A 22-year analysis of the Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation Mentored Research Career Development Award in fostering vascular surgeon-scientists

Objective: Vascular surgeon-scientists shape the future of our specialty through rigorous scientific investigation and innovation in clinical care and by training the next generation of surgeon-scientists. The Society for Vascular Surgery Foundation (SVSF) supports the development of surgeon-scientists through the Mentored Research Career Development Award (SVSF-CDA) program, providing supplemental funds to recipients of National Institutes of Health (NIH) K08/K23 grants. We evaluated the ongoing success of this mission. Methods: The curriculum vitae of the 41 recipients of the SVSF supplemental funding from 1999 to 2021 were collected and reviewed to evaluate the academic achievements, define the programmatic accomplishments and return on investment, and identify areas for strategic improvement. Results: For nearly 22 years, the SVSF hasawardedsupplemental funds for 31K08and10 K23 grants toSVSmembersfrom 32 institutions. Of the 41 awardees, 34 have completed their K-funding and 7 are still being supported. Eleven awardees (27%) were women, including six of the current awardees (75%). However, only slight ethnic/racial diversity was found in the program. The awardees had obtained K-fundingw4 years after becoming faculty. Eleven awardees (27%) were supported by HowardHughes, NIH F32, or NIH T32 grants during training. To date, the SVSF has committed $12 million to the SVSF-CDA program. Among the 34 who have completed their K-funding, 21 (62%) successfully obtained NIH R01, Veterans Affairs, or Department of Defense funding. The awardees have secured >$114 million in federal funding, representing a 9.5-fold financial return on investment for the SVSF. In addition to research endeavors, 11 awardees (27%) hold endowed professorships and 19 (46%) have secured tenure at their institution. Many of the awardees hold or have held leadership positions, including 18 division chiefs (44%), 11 program directors (27%), 5 chairs of departments of surgery (12%), and 1 dean (2%). Eleven (27%) have served as president of a regional or national society, and 24 (59%) participate in NIH study sections. Of the 34 who have completed their K-funding, 15 (44%) have continued to maintain active independent research funding. Conclusions: The SVSF-CDA program is highly effective in the development of vascular surgeon-scientists who contribute to the leadership and growth of academic vascular surgery with a 9.5-fold return on investment. The number of female awardees has increased in recent years but ethnic/racial diversity has remained poor. Although 62% successfully transitioned to federal funding, fewer than one half have remained funded over time. Retention in research and increasing diversity for the awardees are major concerns and important areas of strategic focus for the SVSF.