Background: Many factors play a role in academic promotion among orthopaedic surgeons. This study specifically examined the importance of publication productivity metrics, career duration, and sex on academic rank in orthopaedic surgery programs in the United States.

Methods: Faculty at 142 civilian academic orthopaedic surgery departments in 2014 were identified. Geographic region, department size, and 3 specific faculty characteristics (sex, career duration, and academic position) were recorded. The Hirsch index (h-index), defined as the number (h) of an investigator’s publications that have been cited at least h times, was recorded for each surgeon. The m - index was also calculated by dividing the h - index by career duration in years. Thresholds for the h-index and the m - index were identified between junior and senior academic ranks. Multivariate analysis was used to determine whether the 3 physician factors correlated independently with academic rank.

Results: The analysis included 4,663 orthopaedic surgeons at 142 academic institutions (24.7% clinical faculty and 75.3% academic faculty). Among academic faculty, the median h - index was 5, the median career duration was 15 years, and the median m - index was 0.37. Thresholds between junior and senior faculty status were 12 for the h - index and 0.51 for the m-index. Female academic faculty had a lower median h-index (3 compared with 5; p < 0.001) and career duration (10 years compared with 16 years; p < 0.001) than male academic faculty, but had a similar median m-index (0.33 compared with 0.38; p = 0.103). A higher h-index and longer career duration correlated independently with an increased probability of senior academic rank (p < 0.001), but sex did not (p = 0.217).

Conclusions: This analysis demonstrates that a higher h-index and m - index correlate with a higher academic orthopaedic faculty rank. Although female surgeons had a lower median h - index and a shorter median career duration than male surgeons, their m - index was not significantly different, and thus sex was not an independent predictor for senior academic rank. The identified thresholds (h-index of 12 and m-index of 0.51) between junior and senior academic ranks may be considered as factors in promotion considerations.

Publication Productivity and Experience: Factors Associated with Academic Rank Among Orthopaedic Surgery Faculty in the United States.

Gender Differences in Promotion and Scholarly Impact: An Analysis of 1460 Academic Ophthalmologists

Background The Hirsch index (h-index), widely considered a valuable measure of assessing academic productivity, has been studied in various medical and surgical specialties and has shown strong associations between higher h-indices and academic promotion, as well as with National Institutes of Health (NIH) awards. Additionally, the m-index and e-index may complement the h-index in this assessment of merit. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the h, m, and e-indices and academic rank for 2,061 academic orthopaedic surgeons in the United States. Methods The h-indices of faculty members from 120 academic orthopaedic surgery residency programs were organized and calculated using the Scopus and Google Scholar databases. Additionally, m-index and e-index scores were calculated from Google Scholar. After application of exclusion criteria, 2,061 academic orthopaedic surgeons were included. Results Academic rank (assistant professor, associate professor, professor, and chair) increases as mean h-index, m-index, and e-index scores increase. Among 976 assistant professors, 504 associate professors, 461 professors, and 120 chairs, mean h, m, and e-indices increased with each academic rank. In the comparison of male and female surgeons, there was no significant difference in h, m, or e-index scores, with the exception of increased h-index scores among male assistant professors. Conclusions Scholarly impact, as defined by academic productivity and scientific relevance, can be classified by the h-index and supplemented by the m and e-indices. This study has revealed well-defined differences in h, m, and e-indices with regard to academic rank among orthopaedic surgeons. Although the h, m, and e-indices may be of value as adjunct assessment devices for scholarly merit, careful consideration of their limitations must be maintained.

The Use of the h-Index in Academic Orthopaedic Surgery.

Research productivity and gender disparities: a look at academic plastic surgery.

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on practical activities and didactic teaching of residents and fellows. This survey aimed to propose long-term changes for ophthalmology training based on the changes experienced by trainees and their perception of new training opportunities. An online survey was distributed to ophthalmology trainees in multiple countries. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse the data. A total of 504 analyzable responses were collected from 32 different countries. The current impact of COVID-19 pandemic was described as “severe” by most trainees (55.2%); however, the future perspective was more optimistic as demonstrated by the greater number of responses reporting a presumed “moderate” (37.3%), “mild” (14.1%) or “slight” (4.2%) long-term impact. The vast majority of trainees reported a decrease ≥50% of clinical activity (76.4%) and >75% of surgical activity (74.6%). Although an initial gap in didactic teaching has been experienced by many (55.4%), regular web-based teaching was reportedly attended by 67.7% of the respondents. A strong agreement was found regarding the worthwhile role of web-based case-presentations in clinical training (91.7%), web-based discussion of edited surgical videos (85.7%) and simulation-based practice (86.9%) in surgical training. This survey, focusing on trainees’ perspective, strongly reinforces the need to promptly include new technology-based training tools, such as web-based teaching, virtual surgical simulators, and telementoring, in long-term reorganisation of ophthalmology training to ensure its continuity and effectiveness, which would remain available even in the face of another unpredictable crisis within the health system.

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Reshaping ophthalmology training after COVID-19 pandemic.

The association between scholarly impact and National Institutes of Health funding in ophthalmology.

Impact of fellowship training on research productivity in academic ophthalmology.

The Spanish educational system, in general, and particularly at the university level, is characterized by the lack of systematic and quantitative evaluative research. This lack of data based research is particularly problematic due to the significant reforms that are currently taking place. Decisions are being made at political, administrative, and educational levels that are not substantiated by meaningful research. To address these concerns, this study focuses upon providing empirical data from students who attend the University of Granada and who have sought services from Counseling Services. This paper provides data concerning the demographic, academic and psychological characteristics that impact students’ adaptation to the University’s academic and personal challenges.

Santiago A. Lopez

Papers

Gender Differences in Promotion and Scholarly Impact: An Analysis of 1460 Academic Ophthalmologists

The Use of the h-Index in Academic Orthopaedic Surgery.

The association between scholarly impact and National Institutes of Health funding in ophthalmology.

Impact of fellowship training on research productivity in academic ophthalmology.

Demographic, Academic and Psychological Profile of Students Attending Counseling Services at the University of Granada (Spain)