Abstract
BACKGROUND: Research productivity is an important factor in candidate selection by integrated thoracic surgery residency programs, and thus tracking the research output of applicants who match into an integrated program is necessary. This study sought to examine the research productivity of matched integrated applicants prior to residency and to assess demographic, bibliographic, and institutional variables associated with continued research productivity during residency. METHODS: Bibliographic records of applicants who matched into an integrated thoracic surgery residency program from 2015 to 2022 were reviewed manually (eg, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Google Scholar, ResearchGate) to identify studies published up to January 2024. Publications were stratified by publication type and first authorship relative to the applicants' match year. Individuals were analyzed by demographics, medical school ranking, and affiliated residency program research infrastructure. RESULTS: A total of 300 matched integrated applicants were identified. Among applicants who matched into an integrated program, the number of total (P = .001) and first-authorship (P = .006) publications prior to residency increased significantly from 2015 to 2022. Over the same period, the rates of total (P = .2) and first-authorship (P = .3) publications during residency remained relatively unchanged. Matched integrated applicants with a higher number of total and first-authorship publications prior to residency had higher rates of total publications (1.17; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09-1.25; P < .001) and first-authorship publications (1.19; 95% CI, 1.13-1.26; P < .001) publications during residency. CONCLUSIONS: Research productivity among applicants who matched into an integrated thoracic surgery residency program from 2015 to 2022 has increased and is a strong predictor of sustained scholarly output during residency.