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Video

Professional and Personal Development

(A1026) The Impact of Small Grants on the Medical Education and Careers of Otolaryngology Lab Trainees

Monday, October 13, 2025
12:00 PM - 1:00 PM EDT
Location: OTO EXPO, Posters

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Aanish Puri

    Medical Student
    Univ of Minnesota Medical School
    Maple Grove, Minnesota, United States

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Beverly Wuertz

    Ms
    Univ of Minnesota
    Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

    • Senior Author(s)

  • Frank G. Ondrey, MD PhD

    Moleculary Oncology Prog./Otolaryngology Dept
    Univ of Minnesota
    minneapolis, Minnesota, United States

Disclosure(s):
Aanish Puri: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Beverly Wuertz: No relevant relationships to disclose.
Frank G. Ondrey, MD PhD: No relevant relationships to disclose.


Introduction: The University of Minnesota’s Molecular Oncology Program in otolaryngology has supported the training needs of undergraduates, medical students, residents, and fellows in aspects of cancer research. Funding for this program and its projects comes from a few sources, including small ( <$100,000) and philanthropic grants provided by local and national organizations. In this manuscript, we will characterize the impact of these otolaryngology-specific small and philanthropic funds on the careers of trainees that researched in our laboratory.

Methods: We generated lists of all trainees who had researched in our laboratory between 1998-2024 and included information regarding the trainee’s role, training period, project(s), and project funding. Academic and career outcomes were collected through database searches and communication with trainees.

Results: In total, 105 trainees were supported by small and philanthropic grants. Of these trainees, 20 researchers were undergraduates, 52 were medical students, 31 were post-doctoral, and 2 were junior faculty. Trainees were supported by 27 grants totaling $761,273.00. There were a total of 77 written publications and 60+ presentations at national conferences arising from these funds. Additionally, trainees were 100% successful in attaining matriculation to medical school or matching into specialties and fellowships with 55 becoming otolaryngologists. Work from these funds was estimated to be greater than 75,000 human-hours.

Conclusions: Small and philanthropic grants play a crucial role in the training of physician and surgeon-scientists by providing resources for mentorship and research opportunities. These grants enable medical trainees to develop critical skills and pursue innovative projects while also supporting the career development of surgeon-scientists including those interested in otolaryngology. Consequently, the grants and the trainees they develop significantly contribute to advancing medical knowledge for the greater medical community.