Researchers collected the names of ophthalmology residency program graduates from cohort and alumni lists on the residency program website or by emailing the program director.
Joshua Reyes, BS, from Bascom Palmer Eye Institute, University of Miami, Miami.
They stated, “Ophthalmology residency selection committees need robust metrics to screen applicants, and participation in research activities is central to the application process to recognize its relevance to future academic productivity.” It’s an important element,” he explained.
Reyes and colleagues aimed to assess the correlation between the number of peer-reviewed publications published prior to residency and subsequent peer-reviewed publications or career choices among physicians graduating from an ophthalmology residency program. As a result, we conducted a cross-sectional study.
The main results were correlations between peer-reviewed publications published before the residency program and subsequent publications, first authors, and journal publications with an impact factor score of 3 or higher. Secondary endpoints were differences in characteristics associated with academic ophthalmologists and community-based ophthalmologists.
Researchers collected the names of ophthalmology residency program graduates from the cohort and alumni lists on the residency program website or by emailing the program director. We searched PubMed and categorized publications before, during, and after the residency program. Investigators scored first authors and publications with an impact factor score of 3 or higher. The survey included graduates of residency programs from 2013 to 2016.
The survey included 964 people, representing 52% of training program graduates. Most of the ophthalmologists included (85.5%) had published studies indexed in PubMed.
The authors reported being the first author (ρ = 0.71; 95% confidence interval [CI]0.67–0.74; p < 0.001) were strongly positively correlated with studies published during the residency program, but not with journal publications with an impact factor score of ≥3 (ρ = 0.56; 95% CI, 0.51). -0.60; p < 0.001) and peer-reviewed publications from before training program (ρ = 0.38; 95% CI, 0.32-0.43; p < 0.001) were moderately and weakly positively correlated, respectively .
For articles published after residency, journal publications with an impact factor score of 3 or higher (ρ = 0.86; 95% CI, 0.84-0.87; p < 0.001) had the strongest positive correlation, followed by first author. (ρ = 0.77; 95) followed. % CI, 0.74–0.79; p < 0.001) and peer-reviewed publications published prior to the residency program (ρ = 0.26; 95% CI, 0.20–0.31; p < 0.001).
Publications before (t = 3.3; p = 0.001), during stay (t = 4.1; p < 0.001), after stay (t = 7.5; p < 0.001), first author (t = 6.6; p <0.001) , and journal publications with an impact factor score of ≥3 (t = 5.9; p < .001) were greater among academic ophthalmologists compared with community-based ophthalmologists, the authors reported.
Commenting on the findings, the authors said: Additionally, applicants who publish more papers are likely to have better access to mentorship and research support, which in turn encourages more research publication. Academic-focused programs may rank higher for applicants with research backgrounds and academic aspirations, a choice that favors future ophthalmologists developing into university-based clinicians can create bias. ”
reference
1. Reyes J, Seddon I, Watane A, et al. Association of pre-residency peer-reviewed publications with future academic productivity or career choice among ophthalmic residency applicants. JAMA Ophthalmology. Published online January 12, 2023. doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2022.5815