Trends of Research Output of Allopathic Medical Students Matching Into Dermatology, 2007-2018

Abstract

IMPORTANCE According to the National Residency Matching Program's biennial Charting Outcomes in the Match (NRMP ChOM) reports, the mean number of research items of matched allopathic dermatology applicants has nearly tripled since 2007, rising from 5.7 to 14.7. Research items are self-reported by applicants and serve as an approximation of research output. Because the NRMP research items field is unverified and reported as an aggregate of several different research pursuits, it may not be an accurate representation of applicant research output. OBJECTIVE To determine if the rise in NRMP-reported data is associated with a rise in verifiable, indexed publications from matched allopathic dermatology applicants from 2007 to 2018. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Cross-sectional study including a bibliometric analysis on accepted applicant research output among 2234 matched allopathic dermatology applicants, with a total of 6229 publications, in dermatology residency programs for the years

Scaling the gates: Mentor relationships and scholarly work facilitate dermatology residency placement

“…The National Residency Matching Program reported that matched applicants at all programs averaged 11.7 to 14.7 scholarly works (abstracts, presentations, or articles), and we found that from 2016 to 2018, matched applicants for top dermatology programs averaged 4.1 PubMed-indexed articles. 4 Similar to our study, Narang et al 5 analyzed matched dermatology applicants from all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited dermatology residencies from 2007 to 2018 and showed that the mean number of PubMed-indexed articles per matched dermatology applicant was 4.7 in 2018. In both our study and that by Narang et al, 5 clinical original articles were the most common publication type.…”

“…4 Similar to our study, Narang et al 5 analyzed matched dermatology applicants from all Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited dermatology residencies from 2007 to 2018 and showed that the mean number of PubMed-indexed articles per matched dermatology applicant was 4.7 in 2018. In both our study and that by Narang et al, 5 clinical original articles were the most common publication type.…”

Inequity concerns surrounding research years and the dermatology residency match

“…1 Preliminary studies have shown the utility of LC-OCT in the field of basal cell carcinoma (BCC), therefore adding useful information in the recognition of different subtypes. 2,3 Herein, we report an 81-year-old man with a personal history of non-melanoma skin cancer who presented with a 6 mm 9 4 mm, pinkish-reddish macule, irregular in shape, showing raised edges and superficial scaling, located on the median upper back (Fig. 1a).…”

“…Application numbers have skyrocketed, with programs averaging over 20% more applications in 2021 versus 2019, while new dermatology residency positions have only slightly increased in number 2 . This “application fever” has been paralleled by a nearly three‐fold increase in the average number of indexed publications per dermatology applicant from 1.6 in 2007 to 4.7 in 2018 3 . With Step 1 having transitioned to pass/fail scoring in January 2022, research productivity may assume even greater importance in future residency application cycles.…”

“…2 This "application fever" has been paralleled by a nearly three-fold increase in the average number of indexed publications per dermatology applicant from 1.6 in 2007 to 4.7 in 2018. 3 With Step 1 having transitioned to pass/fail scoring in January 2022, research productivity may assume even greater importance in future residency application cycles. Therefore, we must critically examine the potential future incentive structure as it pertains to research years and the dermatology match, and identify areas of improvement.…”