Research and Fellowship Surveys
OMSF Surveys Provide Dramatic Look at Award Recipients
In the summer and fall of 2005, the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation undertook a survey of grant recipients for the last 14 years in an effort to determine the results of those grants as they relate to expanded research opportunities for our clinicians. The survey was sent to recipients, mentors and fellows of Research Support Grants (RSG), the Research Fellowship (RF), the Student Research Training Award (SRTA), the Faculty Educator Development Award (FEDA), the Practitioner Innovation Award (PIA), and Clinical Fellowship mentors and fellows.
It is clear from the responses to the surveys that dollars invested in research return dividends in many ways and at a high rate of return. Recipients are using knowledge gained from the research funded by OMSF to better the specialty. OMSF awards attract highly-qualified candidates to oral and maxillofacial surgery who might have gone to other specialties, and OMSF awards raise awareness of the specialty. The following is a synopsis of results from the surveys.
Research Support Grants
From 1992 to 2004, the Foundation gave out 42 Research Support Grants for a total value of $1,807,665. RSGs are $55,000 each, and they were awarded to 22 different academic institutions. Every AAOMS district was represented in the awards distributed. The survey was returned from 18 of the grant recipients, which is almost 50% of RSG recipients. The total expense for the 18 responding grants was $789,514. Survey results showed that $789,514 was parlayed into reported grants generating $15,280,194.00 worth of additional research.
The respondents to the RSG survey reported 111 publications and 167 presentations or abstracts. They reported collaboration in multiple areas of medicine and dentistry, and noted the positive effect of OMSF funding on their careers.
Research Fellowships
Recipients of the Research Fellowship were also surveyed. From 1992 to 2004 the Foundation awarded grants totaling $275,000 to eight institutions. Three recipients responded, and funding for their awards was $120,000. The three survey respondents reported they had 13 publications, presented 12 presentations or abstracts, and had generated further grants of $225,000. It is important to note that Research Fellowships are $40,000 each, lower than the Research Support Grant which averages about $43,000 each, and it is aimed at a younger level of education. Six of the previously reported Research Support Grants had received Research Fellowships in the past.
Student Research Training Award
Ten schools were awarded Student Research Training Awards (SRTAs) since 1992. Ninety recipients of SRTAs responded to the OMSF survey, from a total of 145 SRTA recipients. The SRTA is awarded to undergraduate students. Of the 90 who responded, 40 went on to OMS residency programs. While it is difficult to determine exact results of specific research as a result of SRTAs, students who received them have had an impact on the specialty. Dr. Thomas Dodson informally reviewed the effects of SRTAs at
Harvard
University
. He found that students who received SRTAs were three times more likely to pursue oral and maxillofacial surgery than those who did not receive the award.
Faculty Educator Development Award
The purpose of this award is three-fold:
- The purpose of the award is to encourage promising young oral and maxillofacial surgeons to choose a long term faculty career in the specialty;
- to encourage promising young oral and maxillofacial surgery faculty members who have been on faculty for up to 3 years to continue a faculty career in the specialty;
- to provide a financial incentive to Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) accredited residency training programs to retain current faculty and to recruit new faculty.
There were ten FEDA respondents to the OMSF survey, representing nine academic institutions. Eight of the recipients are Program Directors. All recipients reported completing multiple publications. FEDAs are jointly funded by OMSF and AAOMS.
Practitioner Innovation Award
The Practitioner Innovation Award is a small award of $5,000 given to an individual practitioner to encourage those in the private practice to develop a technique or therapy applicable to clinical practice. As a result of the award, one of the recipients reported that he presented at the AAOMS meeting and one listed being on the editorial board for the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. For such a small expenditure for the Foundation, the survey results point to some dramatic outcomes for two surgeons.
Clinical Surgery Fellowships
Four programs and/or mentors responded to the survey. From these four programs, 12 fellows responded. The mentors reported training 26 fellows, 16 of whom are currently in academics. They have published 208 articles and presented 255 presentations or abstracts. One program had secured outside sources of funding. One of the goals of the Clinical Surgery Fellowship is to provide seed money to the institution, so further, outside funding can be obtained. Of the 12 Clinical Surgery Fellowship recipients who responded, ten are in academics and three are program directors. They have published 50 articles and have 55 presentations to their credit. It should be noted that the majority of respondents were very early in their careers.
For more detailed results of the surveys, please contact OMSF Executive Director Frank J. Kurtz at fkurtz@aaoms.org or 847-233-4361.
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