Publication of pharmacy resident research projects: A systematic review and meta-analysis

DISCLAIMER

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

PURPOSE

Pharmacy residents often aspire to develop research skills through conducting a research project. Project publication rates among pharmacy residents are variable and at times low; however, previous studies have been limited to specific geographic regions and timeframes. This study sought to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the proportion of pharmacy resident research projects published in the peer-reviewed literature.

METHODS

A systematic review of PubMed MEDLINE, Embase, and the Web of Science Core Collection was performed from database inception to May 25, 2023. Articles were included if they were full-text, peer-reviewed manuscripts of original research presenting observational data regarding pharmacy resident research project publication rates. Data extraction and assessment of risk of bias were conducted by 2 independent reviewers. A proportional meta-analysis using a random effects model of the included studies was conducted to generate a pooled, overall proportion.

RESULTS

The search yielded 5,225 records and 12 articles that met the inclusion criteria. All studies were retrospective and observational. Risk of selection and cohort identification biases was "high," whereas that of detection and timeframe biases was "low." The included studies represented 6,990 resident research projects, 777 of which were published in the peer-reviewed literature. Publication rates across individual studies ranged from 1.8% to 36.2%. The pooled proportion (scale of 0 to 1) of projects published was 0.13 (0.09-0.19).

CONCLUSION

Pharmacy resident research project publication rates are low at 13%. Furthermore, studies reporting project publication rates over time suggest a neutral or negative trend in publication rates despite an exponential increase in the number of pharmacy residents.

Changing the Culture: Increasing and Sustaining Anesthesiology Resident Physician Publication Rates

Background

Academic inquiry is foundational to the advancement of medicine and resident training and must be demonstrated to the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. Past attempts at increasing publication rates have failed to identify educational best practice models. Our aim was to increase resident publication rates via culture and value changes that are universally implementable, affordable, effective, and sustainable.

Methods

In 2018, a multifaceted initiative was implemented to shift departmental values and foster a culture of academic productivity. This culture change stressed the value of scientific publication through frequent, consistent messaging from department leaders. In addition, residents were provided the freedom to choose their scholarly activities. In this retrospective cohort innovation, resident authors were identified for 4 academic years before and after the intervention and publication rates were determined (2014-2018 vs 2018-2022). Resident authors and publications per resident per year were compared using descriptive statistics and Student t test.

Results

The pre- and postintervention groups included 38 and 37 residents, respectively. Resident-authored publications increased from 7 preintervention to 24 postintervention, representing 343% of baseline. Mean ± SD publications per resident per year similarly increased 357% from 0.183 ± 0.16 to 0.654 ± 0.11 postintervention. Unpaired t test analysis demonstrated a significant difference in total publications per year (P = .002) and authorship rate (P = .003).

Conclusions

A multifaceted academic initiative resulted in a threefold increase in resident publication rates. This initiative demonstrates that local advocacy by leaders, freedom of choice for authors, and supportive departmental culture are driving factors in publication rates.

Medical student interest and participation in research at one rural clinical school: Insights from the last six years

INTRODUCTION

Limited evidence is currently available relating to research acitivity of medical students training in regional or rural areas.

OBJECTIVE

To describe medical student interest and participation in research at The University of Queensland Rural Clinical School (UQRCS).

DESIGN

Annual student expression of interest surveys were collated with records of student research participation maintained at UQRCS from 2017-2022. Additionally, a systematic search was conducted to identify student outputs not captured in internal records. Frequencies and proportions were calculated for all descriptive data along with proportions of students who engaged with a project, and projects that led to a peer-reviewed publication.

FINDINGS

At UQRCS commencement, 55% of research-interested students reported having basic research skills. Thirty-nine percent of research-interested students engaged with a project, most commonly literature reviews (47%) or audits (29%). Thirty-three percent of completed projects led to a peer-reviewed manuscript.

DISCUSSION

Students who engage with a project are unlikely to receive a project in their preferred clinical area and should be informed about the transferrability of research skills. Most students have basic research skills when commencing a project and therefore require ongoing support and mentorship from staff/supervisors.

CONCLUSION

Publication rates of medical students in regional/rural areas are comparable to those reported by metropolitan medical schools (~30%).

Publication rates of pharmacy residents involved in a team-based research program

DISCLAIMER

In an effort to expedite the publication of articles, AJHP is posting manuscripts online as soon as possible after acceptance. Accepted manuscripts have been peer-reviewed and copyedited, but are posted online before technical formatting and author proofing. These manuscripts are not the final version of record and will be replaced with the final article (formatted per AJHP style and proofed by the authors) at a later time.

PURPOSE

The University of Oklahoma College of Pharmacy (OUCOP) implemented an individualized residency research committee and skill development program to facilitate completion and publication of research projects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the outcomes the program had on project publication rates and subsequent publications after graduation for postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) and postgraduate year 2 (PGY2) residents.

METHODS

This study included OUCOP PGY1 and PGY2 residents from classes graduating from 2011 through 2019. Literature searches for all resident projects and subsequent publications were performed. Data collection included residency type (PGY1 vs PGY2), initial position after residency, and project type. The primary objective was to identify the publication rate of research projects. Secondary objectives included a comparison of the number of publications after residency graduation between residents who did and did not publish their residency project and analysis of factors associated with subsequent publications. Zero-inflated Poisson regression was utilized to analyze subsequent publication status controlling for other factors. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS/STAT with an a priori P value of <0.05.

RESULTS

Eighty-two projects were completed by 73 residents. Forty-three of 82 projects were published (52.4%) by 39 of 73 residents (52.1%). After residency graduation, 54 residents (74.0%) had a subsequent publication. Factors associated with subsequent publications were initial position in an academic role and completion of additional training after residency.

CONCLUSION

After implementation of the program, the majority of residents published their projects and had subsequent publications. Future efforts should be taken to identify opportunities to foster independence in research and scholarship for residents.

Podiatric Medicine and Surgery Resident-Authored Publications in The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery: A Systematic Review

Since its introduction into the medical community, the Podiatric Medicine and Surgery residency has strived to graduate the most advanced and learned foot and ankle surgeons. From increasing length of training, to assuring didactics and education are sufficiently incorporated into the residency, the Council on Podiatric Medical Education has overseen this transition. One area of interest, podiatric medicine and research, remains central to this training and contributes to the field of foot and ankle surgery through journal publications. The purpose of this review was to identify Podiatric Medicine and Surgery resident-authored publication rates, trends, and geographic distribution. All published case reports, original research articles, review articles, and tips, quips, and pearls in The Journal of Foot and Ankle Surgery from January 2009 to December 2018 were reviewed. Podiatric Medicine and Surgery residents comprised 8% of all authors. Residents contributed to and published as first authors in 22% and 11% of all manuscripts, respectively. An increasing trend in resident authors, resident-authored manuscripts, and resident-first-authored manuscripts was observed. From before the mandated 3-year residency to after, the proportion of resident-authored manuscripts to all manuscripts declined from 9.99% to 7.21%; however, among these resident-authored publications, the rate of first-authorship increased from 45.32% to 51.36%. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first and only study to examine publication rates among foot and ankle surgery residents.

Publication Rates of Pediatric-Focused Resident Research Projects Presented at The Pediatric Pharmacy Association Bruce Parks Memorial Residency Showcase

OBJECTIVES

The primary objective was to identify the number of residency projects presented at the Pediatric Pharmacy Association (PPA) Bruce Parks Memorial Residency Showcase that were subsequently published. Secondary objectives included a comparison of subsequent publications after residency completion between those who did and did not publish their residency project and an analysis of factors associated with subsequent publications.

METHODS

This was a descriptive study including all pediatric-focused resident projects presented at the PPA Bruce Parks Memorial Residency Showcase from 2006 to 2015. Literature searches for all the pediatric-focused residency projects and any subsequent publications were performed. Data collection included residency type (i.e., postgraduate year 1 [PGY1], postgraduate year 2 [PGY2]), project category, and initial position after residency. A zero-inflated Poisson regression was used to analyze subsequent publication status while controlling for other factors. Statistical analyses were performed using SAS/STAT, with a priori p value < 0.05.

RESULTS

There were 434 projects presented by 401 residents. Seventy-four (17.1%) were published, with the majority being PGY2s (74.3%). Subsequent publications were identified for 162 residents (40.4%), with a higher percentage in those who published their pediatric-focused residency project versus those who did not, 59.5% versus 32.8%, p < 0.001. Factors associated with subsequent publications were those who published their residency project, initial position in academia, and PGY2s.

CONCLUSIONS

Of the residency projects presented at the showcase <20% were subsequently published. Those who published their residency research project were more likely to have subsequent publications. Future efforts should be taken to ensure that residents have the tools/confidence to independently publish their research/scholarship.

Characteristics and Publication Rates for Podium Presentations at National Hand Surgery Meetings from 2007 to 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the research presented at the annual meetings of the American Society for Surgery of the Hand (ASSH) and the American Association for Hand Surgery (AAHS). Podium presentation data were extracted from the abstract books of the annual meetings of the ASSH and AAHS from 2007 to 2012. Corresponding publications were identified using searchable online publication databases and an algorithm linking authorship and content. The majority of research was clinical and the most common topics were trauma, degenerative conditions, and biomechanics. The most common body region of interest was the wrist/forearm. ASSH podium presentations were of a stronger level of evidence and were more likely to be published. The mean times to publication for research presented at the ASSH and AAHS meetings were 16.7 and 16.4 months, respectively. Presentations from each society were subsequently published at higher proportions in their affiliated journals. Furthermore, in comparison to AAHS presentations, a significantly larger proportion of research presented at the ASSH meetings was published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery , while a larger proportion of AAHS presentations were published in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and Microsurgery .

From conference abstract to publication in the conservation science literature

Every 2 years, the conservation community comes together at The Society for Conservation Biology's International Congress for Conservation Biology (ICCB) to share new developments in conservation science and practice. Publication of findings presented at conferences in scientific journals adds to the permanent record and helps increase the potential impact of the work presented. However, quantitative research on publication rates for meetings relevant to conservation is lacking. For the 25th ICCB, (Auckland, New Zealand in 2011), we examined study publication rates and presenter demographics, recorded titles, number of authors, presenter affiliations, gender, country of the study region, publication status, and elapsed time between presentation and publication. Of the 980 contributions (782 talks and 198 posters), 587 (60%) were published as peer-reviewed journal articles or book chapters. Mean time to publication was 13.7 months for all presentation abstracts and 21.3 months excluding abstracts with corresponding articles that were published before the meeting. The gender breakdown of presenters was almost even (53% male, 47% female), but representation of the countries where the presenting authors were based was skewed. The political units with the most contributions were by far the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. Presenters based in 16 different English-speaking countries made up 74% of the total sample, but this did not influence the likelihood of their abstract leading to a publication. Examination of conference presenters and publication of their presentations is useful to identify biases and potential challenges that need to be addressed to make conference communications permanent and increase their reach beyond conference attendees.

Publication Rates of Abstracts Presented at the Society of General Internal Medicine Annual Meeting

BACKGROUND

Abstracts accepted at scientific meetings are often not subsequently published. Data on publication rates are largely from subspecialty and surgical studies.

OBJECTIVE

The aims of this study were to 1) determine publication rates of abstracts presented at a general internal medicine meeting; 2) describe research activity among academic general internists; 3) identify factors associated with publication and with the impact factor of the journal of publication; and 4) evaluate for publication bias.

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

PARTICIPANTS

All scientific abstracts presented at the Society of General Internal Medicine 2009 Annual Meeting.

MAIN MEASURES

Publication rates were determined by searching for full-text publications in MEDLINE. Data were abstracted regarding authors' institution, research topic category, number of study sites, sample size, study design, statistical significance (p value and confidence interval) in abstract and publication, journal of publication, publication date, and journal impact factor.

KEY RESULTS

Of the 578 abstracts analyzed, 274 (47.4%) were subsequently published as a full article in a peer-reviewed journal indexed in MEDLINE. In a multivariable model adjusting for institution site, research topic, number of study sites, study design, sample size, and abstract results, publication rates for academic general internists were highest in the areas of medical education (52.5%, OR 5.05, 95% CI 1.57-17.25, reference group Veterans Affairs (VA)-based research, publication rate 36.7%), mental health/substance use (67.7%, OR 4.16, 95% CI 1.39-13.06), and aging/geriatrics/end of life (65.7%, OR 3.31, 95% CI 1.15-9.94, p = 0.01 across topics). Publication rates were higher for multicenter studies than single-institution studies (52.4% vs. 40.4%, OR 1.66, 95% CI 1.10-2.52, p = 0.04 across categories). Randomized controlled trials had higher publication rates than other study designs (66.7% vs. 45.9%, OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.30-5.94, p = 0.03 across study designs). Studies with positive results did not predict higher publication rates than negative studies (OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.6-1.31, p = 0.21).

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrated that 47.4% of abstracts presented at a general internal medicine national conference were subsequently published in a peer-reviewed journal indexed in MEDLINE.

The Publication Rates of Pediatric Rheumatology Abstracts Presented in European League Against Rheumatism 2009 Congress

Objectives

This study aims to evaluate the publication rates and features of the abstracts related to pediatric rheumatology presented in European League against Rheumatism 2009 congress.

Patients and methods

A systematic search was performed to find full-text publications of abstracts related to pediatric rheumatology in European League against Rheumatism 2009 congress. Full-text publication rate, the elapsed time between presentation and full-text publication, type of the disease in the studies, distribution of abstracts and full-texts according to countries, journals, and presentation types were investigated.

Results

Totally 220 abstracts were detected related to pediatric rheumatology. Twenty-two of them had only the title, authors' names, and institution of origin, but no abstract. Therefore, a total number of 198 abstracts were evaluated. Eighty-six (43.4%) abstracts were found to be accepted as full-text articles. The elapsed time between presentation and full text publication was median 19 months (range 0 to 64 months). While 12 orally presented abstracts (34%) became full-text articles, this rate was 45% (74 abstracts) for poster presentations. There was no significant difference in the elapsed time to reach full-text publication and impact factors between presentation types (p=0.832 and p=0.053, respectively).

Conclusion

The full-text publication rates were within similar ranges when compared to other reports in rheumatology field. It seems that even though European League against Rheumatism is a general rheumatology congress, it takes an important place in pediatric rheumatology field as well.