Family Medicine: Finding Its Way on the Federal Research Roadmap

Introduction: Challenges persist in securing substantial funding for the Family Medicine (FM) research enterprise, particularly from major sources like the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Analyses from a decade ago revealed stagnant funding levels, prompting further investigation into the subsequent years.

Methods: To elucidate funding trends over the most recent decade, the NIH RePORTER database was queried for grants awarded to departments identified as “Family Medicine” from 2014 to 2023. Data encompassed awards from various federal agencies, predominantly including the US National Institutes of Health and others. We also explored the relationship between funding success and multidisciplinarity, examining whether Departments of FM (DFMs) incorporating diverse disciplines in their names exhibited higher chances of securing research funding.

Results: The investigation identified 73 funded DFMs in the NIH RePORTER database out of a total of 131 DFMs at Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accredited schools. Despite notable increases in both the total funding and percentage of funding allocated to DFMs over the decade, FM still accounted for less than 1% of total NIH awards. Multidisciplinary departments displayed a higher likelihood of securing research funding compared with their counterparts identified solely as DFMs.

Discussion: While the study reveals a mild upward trend in funding levels for DFMs, challenges persist in securing a more substantial share of federal research funding. Despite limitations, including the exclusion of non-NIH funding sources, the study provides valuable insights into the current state of federal funding for Family Medicine research, urging sustained efforts for further progress in the field.