The Society of Thoracic Surgeons "Looking to the Future" Program: Impact on Resident Academic Productivity and Society Membership.

Abstract

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) "Looking to the Future" Scholarship has sought to promote mentorship, research participation, and professional development for prospective cardiothoracic surgery (CTS) trainees, particularly those with limited exposure. This report assesses the scholarship's impact on resident applicants' career outcomes, academic productivity, and Society membership. Resident recipients from 2007 to 2016 who completed CTS training were matched to nonrecipients by application year, sex, and training stage. Current positions and active or past STS membership were recorded from online webpages. Scopus was used to record the Hirsch index, number of publications, and number of citations for applicants who completed CTS training. We identified 236 resident recipients and 430 nonrecipients, of whom 137 and 259 had completed training, respectively. Among female applicants, the percentage in CTS was greater among recipients compared with nonrecipients (n = 46 [89%] vs n = 78 [58%], P < .001). The difference in past or current STS membership between recipients and nonrecipients was not significant (67% vs 78%, P = .06). A greater percentage of recipients held STS leadership roles (32% vs 18%, P = .03). Average Hirsch index (recipients, 11; nonrecipients, 10; P = .35), number of publications (recipients, 35; nonrecipients, 37; P = .59), and number of citations (recipients, 846; nonrecipients, 748; P =.59) did not differ between groups. This scholarship assessment shows increased STS leadership participation among recipients compared with nonrecipients, with comparable research productivity between groups. Recipients had limited CTS and academic exposure compared with nonrecipients at the time of application, suggesting the program has served to increase academic engagement among this group.