Scholarly research productivity among otolaryngology residency graduates and its relationship to future academic achievement

Background: The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires that all residencies participate in research. This growing emphasis on research during residency has made it increasingly important for medical students to gain familiarity with the basic principles of research before beginning residency training. Thus, our goal is to determine if an association exists between publication rates before, during, or after otolaryngology residency training and whether publication efforts may predict future academic achievement. If such an association exists, perhaps otolaryngology residency program directors and education policymakers could use it as a predictive tool to screen future applicants.Methods: In this cross-sectional analysis, we selected a random sample of 50 otolaryngology residency programs listed on Doximity. From these programs, we assembled a list of graduating residents from 2013, 2014, and 2015. Using SCOPUS, PubMed, and Google Scholar, a list of publications for each graduate was compiled and data were extracted in an independent, double-blinded fashion by two investigators.Results: Of the 50 randomly selected otolaryngology residency programs included in this analysis, 27 (54%) programs representing 207 residents were included. Before residency, graduates published a mean of 0.7 (SD=2.3) articles and a mean of 0.2 (SD=0.8) first author publications. During residency, graduates published a mean of 4.1 (SD=5.0) articles and a mean of 2.2 (SD=3.2) first author publications. After residency, graduates published a mean of 5.4 (SD= 9.6) articles and a mean of 1.8 (SD=2.8) first author publications. Residents who pursued a fellowship had more publications (t205=-5.5, p <.001) and more first author publications (t205=-5.3, p <.001) than residents who did not pursue fellowship training. Residents who chose careers in academic medicine had a higher number of mean total publications (t205=-7.2, p <.001) and first author publications (t205=-7.0, p <.001) than those in private practice.Conclusion: Otolaryngology residency graduates are actively involved in research opportunities throughout their medical training. Research productivity significantly correlated with future fellowship training, the pursuit of an academic career, and overall h-index. Residents who published more research were more likely to enter fellowship training and academic careers. Our results indicate that promoting greater physician involvement in the research process may strengthen confidence in the interpretation and application of research findings and ultimately lead to future academic success

Publication trends among anesthesiology graduates and its relationship with future academic success

Purpose: Research during medical training is widely considered to be an integral component of residency and fellowship match success, with many residency programs encouraging residents to engage in scholastic activities, such as serving as authors on peer-reviewed publications. However, the degree to which these scholarly practices continue beyond residency is unknown. Here, we investigate publication trends among graduates of anesthesiology residency programs as part of a larger initiative to examine publication trends and academic achievement across medical specialties.Methods: We employed a cross-sectional study design analyzing research output by graduates of anesthesiology residencies in relation to future publications and academic accomplishments from a random sample of 50 anesthesiology residency rosters using Doximity. For each graduate, we extracted from Scopus the number publications, H-index score, fellowship attainment, and post-graduate practice setting.Results: We identified 153 anesthesiology residency programs, of which 50 were randomly selected. Fifteen programs provided rosters, consisting of 390 graduates. The majority of graduates (197/390, 50.5%) had 1 or more publications, while 193 (49.5%) had zero publications, with an average of 2 publications per graduate and a median H-index score of 1.2. Most graduates pursued a fellowship (227/390, 58.2%), however, less than one-quarter (101/390, 25.9%) currently practice in an academic setting. Pearson correlation test demonstrated a positive correlation between the number of publications before residency and H-index (0.84), as well as during (0.33) and after residency (0.39). Graduates that had higher mean total publications were more likely to go into academic medicine (M = 3.8, SD 0.6) and pursue a fellowship after residency (M = 3.1, SD 0.4) than those that did not (M = 1.4, SD 0.3) (t390=-4.2, p <.001) and (M = 0.5, SD 0.1) (t390=-5.2, p <.001), respectively. Male graduates (M = 2.4, SD 0.4) had a higher mean publication total than female graduates (M = 1.3, SD 0.2) (t390=-2.0, p <.05).Conclusion: Despite scholastic activity being a requirement of graduate medical education, few graduates of anesthesiology residency programs are publishing research. We believe that promoting greater physician involvement in the research process will strengthen confidence in the interpretation and application of research findings

Effects of statin therapies on individuals taking antipsychotics: A systematic review

Introduction: Patients with a severe mental illness (SMI) taking antipsychotics may develop side effects such as dyslipidemia. Our objective is to provide an update to a previous systematic review showing statin therapy lowering lipid levels in individuals taking antipsychotics while further identifying changes, if present, in body mass index (BMI), blood pressure or any safety concerns.Methods: In August 2022, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO, PubMed and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials for studies pertaining to the effects of statins on lipid profile measures for those taking first or second generation antipsychotic medications, with a diagnosis related to SMI. Data extraction was performed in a masked duplicate fashion. Based on article type, each study’s risk of bias was assessed using ROBINS-I or RoB-2. The GRADE criteria were used for certainty assessment.Results: Our initial search returned 396 articles, of which six were included. Five (of 6, 83.3%) articles identified significant change between baseline and post-treatment lipids. Of the articles recording blood pressure, BMI or weight and significant safety concerns, no significant changes were found. The certainty assessment for this systematic review is rated moderate. A meta-analysis was not performed.Discussion: Studies continue to demonstrate statin therapy’s utilization in prevention and treatment for dyslipidemia and its related cardiovascular risk through significant reduction in LDL-C. Patients at risk of developing dyslipidemias secondarily to antipsychotic treatment for a SMI should be considered for lipid lowering therapy with a statin. The limited number of studies included and their heterogeneity demonstrates areas for improvement for future research

Justify your alpha

Benjamin et al. proposed changing the conventional “statistical significance” threshold (i.e.,the alpha level) from p ≤ .05 to p ≤ .005 for all novel claims with relatively low prior odds. They provided two arguments for why lowering the significance threshold would “immediately improve the reproducibility of scientific research.” First, a p-value near .05provides weak evidence for the alternative hypothesis. Second, under certain assumptions, an alpha of .05 leads to high false positive report probabilities (FPRP2 ; the probability that a significant finding is a false positive

Association of the OPRM1 Variant rs1799971 (A118G) with Non-Specific Liability to Substance Dependence in a Collaborative de novo Meta-Analysis of European-Ancestry Cohorts

Peer reviewe

Justify your alpha

In response to recommendations to redefine statistical significance to p ≤ .005, we propose that researchers should transparently report and justify all choices they make when designing a study, including the alpha level

Rehabilitation versus surgical reconstruction for non-acute anterior cruciate ligament injury (ACL SNNAP): a pragmatic randomised controlled trial

BackgroundAnterior cruciate ligament (ACL) rupture is a common debilitating injury that can cause instability of the knee. We aimed to investigate the best management strategy between reconstructive surgery and non-surgical treatment for patients with a non-acute ACL injury and persistent symptoms of instability.MethodsWe did a pragmatic, multicentre, superiority, randomised controlled trial in 29 secondary care National Health Service orthopaedic units in the UK. Patients with symptomatic knee problems (instability) consistent with an ACL injury were eligible. We excluded patients with meniscal pathology with characteristics that indicate immediate surgery. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) by computer to either surgery (reconstruction) or rehabilitation (physiotherapy but with subsequent reconstruction permitted if instability persisted after treatment), stratified by site and baseline Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score—4 domain version (KOOS4). This management design represented normal practice. The primary outcome was KOOS4 at 18 months after randomisation. The principal analyses were intention-to-treat based, with KOOS4 results analysed using linear regression. This trial is registered with ISRCTN, ISRCTN10110685, and ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02980367.FindingsBetween Feb 1, 2017, and April 12, 2020, we recruited 316 patients. 156 (49%) participants were randomly assigned to the surgical reconstruction group and 160 (51%) to the rehabilitation group. Mean KOOS4 at 18 months was 73·0 (SD 18·3) in the surgical group and 64·6 (21·6) in the rehabilitation group. The adjusted mean difference was 7·9 (95% CI 2·5–13·2; p=0·0053) in favour of surgical management. 65 (41%) of 160 patients allocated to rehabilitation underwent subsequent surgery according to protocol within 18 months. 43 (28%) of 156 patients allocated to surgery did not receive their allocated treatment. We found no differences between groups in the proportion of intervention-related complications.InterpretationSurgical reconstruction as a management strategy for patients with non-acute ACL injury with persistent symptoms of instability was clinically superior and more cost-effective in comparison with rehabilitation management