Otolaryngology Surgeon-Scientists: The Road Less Traveled

Surgeon-Scientists in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (OHNS) are critical to advancing clinical care through scientific innovation. However, extended training duration and challenges in research funding acquisition continue to hinder career advancement.

Cross-sectional cohort study.

Analysis of publicly available NIH RePORTER data and national survey of NIH-funded OHNS faculty across US academic medical institutions. Survey data was collected between October and December 2024.

We identified NIH-funded OHNS faculty as of September 2024 using the NIH RePORTER database. We examined time to initial R01-equivalent funding and grant diversity by degree types (MD, PhD, or dual-degree). A survey was administered to the OHNS faculty to evaluate their training experiences, research productivity, and funding mechanisms.

PhD faculty comprised the largest proportion of NIH-funded OHNS investigators (52%) and had greater grant diversity than MD and dual-degree counterparts (P < .0001). Furthermore, PhDs secured R01-equivalent grants earlier than MDs and dual-degree holders (7.5 vs 9.5 years posttraining, P = .04). However, MD and dual-degree faculty were more likely to obtain K awards and transition to R01 funding (P < .0001). Participation in T32/R25 residency programs was associated with a 2.5-year reduction in time to R01-equivalent grant (P = .037). Basic science researchers were 4 times more likely to obtain K awards (P = .04).

While OHNS PhD faculty attain early and diverse funding, structured training programs and engagement in basic science research significantly enhance MD-degree faculty funding success. This study highlights institutional and training-level strategies that reduce the time to research independence and strengthen the OHNS surgeon-scientist pipeline.