Recent trends in National Institutes of Health funding for surgery: 2003 to 2013

• Published in: The American journal of surgery Vol. 209; no. 6; pp. 1083 - 1089
• Main Authors: Hu, Yinin, Edwards, Brandy L., Brooks, Kendall D., Newhook, Timothy E., Slingluff, Craig L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.06.2015; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Academic surgery; Humans; Medical research; Medical treatment; Mentorship; National Institutes of Health; National Institutes of Health (U.S.) - economics; National Institutes of Health (U.S.) - statistics & numerical data; National Institutes of Health (U.S.) - trends; Outcomes research; Research funding; Research Support as Topic - statistics & numerical data; Research Support as Topic - trends; Science; Specialties, Surgical - economics; Studies; Surgery; Surgical research; United States; United States; Surgical research; National Institutes of Health; Academic surgery; Mentorship; Outcomes research; Research funding
• ISSN: 0002-9610; 1879-1883; 1879-1883
• DOI: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2015.01.015

The purpose of this study is to compare the compositions of federally funded surgical research between 2003 and 2013, and to assess differences in funding trends between surgery and other medical specialties. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool database was queried for grants within core surgical disciplines during 2003 and 2013. Funding was categorized by award type, methodology, and discipline. Application success rates for surgery and 5 nonsurgical departments were trended over time. Inflation-adjusted NIH funding for surgical research decreased 19% from $270M in 2003 to $219M in 2013, with a shift from R-awards to U-awards. Proportional funding to outcomes research almost tripled, while translational research diminished. Nonsurgical departments have increased NIH application volume over the last 10 years; however, surgery’s application volume has been stagnant. To preserve surgery’s role in innovative research, new efforts are needed to incentivize an increase in application volume. •We queried NIH Research Portfolio Online Reporting Tool to categorize surgical research funding.•Trends in research methodology and subject area (2003 and 2013) were examined.•Comparisons were made between surgery and nonsurgical departments.•Increasing NIH application rate should be a priority for all academic surgeons.