342 Patterns and predictors of NIAMS funding for early career researchers

Abstract

Both basic and clinical research are important for advancing science and public health, and the NIH has been working to increase support for investigators performing clinical research. Our objective was to evaluate the distribution of mentored career development awards in dermatology and to compare it to other specialties funded by the National Institute for Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Disease (NIAMS). We collected data on K08 and K23 awards from NIAMS through the publicly available NIH Reporter database and classified these awards as dermatology, musculoskeletal, or rheumatology research to compare the K08 and K23 distribution across specialties. We also classified award recipients as men or women according to the gender pronouns used in publicly available institutional biographies. From January 2012 to June 2021, NIAMS granted K23 awards to 104 unique recipients and K08 awards to 108 unique recipients, resulting in an overall ratio of 1.0 for K23 to K08 recipients. This K23:K08 ratio varied by specialty: it was 0.4 for dermatology, 0.8 for musculoskeletal research, and 1.7 for rheumatology. Adjusted multivariate regression models show that the odds of K23 versus K08 awards were over three times higher in rheumatology than dermatology (OR 3.63, 95% CI 1.72-7.90). Women were almost three times more likely to receive K23 awards (OR 2.64, 95% CI 1.47-4.82), and there was evidence of effect modification in the association between specialty and award type by gender (likelihood ratio test, p-value = 0.015). When stratified by gender, the K23:K08 ratio in dermatology was 0.1 for men and 1.1 for women. The imbalance between support for early career researchers in dermatology focusing on basic versus clinical research may have important implications for the state of dermatological science and the academic workforce. Efforts to address these challenges and correct the imbalance in research funding is needed to improve equity in the dermatology workforce and improve patient outcomes.