veterans Administration, Department of Defense, and National Science Foundation is less relevant to most pediatric surgery research, as our survey confirms. However, other nonfederal mechanisms have become increasingly available to surgeons undertaking basic science, including private industry and philanthropic support (e.g., Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation). Interestingly, low funding rates did not appear to have a significant impact on the desire of pediatric surgeons to pursue basic science. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2019",
year = "2019",
month = dec,
doi = "10.1016/j.jss.2019.06.008",
language = "English (US)",
volume = "244",
pages = "502--508",
journal = "Journal of Surgical Research",
issn = "0022-4804",
publisher = "Academic Press Inc.",
}