aamc.org does not support this web browser.

    DEIA in Biomedical Research Data and Reports

    We have launched a data and analysis effort to fill the gaps in our understanding of the state of the biomedical research workforce as related to DEIA issues and to tie these findings to potential policy and program interventions. This page provides more information about: 

    Our Work 

    To better understand and expand the existing knowledge on the current state of and trends in the biomedical research workforce, we have started our analysis using the 2022 National Sample Survey of Physicians and a merged dataset of AAMC faculty data and National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards data, which covers the period of 1970-2022. Research briefs, reports, and data tables will be added on an ongoing basis below. 

    National Sample Survey of Physicians Data Analysis and Research Brief 

    The AAMC has fielded two waves of the National Sample Survey of Physicians (NSSP), in 2019 and 2022, which include data on a comprehensive set of topics including physician research engagement. We drew on the 2022 data to describe the demographic characteristics and work experiences of physician scientists (MDs and DOs who are actively engaged in research, regardless of other degrees) and to compare the characteristics and experiences of this subgroup of physicians to their peers who are not engaged in research. Figure 1, below, illustrates the extent to which physicians were engaged in research in 2022. Overall, 14% of physicians were involved in research. Physicians with an academic affiliation and physicians who had earned a PhD in addition to their medical degree were engaged in research at higher rates than their nonacademic and non-PhD peers, respectively. Our complete findings can be accessed in the research brief and conference poster below: 

    Column graph showing physician research involvement by academic affiliation and by MD/DO-PhD status. The graph shows that 14% of all physicians are engaged in research. Research engagement is more common among academically affiliated physicians than physicians outside of academic medicine (24% versus 8%). Engagement in research is more common among MD/DO-PhD scientists than MD/DO scientists without a PhD (33% vs 13%).

    Figure 1. Engagement in research is more common among academically affiliated physicians than physicians outside of academic medicine.

    Note: Asterisks (*) denote a statistically significant difference at the 95% confidence level between the percent of nonacademic and academically affiliated physicians engaged in research and the percent of MD/DO scientists and MD/DO-PhD scientists engaged in research.

    Source: 2022 NSSP. 

    Related Resources 

    We conducted an in-depth scoping review of available data resources and existing research on the biomedical workforce, compiling our findings into a comprehensive resource (coming soon). Key data sources include: 

    • Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering. Annual census (since 1972) of total number of master’s and doctoral students, postdocs, and doctorate-holding nonfaculty researchers in science, engineering, and select health fields at U.S. academic institutions. 

    • Survey of Doctorate Recipients. Biennial survey (since 1973) that provides demographic, education, and career history data on individuals with a doctoral degree in a science, engineering, or health field from a U.S.-based institution. Respondents are sampled from the Survey of Earned Doctorates annual census. 

    • Early Career Doctorates Survey. Survey of recent doctorate recipients that includes data on their demographics, work experiences, and career paths. Fielded in 2015 and 2017. 

    • NIH RePORTER/ExPORTER. Comprehensive database of NIH-funded research projects (1985-2022).