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NIH funding trends to US medical schools from 2009 to 2018
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

NIH funding trends to US medical schools from 2009 to 2018

Paige Noble, Patrick Ten Eyck, Robert Roskoski and J. Brooks Jackson
PloS one, Vol.15(6), pp.e0233367-e0233367
06/01/2020
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0233367
PMCID: PMC7263845
PMID: 32480400
url
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0233367View
Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

Total NIH funding dollars have increased from 2009–2018. We questioned whether this growth has occurred proportionately around the country and throughout allopathic medical schools. Therefore, we compared the trend in NIH grant funding from 2009 to 2018 for United States allopathic medical schools among historically top-funded schools, private and public schools, and by region of the country. Changes in both unadjusted and real funding dollars over time revealed a significant difference. Region was the only significant factor for mean percent change in funding from 2009–2018, with the Western region showing a 33.79% increase in purchasing power. The Northeastern region showed a -6.64% decrease in purchasing power while the Central and Southern regions reported changes of 2.46% and -6.08%, respectively. The mean percent increases were more proportional and nonsignificant in the public vs. private institutions comparison, at -3.41% and 4.75%, respectively. Likewise, the top-funded institutions vs. other institutions comparisons demonstrated modest, nonsignificant differences. However, although the relative changes might be proportional, the absolute increases evidence a pattern of growing cumulative advantage that favor the highest-funded institutions and private institutions. The potential consequences of this disproportionate increase include health science education, biomedical research, and patient access disparities in large parts of the country. The NIH and the scientific community should explore potential solutions in its funding models.
Medicine and Health Sciences People and places Science Policy Social Sciences

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