From a scientific perspective, it is a wonderful time to be a pediatric researcher. There are more tools at our disposal than ever before, enabling us to ask and answer big questions. Recent advances in molecular biology (e.g., CRISPR-Cas9 editing), stem cell biology, and tissue engineering allow us to consider interventions and cures for chronic diseases that have never before seemed within our grasp. Analysis of big data, from the genetic code and multi-omics to the electronic medical record, creates opportunities to advance personalized medicine approaches while also addressing population health.

However, the practical realities of being a pediatric researcher today dissuade some from entering or remaining in the field. While absolute dollars in the US National Institutes of Health (NIH) budget have risen, and an array of non-governmental agencies and foundations support discovery, NIH paylines remain relatively low, research “buying power” is constrained, and securing federal grants continues to be challenging. Moreover, competing priorities—such as high clinical demands in the academic environment or the lure of larger earnings from private practice or industry, especially in the face of student loan debt—can lead talented early-stage researchers to opt out of a research-focused career in academic pediatrics.1,2,3,4

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