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. 2022 Feb 23:10:282-289.
doi: 10.1016/j.xjon.2021.10.066. eCollection 2022 Jun.

The effect of receiving an award from the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Foundation

Edgar Aranda-Michel  1 , James D Luketich  1 , Rashmi Rao  1 , Victor O Morell  1 , George J Arnaoutakis  2 , Arman Kilic  1 , Courtenay Dunn-Lewis  1 , Ibrahim Sultan  1
Affiliations

The effect of receiving an award from the American Association for Thoracic Surgery Foundation

Edgar Aranda-Michel et al. JTCVS Open. .

Abstract

Objective: This study's objective was to evaluate the scholastic and career effects of receiving either the American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Foundation research scholarship or surgical investigator program.

Methods: AATS annual reports and recipient listings were used to generate the awardees. MEDLINE and SCOPUS were used to assess publications, citations, and H-Index for awardees. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) RePorter was used to collate NIH grant awarding to awardees. Publicly available institutional profiles were used to assess promotion status and leadership positions.

Results: Awardees of the research scholarship had a median of 4733 citations and a median H-Index of 33. The surgical investigator program recipients had a median of 1346 citations with a median H-Index of 17. Across both funding mechanisms, 45% secured subsequent NIH funding. Most awardees received an academic promotion, with 62% of the research scholarship awardees promoted to full professor and 37% of the surgical investigator program to associate professor. Approximately half (48%) of all awardees hold leadership positions, with most being a clinical director or division chief.

Conclusions: Receiving the AATS Foundation research scholarship or surgical investigator program positions early-career cardiothoracic surgeons for a promising future in academic surgery.

Keywords: AATS Foundation; AATS, American Association for Thoracic Surgery; CT, cardiothoracic; IQR, interquartile range; NHLBI, National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; NIH, National Institutes of Health; academic promotion; surgeon-scientists.

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Figures

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Graphical abstract
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Percentage of eligible (A) research scholarship and (B) surgical investigator program awardees who secured subsequent NIH grants.
Figure 1
Figure 1
American Association for Thoracic Surgery (AATS) Foundation Research Scholarship and Surgical Investigator programs resulted in high scholarly output, increased National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant success rates, and academic promotions.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Percentage of eligible (A) research scholarship and (B) surgical investigator program awardees securing subsequent National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Academic Promotions for (A) research scholarship and (B) surgical investigator program awardees at award time and currently.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Leadership positions for eligible (A) Research Scholarship and (B) Surgical Investigator Program awardees holding any leadership position and the position breakdown.
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See this image and copyright information in PMC

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