TY - JOUR
T1 - Does Intentional Support of Degree Programs in General Surgery Residency Affect Research Productivity or Pursuit of Academic Surgery? A Multi-Institutional Study
AU - Isom, Chelsea A.
AU - Bisgaard, Erika Kristen
AU - Campbell, Kendrick M.
AU - Courtney, Cathleen
AU - Erickson, Caroline
AU - Faber, David A.
AU - Gauger, Paul G.
AU - Greenberg, Jacob A.
AU - Kassam, Al Faraaz
AU - Mullen, John T.
AU - Phares, Amanda
AU - Quillin, R. Cutler
AU - Salcedo, Edgardo S.
AU - Schaffer, Andrew J.
AU - Scaria, Denny
AU - Stahl, Christopher C.
AU - Wise, Paul E.
AU - Kauffmann, Rondi M.
AU - Chen, Xi
AU - Smith, J. Joshua
AU - Terhune, Kyla P.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Association of Program Directors in Surgery
PY - 2020/11/1
Y1 - 2020/11/1
N2 - Objective: To determine whether pursuit of an advanced degree during dedicated research time (DRT) in a general surgery residency training program impacts a resident's research productivity. Design: A retrospective, multi-institutional cohort study. Setting: General surgery residency programs that were approved to graduate more than 5 categorical residents per year and that offered at least 1 year of DRT were contacted for participation in the study. A total of 10 general surgery residency programs agreed to participate in the study. Participants: Residents who started their residency between 2000 and 2012 and spent at least one full year in DRT (n = 511) were included. Those who completed an advanced degree were compared on the following parameters to those who did not complete one: total number of papers, first-author papers, the Journal Citation Reports impact factors of publication (2018, or most recent), and first position after residency or fellowship training. Results: During DRT, 87 (17%) residents obtained an advanced degree. The most common degree obtained was a Master of Public Health (MPH, n = 42 (48.8%)). Residents who did not obtain an advanced degree during DRT published fewer papers (median 8, [interquartile range 4-12]) than those who obtained a degree (9, [6-17]) (p = 0.002). They also published fewer first author papers (3, [2-6]) vs (5, [2-9]) (p = 0.002) than those who obtained a degree. Resident impact factor (RIF) was calculated using Journal Citation Reports impact factor and author position. Those who did not earn an advanced degree had a lower RIF (adjusted RIF, 84 ± 4 vs 134 ± 5, p < 0.001) compared to those who did. There was no association between obtaining a degree and pursuit of academic surgery (p = 0.13) Conclusions: Pursuit of an advanced degree during DRT is associated with increased research productivity but is not associated with pursuit of an academic career.
AB - Objective: To determine whether pursuit of an advanced degree during dedicated research time (DRT) in a general surgery residency training program impacts a resident's research productivity. Design: A retrospective, multi-institutional cohort study. Setting: General surgery residency programs that were approved to graduate more than 5 categorical residents per year and that offered at least 1 year of DRT were contacted for participation in the study. A total of 10 general surgery residency programs agreed to participate in the study. Participants: Residents who started their residency between 2000 and 2012 and spent at least one full year in DRT (n = 511) were included. Those who completed an advanced degree were compared on the following parameters to those who did not complete one: total number of papers, first-author papers, the Journal Citation Reports impact factors of publication (2018, or most recent), and first position after residency or fellowship training. Results: During DRT, 87 (17%) residents obtained an advanced degree. The most common degree obtained was a Master of Public Health (MPH, n = 42 (48.8%)). Residents who did not obtain an advanced degree during DRT published fewer papers (median 8, [interquartile range 4-12]) than those who obtained a degree (9, [6-17]) (p = 0.002). They also published fewer first author papers (3, [2-6]) vs (5, [2-9]) (p = 0.002) than those who obtained a degree. Resident impact factor (RIF) was calculated using Journal Citation Reports impact factor and author position. Those who did not earn an advanced degree had a lower RIF (adjusted RIF, 84 ± 4 vs 134 ± 5, p < 0.001) compared to those who did. There was no association between obtaining a degree and pursuit of academic surgery (p = 0.13) Conclusions: Pursuit of an advanced degree during DRT is associated with increased research productivity but is not associated with pursuit of an academic career.
KW - Research in residency
KW - Residency training
KW - Surgical education
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/85089739594
U2 - 10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.07.008
DO - 10.1016/j.jsurg.2020.07.008
M3 - Article
C2 - 32843316
AN - SCOPUS:85089739594
SN - 1931-7204
VL - 77
SP - e34-e38
JO - Journal of Surgical Education
JF - Journal of Surgical Education
IS - 6
ER -