1. SCHOLARLY ACTIVITY TRAINING DURING FELLOWSHIP: A NATIONAL ASSESSMENT

Background ACGME and ABP requirements for fellows include at least 12 months of scholarly activity (SA) and generation of a work product. Yet there lacks detailed guidance on how programs can best integrate SA training into fellowship. Objectives Our objectives were: a) understand resources and perceived barriers to fellow SA training; b) identify factors associated with high productivity (>75% of fellows publish a manuscript); and c) identify factors associated with fellowship program director (FPD) satisfaction with overall SA training. Methods Cross-sectional survey approved by SPIN, administered to pediatric FPD nationally in 2019. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, Chi-squared/Fisher exact tests, and multivariable modeling. Results 517 of 810 FPD responded (64%). 35% (181/517) of programs were highly productive. 69% of FPDs were extremely/very satisfied with overall SA training. 28% felt resources were somewhat or not at all adequate. The most frequent major barriers were lack of funding to conduct SA (21%) and lack of sufficient divisional faculty mentorship (16%). 41% believed training should be shortened to two years for fellows pursuing non-academic careers. Programs with high productivity were twice as likely to have a T32, an FPD with >5 publications in the past 3 years, and not experience Scholarly Oversight Committee (SOC) expertise as a barrier (OR=2.1, 2.0, 1.9, respectively) (Table 1a). Not viewing an adequate research curriculum as a barrier was also significant (OR=1.6). Satisfaction was associated with high productivity, having a division specific research curriculum, FPD having >5 publications in past 3 years, and FPD belief that overall SA resources are adequate, SOC expertise is not a barrier, and training should not be shortened for fellows pursuing non-academic careers (all OR >2, Table 1b). Conclusions FPD research productivity, provision of an adequate research curriculum, and fostering expert SOC guidance appear critical to promoting fellow productivity and FPD satisfaction. Fellowship duration may need to be reconsidered given FPD beliefs and the dissatisfaction some have with their program SA training.