Is Formal Research Training Associated with Academic Success in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery?

Publication date: Available online 7 September 2017
Source:Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
Author(s): Jesse T. Han, Mark A. Egbert, Thomas B. Dodson, Srinivas M. Susarla
PurposePursuing promotion in academic rank and seeking funded research opportunities are core elements of academic practice. This study's purpose was to assess whether formal research training influenced academic rank or National Institutes of Health (NIH) funding among full-time academic oral and maxillofacial surgeons (OMS).MethodsThis was a cross-sectional study of full-time academic OMS in the United States. The primary predictor variable was completion of formal research training, defined as a research fellowship or advanced non-clinical doctoral research degree (PhD, DMSc, DPH, DPhil, ScD). The outcome measures were current academic rank and successful acquisition of NIH funding (yes or no). Other study variables included MD degree, clinical fellowship training, years since completion of training, and H-index, a measure of academic productivity. We computed descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression models and set a p-value < 0.05 as significant.ResultsTwo-hundred and ninety-nine full-time academic OMS comprised the study sample. Among these, 81 (27.1%) had formal research training. Surgeons with formal research training were less likely to have MD degrees (p = 0.004), had a greater mean time since completion of training (p = 0.01), had a higher mean H-index (p = 0.02). Formal research training was not associated with academic rank (p = 0.10), but was associated with increased likelihood of receiving NIH funding (p = 0.001). In a multiple logistic regression model, after adjusting for years since completing training and h-index, formal research training was associated with an increased likelihood of obtaining NIH funding (odds ratio = 3.22, 95% confidence interval = 1.15-9.00, p = 0.03).ConclusionAmong academic OMS, those with formal research training had greater success with obtaining NIH funding. Formal research training did not appear to influence current academic rank.



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