title: Educating the surgeon-scientist: A qualitative study evaluating challenges and barriers toward becoming an academically successful surgeon.
abstract: The advancement of surgical science relies on educating new generations of surgeon-scientists. Career development awards (K Awards) from the National Institutes of Health, often considered a marker of early academic success, are one way physician-scientists may foster skills through a mentored research experience. This study aimed to develop a conceptual framework to understand institutional support and other factors leading to a K Award.
  
  
  
  A national, qualitative study was conducted with academic surgeons. Participants included 15 K Awardees and 12 surgery department Chairs. Purposive sampling ensured a diverse range of experiences. Semistructured, in-depth telephone interviews were conducted. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim, and 2 reviewers analyzed the transcripts using Grounded Theory methodology.
  
  
  
  Participants described individual and institutional factors contributing to success. K Awardees cited personal factors such as perseverance and team leadership skills. Chairs described the K Awardee as an institutional "investment" requiring protected time for research, financial support, and mentorship. Both K Awardees and Chairs identified a number of challenges unique to the surgeon-scientist, including financial strains and competing clinical demands.
  
  
  
  Institutional support for surgeons pursuing K Awards is a complex investment with significant initial costs to the department. Chairs act as stewards of institutional resources and support those surgeon-scientists most likely to be successful. Although the K Award pathway is one way to develop surgeon-scientists, financial burdens and challenges may limit its usefulness. These findings, however, may better prepare young surgeons to develop career plans and identify new mechanisms for academic productivity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Kodadek
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Muneera R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kapadia
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Navin R
authors.initials: NR
authors.lastname: Changoor
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Kelli Bullard
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Dunn
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Chandrakanth
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Are
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Jacob A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Greenberg
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Rebecca M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Minter
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA.
authors.forename: Timothy M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Pawlik
authors.affiliation: Center for Surgery and Public Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA. Electronic address: ahhaider@partners.org.
authors.forename: Adil H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Haider
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D035843:Biomedical Research; D005260:Female; D005378:Financial Support; D006801:Humans; D007857:Leadership; D008297:Male; D008611:Mentors; D008875:Middle Aged; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D011361:Professional Competence; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000193:education*; D014481:United States