title: Impact of Global Health Research Training on Scholarly Productivity: The Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Program.
abstract: In the Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows (FICRS-F) Program, 536 U.S. and international doctoral and postdoctoral health profession students and trainees completed 1-year research training at research centers in low- and middle-income countries. To evaluate the Program's impact, we analyzed data gathered prospectively during the Program, from PubMed, and from a representative survey of alumni. Of 100 randomly selected respondents, 94 returned the survey. Reflecting the sources of funding, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome was the focus of 47% of the projects, but research in noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and dual infection/NCD-related topics increased over time. Among the first 1,617 alumni publications, output was associated positively with being an international versus U.S. trainee, a postdoctoral Fellow versus predoctoral Scholar, and accumulation of more years post-training (all P < 0.001). Fellows were first author on a higher proportion of their articles than were Scholars (P < 0.001), and U.S. trainees were more often first author than international trainees (P = 0.04). Survey respondents had submitted 117 grant applications, and 79 (67.5%) had been funded. The FICRS-F Program yielded substantial research productivity in the early post-training years. Research outputs and impact will increase over time as alumni careers mature and they gain research independence and assume leadership positions.
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Global Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington douglas.heimburger@vanderbilt.edu.
authors.forename: Douglas C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Heimburger
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Global Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Catherine Lem
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Carothers
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Global Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Meridith
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Blevins
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Global Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Tokesha L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.affiliation: Vanderbilt Institute for Global Health, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Biostatistics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee; Fogarty International Clinical Research Scholars and Fellows Support Center at Vanderbilt, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee; Office of the Vice President for Research, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; Vaccine and Infectious Disease Division, Global Oncology, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington.
authors.forename: Sten H
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Vermund
mesh_terms: D035843:Biomedical Research / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004526:Efficiency; D005257:Fellowships and Scholarships / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014943:Global Health / Q000193:education* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007393:International Educational Exchange / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011642:Publications / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires