Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34046712›Full record

ArticleSurgical endoscopy2022

Thriving or surviving? A critical examination of funding models for fellowship council fellowships.

Joo H Lee, Joshua J Weis, Mark A Talamini, Linda Schultz, Yumi Hori, Madhuri B Nagaraj, Daniel J Scott

Abstract read
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Joo H LeeUT Southwestern General Surgery Research Resident, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 3604 Cedar Springs Rd Unit 317, Dallas, Tx, 75219, USA.
Joshua J WeisUT Southwestern General Surgery Research Resident, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 3604 Cedar Springs Rd Unit 317, Dallas, Tx, 75219, USA.
Mark A TalaminiState University of New York, Stonybrook, NY, USA.
Linda SchultzFoundation for Surgical Fellowships, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Yumi HoriFellowship Council, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
Madhuri B NagarajUT Southwestern General Surgery Research Resident, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 3604 Cedar Springs Rd Unit 317, Dallas, Tx, 75219, USA. Madhuri.nagaraj@gmail.com.ORCID 0000-0001-6005-9838
Daniel J ScottUT Southwestern General Surgery Research Resident, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 3604 Cedar Springs Rd Unit 317, Dallas, Tx, 75219, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSince 1997, the Fellowship Council (FC) has evolved into a robust organization responsible for the advanced training of nearly half of the US residency graduates entering general surgery practice. While FC fellowships are competitive (55% match rate) and offer outstanding educational experiences, funding is arguably vulnerable. This study aimed to investigate the current funding models of FC fellowships.

methodsUnder an IRB-approved protocol, an electronic survey was administered to 167 FC programs with subsequent phone interviews to collect data on total cost and funding sources. De-identified data were also obtained via 2020-2021 Foundation for Surgical Fellowships (FSF) grant applications. Means and ranges are reported.

resultsData were obtained from 59 programs (35% response rate) via the FC survey and 116 programs via FSF applications; the average cost to train one fellow per year was $107,957 and $110,816, respectively. Most programs utilized departmental and grants funds. Additionally, 36% (FC data) to 39% (FSF data) of programs indicated billing for their fellow, generating on average $74,824 ($15,000-200,000) and $33,281 ($11,500-66,259), respectively. FC data documented that 14% of programs generated net positive revenue, whereas FSF data documented that all programs were budget-neutral.

conclusionBoth data sets yielded similar overall results, supporting the accuracy of our findings. Expenses varied widely, which may, in part, be due to regional cost differences. Most programs relied on multiple funding sources. A minority were able to generate a positive revenue stream. Although fewer than half of programs billed for their fellow, this source accounted for substantial revenue. Institutional support and external grant funding have continued to be important sources for the majority of programs as well. Given the value of these fellowships and inherent vulnerabilities associated with graduate medical education funding, alternative grant funding models and standardization of annual financial reporting are encouraged.

Indexed as

Fellowships and ScholarshipsInternship and ResidencyEducation, Medical, GraduateHumansSurveys and QuestionnairesFellowship councilFellowshipsFundingGraduate medical education

Identifiers

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.