The American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation Scholars Program: Additional data on research-related outcomes

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to ascertain the progress of recipients of research training in obstetrics and gynecology in establishing an active research career in academic medicine. Existing data were used to examine the extent to which 41 individuals who had received American Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Foundation (AAOGF) fellowships had achieved outcomes indicative of a career in academic medicine. Outcomes included employment as a full-time faculty member, receipt of NIH research funding, number of publications, the types of journals in which these articles had appeared, and the type of research (eg, basic vs patient-oriented). Among individuals who were awarded their fellowship between 1984 and 1997, 88% held faculty appointments, and 40% of these positions were in institutions that were more research-intensive that the medical degree-granting institutions of fellows. Slightly more than half of former fellows had successfully competed for NIH research funding, with 22% being awarded at least one R01 grant. Overall, fellows produced a total of 878 articles, one third of which appeared in clinical journals, 18% were in basic biomedical research journals, and 48% were in journals that published both types of research. Previous AAOGF scholars have actively pursued research careers in academic obstetrics and gynecology. Their performance compares favorably with those of individuals receiving research training in other clinical specialties. A more complete understanding of their performance and the value added by the program would be possible if a core set of data on outcomes were available from other types of training efforts in both obstetrics and gynecology and other relevant disciplines.