POSNA-POGO Scholars Research Initiative: Capacity and Needs

Abstract

Background: The POSNA Pediatric Orthopaedic Global Outreach (POGO) Committee was established with its core mission of advancing children's musculoskeletal care around the world, with recent expansion of its scope toward furthering scientific research. POSNA sponsors international surgeons (POGO Scholars) to visit North America as part of the mutual outreach effort. Research results from North America may not be generalizable to other regions, where surgeons may see pathologies that are unique to the area. The purpose of the study was to identify the challenges and needs of the POGO Scholars when pursuing scientific research. Methods: An online survey composed of nine questions was disseminated via email to all POGO Scholars from the years 2007-2020. The survey was anonymous, but the Scholars could voluntarily disclose their names and countries of practice. Descriptive statistics were performed. Results: Thirty-four out of 76 identified Scholars responded to the survey (44.7% response rate), encompassing five continents and at least 15 countries worldwide. The major barriers to performing research were lack of funding (82.4%), insufficient training in research (70.6%), and issues relevant to study execution (64.7%). Most Scholars preferred to publish their results in internationally indexed journals (58.8%), followed by presentation at international conferences (17.6%), while the need for statistical assistance (56.3%), prohibitive publication costs, and difficulty with manuscript revisions (50% each) were the major challenges. POSNA could help the most in the areas of funding (64.7%), research writing support (55.9%), statistics support (52.9%), and research mentorship (50%). Conclusions: The challenges the Scholars face are similar to those encountered by academic surgeons in North America but amplified by a limited resource environment. Mutually beneficial involvement including sharing POSNA resources in funding, networking, and a platform for research mentoring and equitable collaboration, can synergize the surgeons' efforts internationally as well as further the development of Scholar-centered local research programs while fostering long-lasting relationships. The POGO committee will use the results of this survey in the ongoing efforts to support research that improves global orthopaedic care for children. Level of Evidence: Level IV Key Concepts•Local research programs led by international pediatric orthopaedic surgeons (POGO Scholars) can answer important questions and translate the results to address local clinical needs, including managing pathologies that are unique to their practice area.•Upon building a research program, the challenges faced by the POGO Scholars are similar to those faced by academic surgeons in North America but further amplified due to limited resources in funding, research training, and study execution logistics.•POGO Scholars prefer to publish their research results in internationally indexed journals, facing the barriers of statistical and revision difficulties in addition to the publication costs.•POSNA as an organization could assist could assist by facilitating mutually benefial access to POSNA resources beneficial access to POSNA resources in the areas of funding, writing and statistics support, journal access, and research mentorship.

Figure 1

The biggest barriers for the Scholars to conduct academic research: (A) in the Scholars’ country, and (B) for the Scholars personally.

Figure 2

The channels for the Scholars to disseminate their research results when prioritized by (A) the importance and level of impact of the channels, and (B) their personal preference, as well as (C) their perceived challenges of publishing their research findings.

Figure 3

Responses for continued development of the Scholars’ research careers, across areas that can be supported by (A) POSNA, (B) in general, and (C) resources and assets that have supported the Scholars thus far in their research.