title: What does it take to be a successful pediatric surgeon-scientist?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The factors that contribute to success as a pediatric surgeon-scientist are not well defined. The purpose of this study is to define a group of NIH-funded pediatric surgeons, assess their academic productivity, and elucidate factors that have contributed to their success.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pediatric surgeons were queried in the NIH report database to determine NIH funding awarded. Academic productivity was then assessed. An online survey was then targeted to NIH-funded pediatric surgeons.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Since 1988, 83 pediatric surgeon-investigators have received major NIH funding. Currently, there are 37 pediatric surgeons with 43 NIH-sponsored awards. The mean h-index of this group of pediatric surgeons was 18 ± 1.1, mean number of publications (since 2001) was 21 ± 2.1, and both increase commensurate with academic rank. In response to the survey, 81% engaged in research during their surgical residency, and 48% were mentored by a pediatric surgeon-scientist. More than 60% of respondents had significant protected time and financial support. Factors felt to be most significant for academic success included mentorship, perseverance, and protected time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mentorship, perseverance, institutional commitment to protected research time, and financial support are considered to be important to facilitate the successes of pediatric surgeon-scientists. These results will be useful to aspiring pediatric surgeon-scientists and departments wishing to develop a robust research program.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric, Thoracic and General Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH.
authors.forename: Carey
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric, Thoracic and General Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: King
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric, Thoracic and General Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH.
authors.forename: Shaheel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mitra
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric, Thoracic and General Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH.
authors.forename: Aimen F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Shaaban
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Allan M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Goldstein
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric General and Thoracic Surgery, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Morowitz
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric, Thoracic and General Surgery, St. Louis Children's Hospital, St. Louis, MO.
authors.forename: Brad W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Surgery, The Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, CO.
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Crombleholme
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric, Thoracic and General Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH. Electronic address: sundeep.keswani@cchmc.org.
authors.forename: Sundeep G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Keswani
mesh_terms: D002983:Clinical Competence; D004502:Education, Medical, Continuing / Q000592:standards*; D004526:Efficiency; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010372:Pediatrics / Q000193:education*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D066231:Surgeons / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States
keywords: NIH; Pediatric surgery; Success; Surgeon–scientist; h-index