OREF Resident Research Symposia: An Important Pipeline for Prospective Orthopaedic Surgeon-Scientists

Non-governmental educational programs such as the annual Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) Resident Research Symposia aim to elevate and fund trainee research endeavors. This study investigates the translation of research recognized at the Resident Research Symposia into peer-reviewed publication and the rate of awardees who pursue academic careers after training. Awards from the OREF Resident Research Symposia between 2008 and 2023 were aggregated. Characteristics of awardees and projects were noted. Conversion to publication and journal characteristics were identified by indexing major research databases. The current practice type and specialty of each trainee was queried using the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons roster and institutional sites. Descriptive statistics, univariate and multivariate regression models were performed. Primary outcomes included rates of OREF symposia presentation conversion to publication and trainees pursuing a career in academia. Three hundred and eighty-nine awards were included with 72 (18.5%) females and 317 (81.5%) males. One hundred and forty-two (36.5%) were first place awards, 101 (25.9%) second place, 131 (33.7%) third place, and 15 (3.9%) presenter's choice, across five regions. Basic science projects were more likely to win first-place awards (p = 0.001). Awarded projects translated to 300 (77%) peer-reviewed publications, with an average impact factor of 1.78 ± 1.65. Male and first-place awardees were more likely to publish (p = 0.014, p = 0.001). The current practice types of 376 distinct awardees were identified with 149 awardees currently practicing in academia (42.3%). Awardees that successfully published their projects (p < 0.001), and those from the Mid-Atlantic region (p = 0.01) were more likely to pursue academic careers. Research awarded at the OREF symposium translates to peer-reviewed publication at a high rate, and awardees enter academia at a disproportionately high rate. OREF provides an effective platform to identify and support budding surgeon-scientists, which is vital given that musculoskeletal research is historically underfunded at a national level.